The Mint Million – GIII
$2,000.00 For Three Year Olds And Upward
1 Mile – Turf
Kentucky Downs – September 7, 2026

Magnum Opus was available for $7.50 just a few months ago. He ran a good third on the dirt sin the Jones Stakes in his last start and we noted in the preview for his race that “He will face the best field he has faced by far and needs to find several gears to make his presence felt.”. He definitely found the needed gears coming home a clear winner and becoming a graded stakes winner in the process in only his second career stakes effort. Great eye by Mojica Racing in picking up a massive bargain and unlocking Magnum Opus’ heretofore hidden talent. Let go completely overlooked at 135-1 he came home much the best.

Winner: Magnum Opus (Mojica Racing/J.L. Ortiz) Opus The Great/First Class Lass (Asset Class) Was rated a couple of lengths off of the leaders early content to let them do battle. Began to look like a threat with three furlongs to go and with a quarter mile to go it was obvious that he was going to blow by champions Jakarta and Chagrin Falls in front of him. Powered  by the leaders and came home a clear winner. He is three starts out of his free track claim for $7.50 and is already a graded stakes winner and making his new barn proud.

Second: Nothing Like It (Nakamura Stables/D.E. Centeno) No Doubt About It/Like It Or Not (Decima) Another one we really didn’t see coming. In the preview we stated “Is showing speed in the morning but will have to up his race game.”. Like the winner he also did what we felt he would need to do. Sat a few lengths off of the lead early and began to charge through field and made a strong stretch run with the only problem being that the winner had gotten the jump on him. Great effort. 

Third: Chagrin Falls (Mo Mentum Farm/J.R. Velasquez) Notorious One/Birther Girl (City Of Jasmin) Came out of the outside gates fast with Jakarta and those two champs battled up front early along with King Luka. When the challenge came from the top two Chagrin Falls did not have what it took on the day to hold them off but the champ did dig in against a cavalry charge behind him to grittily hold on to third. 

Fourth: Anna Anna Anna (Maxmillion Farm/L.R. Rivera) The Godfather/Anna (Decima) Looked poised to run a good race and he did. He ran in the pocket early behind the pacesetters and looked to be in the perfect spot but didn’t find racing room and his best stride until late in the stretch.

Preview Pick: Chagrin Falls – Third. Could not hold off the top two. 

This was the first win in the six runnings of The Mit Million for both Mojica Racing and J.L. Ortiz. The $1,200.00 winner’s share of the purse brings career earnings for the five year old gelded son of Opus The Great to $1,252.14. 

Categories: Grade III, STAKES ARTICLES