A competitive group of fillies get their chance to assert themselves in the 3-year-old sprint ranks in Saturday's seven-furlong GI Longines Test S. at Saratoga. Standing atop the nine-horse affair is the Heligbrodts, Heider Family Stables and Madaket Stables' 'TDN Rising Star' Mia Mischief (Into Mischief), who reeled off consecutive victories in Oaklawn's six-furlong Purple Martin S. Mar. 24 followed by a front-running score in the May 4 GII Eight Belles S. over seven panels at Churchill Downs. Prompted throughout the early going in the GIII Victory Ride S. at Belmont July 8, the Steve Asmussen trainee succumbed to pressure late, finishing fifth, beaten two lengths.
Klaravich Stables' Separationofpowers (Candy Ride {Arg}), the sole Grade I winner in the field, recorded her career high coming from off the pace in Belmont's GI Frizette S. over a mile Oct. 8 before flattening to fourth the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies at Del Mar Mov. 4. Shelved for the remainder of the season, the 'TDN Rising Star' reappeared with a trouble-ridden, yet productive, fourth in the Victory Ride. Jose Ortiz, who has been aboard for all five prior starts, get the call and looks poised to take advantage of this speed-laden affair.
Alter Moon (Alternation) steps up to the big leagues in this first start for new owner Peter Brant and new trainer Chad Brown, who also saddles Separationofpowers. Previously campaigned by JAL Racing and conditioner Jose Velez, the bay began to come into her own when second in the seven-furlong Game Face S. Apr. 21. Demolishing the field by 14 3/4 lengths in a June 3 allowance at the Hallandale oval, the bay was an easy five-length winner last out in the Azalea S. June 30. She was sent through the ring at Fasig-Tipton last month for their Summer Selected Horses of Racing Age Sale, where she brought the evening's second-highest price when hammering for $675,000 to bloodstock agent Steve Young, acting on Brant's behalf. Javier Castellano makes her acquaintance for her graded stakes bow.
Carl Moore's Classy Act (Into Mischief), runner up in the GII Rachel Alexandra S. in February, was an easy winner in a short test over seven-eighths at Churchill in June before finishing a neck behind Dixie Serenade (Uptowncharliebrown) in the Victory Ride.
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