Into Mischief

Yes, despite everything, life really is good. I know that the industry press is currently saturated with the contention of attorneys, rather than racehorses. And I know that our sport, in the process, is squandering much of the cultural capital that should instead have been invested in the two compelling talents squaring up at Gulfstream Saturday. Yet perhaps one of the protagonists will not just put all these tawdry sagas aside, however briefly, but also pay a timely tribute to a mare who could get anyone interested in the game....

When a racetrack musters a $3-million purse for a featured event, the hope is that racing's stars will attend the big dance. And this year's GI Pegasus World Cup Invitational S. certainly succeeded in attracting two of the biggest names--Knicks Go (Paynter) and Life Is Good (Into Mischief)--in the American handicap division. Knicks Go, a 2 3/4-length winner in last year's Pegasus World Cup, finished fourth in the G1 Saudi Cup and GI Hill 'n' Dale Metropolitan H. before reeling off four-straight wins, including the GI Whitney S. and in...

Clarkland Farm's 2016 Broodmare of the Year Leslie's Lady (Tricky Creek--Crystal Lady, by Stop the Music), whose produce include leading sire Into Mischief (Harlan's Holiday) and four-time Eclipse Award winner Beholder (Henny Hughes), died Jan. 24 at the farm, the Blood-Horse reports. She was 26 years old. Bred in Kentucky by David Hager II, Leslie's Lady was an $8,000 short yearling purchase from Hager's Idle Hour Farm at Keeneland January in 1997 and was acquired by owner James T. Hines for $27,000 from the Margaux Farm draft at the Keeneland...

With the 2022 breeding season right around the corner, we will feature a series of breeders' mating plans over the coming weeks. Today we have Andrew Cary, bloodstock agent for Coteau Grove Farms. MISS HOT LEGS (m, 6, Verrazano--Expo Gold, by Johannesburg), to be bred to Medaglia d'Oro Miss Hot Legs is one of our top mares. She's a stakes-placed three-quarter sister to the superstar Swiss Skydiver (Daredevil). We purchased her for $500,000 as a broodmare prospect at Keeneland November 2020. Miss Hot Legs herself was a very fast and...

Sponsored by Alex Nichols Agency 6th-OP, $84K, Msw, 3yo, f, 6f, 3:51 p.m. ET The first of two strong-looking groups of sophomore fillies line up here in Hot Springs. Brad Cox-trained second timer Firewolves (Practical Joke) gets the tepid morning-line nod coming off a runner-up outing over track and trip Dec. 3 that earned her a 75 Beyer Speed Figure. The $140,000 Keeneland September yearling is half to MGSP Tap for Luck (Tapit) and to the dam of GSW/GISP Jeltrin (Tapizar). Peace Peddler (Gun Runner) set a solid pace in...

Spendthrift Farm's Authentic (Into Mischief-Flawless, by Mr. Greeley), winner of the GI Kentucky Derby and GI Breeders' Cup Classic in 2020, was represented by his first reported foal at Taylor Made Farm Sunday. He is set to stand his second season at stud in 2022 for a fee of $70,000 S&N. The colt is out of Streak of Luck, who was purchased for $620,000 at the Keeneland November sale last fall while carrying the colt. She was one of eight mares in foal to the 2020 Horse of the Year...

WinStar Farm and CHC Inc.'s TDN Rising Star Life Is Good (Into Mischief) posted another sharp work Saturday morning as he readies for his next scheduled start in the GI Pegasus World Cup Invitational at Gulfstream Jan. 29. The 4-year-old breezed five furlongs in 1:00.36 at Palm Beach Downs for Todd Pletcher, third-fastest of 14 horses at the distance Saturday. "Just another super work this morning," said the Hall of Famer of the 3-year-old Eclipse finalist. "Looked awesome, finished up really strong, galloped out great. Looks good here [Saturday] afternoon....

LEXINGTON, KY - The Keeneland January Horses of All Ages Sale continued Thursday with a third session dominated by mares from the Godolphin draft. Dan Hall, acting on behalf of Frank Stronach's Adena Springs, made the day's highest bid when going to $480,000 to acquire the unraced Crowning Jewel (Into Mischief). Sheikh Mohammed's operation, on track to earn the Eclipse Award as leading breeder of 2021, was responsible for three of the session's top four prices. In all, 259 head sold Thursday for a gross of $5,471,700. The session average...

Taylor Made Stallions' Instagrand (Into Mischief) sired his first reported foals when a filly out of Grade I winner Concrete Rose (Twirling Candy) was born Jan. 10, and a colt out of the unraced Tiznow mare Siesta was born Jan. 8. Concrete Rose was a $1.95-million Keeneland November acquisition in 2020 by OXO Equine LLC, which also bred the filly. Siesta's colt was bred by Jay Goodwin, Michael Hore, DVM, and Doc Atty Stables. A $1.2-million Fasig-Tipton Gulfstream sale topper and winner of the GII Best Pal S., Instagrand will stand...

White Hot (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), dam of GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf winner Pizza Bianca (Fastnet Rock {Aus}), will be bred to superstar stallion Into Mischief in 2022, owner Bobby Flay reported Thursday. "I wanted to take all the guesswork out of it," explained owner Bobby Flay on selecting the Spendthrift stallion. Pizza Bianca is currently at Christophe Clement's Payson Park base in preparation for her 3-year-old season. White Hot was originally a 1,250,000 gns yearling at Tattersalls October in 2014. She never made it to the races, but...

With the 2022 breeding season right around the corner, we will feature a series of breeders' mating plans over the coming weeks. Today we have Aidan and Leah O'Meara of Stonehaven Steadings. VENETIAN SONATA (m, 13, Bernardini--Moonlight Sonata, by Carson City), to be bred to Curlin Bernardini's talents as a broodmare sire have been impressive but his strike rate with Curlin has been hugely impressive with nearly 20% stakes winners to date. That coupled with another stellar year at the track for Curlin made this mating an easy decision. Venetian...

'TDN Rising Star' Life Is Good (Into Mischief), a dominant winner of the GI Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile Nov. 6, continues to train forwardly toward his 4-year-old debut in the $3-million GI Pegasus World Cup Invitational Jan. 29 at Gulfstream Park. Life Is Good was among two dozen horses breezing for Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher Saturday morning at Palm Beach Downs. He was clocked in 1:00.41 (5/11) for five furlongs. "He's a phenomenal workhorse. He's a very talented, gifted animal that when you watch him breeze you kind...