By Stefanie Grimm
Spendthrift homebred Tommy Jo (Into Mischief), who announced herself as a 'TDN Rising Star' in a 3 3/4-length maiden win going six furlongs at the Spa July 26, backed up that effort and then some in Saturday's GI Spinaway Stakes, booking herself a ticket to the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies.
The daughter of Bob Baffert-trainer MGISP Mother Mother (Pioneerof the Nile) picked up Kendrick Carmouche Saturday at even-money and never looked as though she was anything but the winner. Wearing the Spendthrift orange and purple, the favorite broke in an even line but was outsprinted to the front by 24-1 longshot Sina (Gun Runner) who went clear alone initially before being joined on the lead by undefeated Mythical (St Patrick's Day). Beautifully positioned third, Carmouche kept Tommy Jo in the clear as the pacesetters rolled through an opening quarter in :22.22. Under only minimal urging, the favorite began to eat into the gap and was well within striking distance just a length back of the front midway around the turn in :44.54.
As the dueling leaders threw in the towel at the quarter pole, Tommy Jo was just getting revved up with Carmouche barely having to draw his crop through the final sixteenth. A late run from fellow 'Rising Star' Percy's Bar (Upstart) burst that runner clear of the pack but it was a procession home for the winner as Tommy Jo came home in style for the win. The final time of 1:23.39 was over two seconds faster than the time of last year's winner, Eclipse champion 2-year-old filly Immersive (Nyquist).
This is Todd Pletcher's record seventh Spinaway win which breaks a sentimental tie between him and the late D. Wayne Lukas who had six. Pletcher previously won the Spinaway with such talented fillies as Rachel's Valentina (Bernardini) and dual champion Ashado (Saint Ballado), and last won in 2016 with Sweet Loretta (Tapit) who dead-heated in that edition with Pretty City Dancer (Tapit). This is the first Spinaway win for jockey Kendrick Carmouche.
“I think she got away a little cleaner today, put herself and Kendrick [Carmouche] into a good spot,” Pletcher said. “She is so push-button, runs the turns extremely well, and kind of blew the race open at that point, but she's trained like a special one all summer and obviously her first two races have been very exciting.”
With her Breeders' Cup ticket booked, Pletcher added of his filly's next start: “I would think the [GI Darley] Alcibiades could make sense, a two-turn race as a possible prep for the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies, so we'll let the dust settle, but that is the most likely scenario.”
“The more I asked [down the lane], the more she gave,” Carmouche said of the ride. “I'm just glad to be part of the team–I'm 2-for-2 today for Todd Pletcher and it means a lot in Saratoga to let people see that. It helps the career and helps me to keep fighting through. I'm so proud of my agent Jimmy [Riccio], we've been putting in the work–it's all about that hustle. We want to be successful, we want to be on top and that's what we've been striving for the past two or three years, me and Jimmy Riccio and we're going to keep fighting. We're blessed.”
Spendthrift owner and president Eric Gustavson, who was on hand to witness his filly's win, said, “We had high expectations based off her maiden win. We are just so thankful. We'd like to give all glory to God first. She didn't disappoint, we are so excited about her. She ran great and is a homebred, which is extra exciting for us, that she was raised on the farm and every division on the farm had a hand in getting her here. It was a big team win and we preach a 'we, not me' mentality at the farm first, so that's a big deal for us. And she is named after our only granddaughter as well, so that is like the cherry on top of it all. Her name is Tommy Jo Gustavson.”
Pedigree Note:
Leading general sire Into Mischief continues to roll from one strength to another with now 26 Grade I winners to his name. The aforementioned Mother Mother, who earned over $430,000 in her career, sold to Spendthrift for $1,800,000 as a broodmare at FTKNOV in 2020 with Tommy Jo being her second foal and first winner. Mother Mother herself is a half-sister to GI Kentucky Derby runner up Commanding Curve (Master Command). Tommy Jo is her dam's youngest reported foal but Mother Mother visited Vekoma for 2026.
Tommy Jo blows her rivals away in the Grade One Spinaway Stakes at Saratoga! 🇺🇸
The daughter of Into Mischief books her ticket to the @BreedersCup with a sensational performance… ✨ pic.twitter.com/hvAdrsv1aK
— At The Races (@AtTheRaces) August 30, 2025
Saturday, Saratoga
SPINAWAY S.-GI, $300,000, Saratoga, 8-30, 2yo, f, 7f, 1:23.39, ft.
1–TOMMY JO, 122, f, 2, by Into Mischief
1st Dam: Mother Mother (MSW & MGISP, $430,061),
by Pioneerof the Nile
2nd Dam: Mother, by Lion Hearted
3rd Dam: Proper Lassie, by Topsider
'TDN Rising Star' 1ST BLACK TYPE WIN, 1ST GRADED STAKES WIN, 1ST GRADE I WIN. O/B-Spendthrift Farm LLC (KY); T-Todd A. Pletcher; J-Kendrick Carmouche. $165,000. Lifetime Record: 2-2-0-0, $220,000. Werk Nick Rating: A+++. *Triple Plus*. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree or free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Percy's Bar, 122, f, 2, by Upstart
1st Dam: Honestly Deb, by Super Saver
2nd Dam: Deb's Charm, by Silver Charm
3rd Dam: Ms. Cuvee Napa, by Relaunch
'TDN Rising Star'. 1ST GRADED BLACK TYPE, 1ST G1 BLACK TYPE. ($52,000 Ylg '24 KEESEP). O-Hat Creek Racing; B-Brereton C. Jones (KY); T-Ben Colebrook. $60,000.
3–Rileytole, 122, f, 2, by Mitole
1st Dam: Picolata, by Bellamy Road
2nd Dam: North East Star, by Siphon (Brz)
3rd Dam: North East Dancer, by Far North
1ST BLACK TYPE, 1ST GRADED BLACK TYPE, 1ST G1 BLACK TYPE. ($50,000 Ylg '24 OBSWIN). O-L. William and Corinne Heiligbrodt; B-Don & Jackie Duppenthaler, Wade & Donna Russell (KY); T-Saffie A. Joseph, Jr.. $36,000.
Margins: 6HF, 4 3/4, 4HF. Odds: 1.00, 3.25, 28.50.
Also Ran: Day to Day, Mythical, Sina-(DH), Spirit Doll-(DH). Scratched: Meringue, Ornellaia, Steer Clear.
Click for the Equibase.com chart or the TJCIS.com PPs. VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.
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