Into Mischief

After a fruitless last three appearances against elite company, juvenile champion Citizen Bull (Into Mischief) returned to his winning ways after major class relief in the Shared Belief Stakes. Off the board in the GI Woody Stephens, GI Kentucky Derby, and GI Santa Anita Derby in his last three starts, it had been a tough spring for the Bob Baffert trainee after a sensational juvenile season which saw him win two Grade I races, including the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile, and take home top prize as the best 2-year-old colt...

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...

In fairness, an authentic Triple Crown was never available to Sovereignty even if his connections had deigned to seek one. We must still wait and see, then, whether Into Mischief can someday crown his evolution into a Classic influence with the winner of a 12-furlong Belmont Stakes. As and when that happens, it will feel much as when Justify-representing another Storm Cat speed brand, Scat Daddy-set off fast and just kept going. That ability to carry speed is the dirt grail and perhaps we can give some credit for the...

With a name like Will Happen (Vekoma--Walk of Fame, by Scat Daddy) you would think that a 'TDN Rising Star' would be in the offing. Of course, the filly had to sparkle in the fifth at Del Mar to earn her badge and sparkle she did. The 2-year-old turned and burned in her maiden-breaking debut on Sunday. A $210,000 OBS March breezer (see Alan Carasso's Summer Breezes), the first-time starter was sent off as the 2-1 choice here. At the bell, Will Happen looked like a sharp stick and had...

Saturday's 14-race Travers Day card at Saratoga generated a wagering handle of $54,309,929 while paid attendance was 48,255, the New York Racing Association (NYRA) announced. On-track handle accounted for $10,369,950 of the overall total. The centerpiece of the event was the 156th running of the GI Travers Stakes, which was dominated by Sovereignty (Into Mischief), but also featured four other Grade I events--the Personal Ensign won by reigning Horse of the Year Thorpedo Anna (Fast Anna); the H. Allen Jerkens Memorial, claimed by Patch Adams (Into Mischief); the Ballerina Stakes,...

Go ahead and crown him. Dual Classic winner Sovereignty (Into Mischief) showed no mercy on his four overmatched rivals, romping by 10 lengths in Saturday's GI DraftKings Travers S. at Saratoga. Bracket Buster (Vekoma) and Magnitude (Not This Time) rounded out the top three. "Our horse just proved how good he was when he pulled away in the last eighth of a mile," winning Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott said. "He's pretty special." The 1-4 favorite jumped well from post four and trailed the bunched-up field as expected pacesetter...

'TDN Rising Star' Patch Adams (Into Mischief) made it two straight top-level victories sprinting at the Spa with a game performance in Saturday's GI H. Allen Jerkens Memorial S. The rail-drawn, 5-2 favorite secured a fantastic pocket trip on the inside in third beneath Luis Saez behind the two-for-two 'Rising Star' Midland Money (Shancelot) and 'Rising Star' Captain Cook (Practical Joke) through an opening quarter in :22.38. Back a spot into fourth through a half mile in :44.52, Patch Adams shot through an opening along the fence as they straightened...

It was a dramatic finish, but reigning Horse of the Year Thorpedo Anna (Fast Anna) gamely gave it her all and nosed out her competition to win the GI Personal Ensign Stakes at Saratoga. No stranger to being the media's darling as well as the fan's favorite, the 'TDN Rising Star' was most recently the headliner when Hill 'n' Dale announced that they'd acquired a half-interest in a deal which included former NFL player Marshawn Lynch. In the lead up to the race, trainer Kenny McPeek was particularly bullish on...

9th-ELP, $100K, Msw, 2yo, f, 1mT, 4:42 p.m. ET. TRUST ACCOUNT (Into Mischief) is set to be unveiled after going for $1.5-million to the Heider Family during Keeneland September. Sent to trainer Brendan Walsh, the filly is out of GI Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf champ Shared Account (Pleasantly Perfect), who also produced GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf heroine Sharing (Speightstown). This dam counts as half-sisters Canadian GSW Colonial Flag (Pleasant Tap) and GSW Sparkle Blue (Hard Spun). Also headed to the gate for the first time is...

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. -- Jockey Junior Alvarado, the race day partner of Sovereignty (Into Mischief), the leading 3-year-old in the country, knows how everyone feels now. That's because he saw up close just how powerful Sovereignty is. Sovereignty had his final work before next weekend's $1.25 million GI Travers Stakes Saturday morning at the Oklahoma Training Track. As usual, he was being ridden by Neil Poznansky, the assistant to Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott. Alvarado, helping the barn out, climbed aboard Fort Nelson (Bernardini), who was Sovereignty's workmate for...

She's the queen of turf speed at Saratoga and it's her summer we get to witness. Future Is Now (Great Notion) has now claimed seven wins from her last nine starts with a sparkling defense of her title in the Listed Smart And Fancy Stakes Friday afternoon. Not off the board since mid-May of last year, the Great Notion mare has taken home the hardware in four graded races and hit the board in two others. Her last start July 19 at this venue was a half-length victory in the...

Four additional yearlings, including fillies by Flightline, Gun Runner and Into Mischief along with a colt by Golden Pal, have been supplemented to Book 1 of the September Yearling Sale on Sept. 8-9, Keeneland announced Thursday. Opening day of the sale will include these supplements: Hip 181 is a filly from the first crop of Horse of the Year Flightline who is out of stakes winner Call On Mischief, by Into Mischief. Call On Mischief is a half-sister to Grade I winner and millionaire Power Squeeze. The filly is consigned...