Mission Impazible wins the New Orleans H. (G2)

Mission Impazible, winner of last year’s Louisiana Derby (G2), showed his fondness for the New Orleans track once again, scoring a 1 1/2-length victory in the March 25 New Orleans H. (G2) (VIDEO). Mission Impazible, a 4-year-old by Unbridled’s Song, also ran second in the Mineshaft H. (G3) at Fair Grounds last month.

Ridden for the first time by Garrett Gomez, Mission Impazible was under a snug hold while racing on the inside of pacesetter Birdrun for the first six furlongs. Gomez let his colt loose on the turn, and he opened up three lengths at midstretch. He continued strongly to the wire, finishing the 1 1/8 miles in 1:49.02, just a second off the track record.

“He just likes it here,” said trainer Todd Pletcher’s assistant Mike Dilger. “He’s been very relaxed all week.”

“I thought that when I got to the far turn that we were going slow enough I could kind of get him on his feet and start stretching the field, and he did so,” Gomez said.

With the win, Mission Impazible is now 3-3-2 in nine starts. The $240,000 payday raised his earnings to $798,854.

Mission Impazible was consigned to the 2008 Keeneland September yearling sale by Taylor Made, where he sold for $200,000 to his current owner, Twin Creeks Racing Stable LLC.

Unbridled’s Song is once again a top 10 sire in North America, as he was last year. He has seven stakes horses in 2011.