BY BROCK SHERIDAN
NOVEMBER 16, 2002—Live Oak Plantation homebred Miesque’s Approval rallied to win the $150,000 Bonnie Heath Turf Cup Handicap by head over Sir Brian’s Sword at Calder Race Course on the inaugural Florida Million card.
With the Hall of Fame team of trainer Bill Mott and jockey Jerry Bailey, Miesque’s Approval was in hand early in the mile-and-an-eighth contest, racing some four lengths behind leader Swift Replica. Bailey took Miesque’s Approval to the outside leaving the far turn then ran down the leaders in the stretch to win under the co-high weight impost of 116 pounds. Sir Brian’s Sword finished a length ahead of Stay Forever in third.
It was the second stakes victory of the year for the 3-year-old son of Miesque’s Son out of Win Approval, by With Approval after taking the Grade 3 Kent Breeders’ Cup at Delaware Park in July.
Nearly four years later when trained by Martin Wolfson and ridden by Eddie Castro, Miesque’s Approval won the Grade 1 NetJets Breeders’ Cup Mile at Churchill Downs on Nov. 4, 2006, cementing honors as the year’s Eclipse Award Champion Grass Horse.
Miesque’s Approval retired with 12 wins, nine of which were in stakes, with 10 seconds and five thirds in 41 starts with earnings of $2,648,879.
