By Mike Kane
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – In the category of “Can You Top This Story?” Elza Mitchum and his son, Alex, have a solid contender for the prize.
Their aptly named colt 'TDN Rising Star' It's Our Time (Not This Time) produced the Mitchums' tale Saturday with a 17 3/4-length victory in the seventh race at Saratoga Race Course. Under Luis Saez, the Virginia-bred colt was the Mitchums' first career winner in their, yes, second start as owners. It's Our Time and Saez turned in their smoking performance in the $100,000 maiden special weight test for 2-year-olds, covering the 6 1/2 furlongs in 1:15.63.
The Virginia Beach, Va. residents, lifelong racing fans, purchased their first horses 11 months ago at the Keeneland September sale. They secured It's Our Time, bred by South Gate Farm and recommended by trainer Tom Amoss, for $425,000.
“I've always loved horse racing,” Elza Mitchum said, “and my son and I just finally decided to go ahead and take the plunge.”
That plunge came after plenty of years or considering when to move from fan to participating.
“I wanted to do it all my life, but I figured I was young enough I could go ahead and start now,” Elza Mitchum said with a chuckle.
Hero Declared (Maclean's Music), the 3-5 favorite, broke on top and set early fractions of :21.99 and :44.78. He led It's Our Time by 1 1/2 lengths after the first quarter and a head after a half-mile. By that point, It's Our Time was rolling. He forged a 10-length lead in the stretch and, though he was geared down in the final furlong, he continued to extend his advantage over Hero Declared.
Amoss said that It's Our Time showed him he was ready for Saratoga's top test for 2-year-old maidens.
“He's a horse that really, really advanced when he got up to here, and you can see it in his workouts,” Amoss said. “I think the real tell was his work from the gate. He worked extremely nicely. I know (Hero Declared) was a very nice horse going into today. My guy's a little guy, but today, David got the best of Goliath. May not happen next time, but we got him today.”
The work that Amoss noted came on Aug. 2 when It's Our Time breezed a half mile in :47.83, the fourth-fastest of 153 at that distance that morning.
Alex Mitchum said that the colt touted them with his training.
“We were looking at the workout times and (Hero Declared) had good workout times, and so did we,” he said. “I think we had a really good break. You always have hope but you never know the trip around. I think Nelson's Penney (Munnings) on Wednesday, didn't get as good of a trip around. She was really boxed in the whole time. It really matters on how you break and get the trip around, but we're really happy with some of the splits that we are seeing in workouts.”
Nelson's Penny was the first starter for the Mitchums' Double Down Horse Racing. She ended up fifth in her debut. Four days later, It's Our Time and his owners broke their maidens with a jaw-dropping victory.
Alex Mitchum said his father decided he was ready to trying owning horses last year and started the process.
“He's always been a huge fan and taking us to Colonial Downs or Laurel when I was a kid. And we've gone to the Derby a couple times,” Alex Mitchum said. “He's a big fan of Tom Amoss, so he reached out one night. We started talking, and ended up at Keeneland last year, bought a couple horses and here we are.”
IT'S OUR TIME makes a statement in his debut!
He breaks his maiden in Race 7 for trainer @TomAmossRacing with Luis Saez aboard who gets his third win of the day. pic.twitter.com/cLqSmgvLsh
— NYRA (🎪) (@TheNYRA) August 16, 2025
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