Jeff Mullins

Saturday's Mizdirection Stakes victress Queen Maxima (Bucchero) will head to Kingfisher Farms in California for a layoff after collecting her sixth stakes win this past weekend, trainer Jeff Mullins announced Sunday. Earning a 95 Beyer for her Mizdirection performance, Queen Maxima broke a two-race losing streak that started back in April when running fourth in the May 1 GII Unbridled Sidney Stakes at Churchill Downs and third in the GIII Monrovia at Santa Anita. Before that, she'd strung together successive victories in last October in the Senator Ken Maddy Stakes...

Intrepido (Maximus Mischief), winner of last year's GI American Pharoah Stakes, worked four furlongs in :47.20 (2/97) at Santa Anita Sunday and will ship to Churchill Downs with connections hoping to gain a spot in the May 2 GI Kentucky Derby. "I didn't [expect that]," trainer Jeff Mullins said of the work, which was quicker than he had anticipated. "But we often get what we don't expect." The colt currently sits 22nd on the qualifying Derby points leaderboard and will need two defections to make the field for the race....

Intrepido (Maximus Mischief) and Robusta (Accelerate), both targeting Saturday's GI Santa Anita Derby, each worked Sunday. Intrepido, trained by Jeff Mullins, worked a half-mile under jockey Hector Berrios. Robusta, trained by Doug O'Neill, drilled six furlongs with jockey Emisael Jaramillo in the irons. Intrepido was officially clocked working four furlongs in :47.60. That time was quite a bit faster than what trainer Jeff Mullins had on his stopwatch. "Way off," Mullins said. "I had him in :50. A bunch of us up there had him in :50." Whatever the case,...

Several notable sophomores were out on track Saturday morning at Santa Anita Park, including Grade I winner Intrepido (Maximus Mischief) and fellow GIII Robert B. Lewis alumnus Secured Freedom (Practical Joke)--both of whom put in their first moves since the aforementioned race. The former finished closest to GISP Plutarch (Into Mischief) in the Lewis, that one claimed top prize by three-quarters of a length, and took a spin over the main track for trainer Jeff Mullins in an easy four-panel move. Clocked in :48.80 with jockey Hector Berrios in the...

Dutch Girl Holdings and Irving Ventures's Intrepido (Maximus Mischief), a game second in the GIII Robert B. Lewis Stakes Saturday at Santa Anita, could make his next start in the Mar. 7 GII San Felipe Stakes or could wait for the Apr. 4 GI Santa Anita Derby if he looks to have earned enough points to make the field for the GI Kentucky Derby without the extra start. "If we could have won [the Robert Lewis], then we could have coasted and wait for the Santa Anita Derby," trainer Jeff...

Intrepido (Maximus Mischief), an upset winner of the GI American Pharoah S. at Santa Anita last fall, kicks off his sophomore campaign in Saturday's GIII Robert B. Lewis S. at Santa Anita. The 'TDN Rising Star, presented by Hagyard' won the American Pharoah by three-quarters of a length over the re-opposing Desert Gate (Omaha Beach). It was another nose back to Plutarch (Into Mischief) in third that day. Intrepido, a $30,000 KEESEP yearling turned $385,000 OBSAPR breezer, followed with a disappointing fifth at 5-1 in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile...

If bloodstock agent Mike Pender feels the urge to pinch himself from time to time, it would be hard to hold that against him. Having trained the likes of Grade I winners Jeranimo and Ultimate Eagle for his late client B. J. Wright in a career that lasted 15 years, Pender is now very much focused on the bloodstock side of the game, and his two current success stories--the three-time graded-stakes winning turf sprinter Queen Maxima (Bucchero) and Grade I-winning 'TDN Rising Star' presented by Hagyard Intrepido (Maximus Mischief)--are doing...

Heavily favored Queen Maxima added a third graded stakes to her resume and continued her dominance of the downhill turf course at Santa Anita with a professional victory in the GIII Las Cienegas Stakes Sunday. The chestnut mare, now a winner of eight of 13 lifetime starts--and five of six at Santa Anita--broke alertly and took up a stalking position in second behind pacesetting Princesa Moche. The duo remained one-two until turning into the stretch and passing the dirt crossing when Queen Maxima surged ahead, ultimately beating that stubborn rival...

Three of the big names heading into 2026--GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies winner Super Corredora (Gun Runner), GI American Pharoah winner Intrepido (Maximus Mischief) and Grade I winner Full Serrano (Full Mast)--all recorded timed workouts Monday at Santa Anita. Super Corredora and Full Serrano are both trained by John Sadler. Super Corredora worked five furlongs in 1:00.20. It was the third work this month for the juvenile filly following her victory on Oct. 31 at Del Mar. Sadler said Super Corredora is "definitely targeting" the one-mile Las Virgenes Stakes on...

Connections had Queen Maxima (Bucchero) under serious consideration for another start against the boys in Saturday's GI Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint, but instead opted for Friday's sex-restricted $200,000 Listed Senator Ken Maddy Stakes over those same five furlongs. Firming into 7-5 favoritism in the final tick or two, the dual graded winner made that decision look good when racing over the top of her rivals to post a soft victory while snapping a baby two-race skid. Having found trouble when 2 3/4 lengths' sixth as the favorite in the one-mile...

All five stakes winners on Saturday's card at Santa Anita--GI American Pharoah Stakes winner Intrepido (Maximus Mischief), GII Oak Leaf Stakes winner Explora (Blame), GII Rodeo Drive Stakes winner Mission of Joy (Kitten's Joy), GIII Chillingworth Stakes winner Tamara (Bolt d'Oro) and Speakeasy Stakes winner Later Than Planned (Ire) (Cotai Glory {GB})--were reported to be doing well Sunday and will move on to the Breeders' Cup. "He's got a lot of class," trainer Jeff Mullins said of Intrepido, who earned an automatic berth in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile with...

The final round of preps for the Breeders' Cup took place this weekend and there was no shortage of stories or races. There were 26 graded stakes run from Friday through Sunday and nine of them were Grade I's. As always, this weekend helped to clear up the Breeders' Cup picture. Here's a look at what happened: GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile: You had three races, the GI Champagne, the GI Breeders' Futurity and the GI American Pharoah and each race featured a potential superstar in Ted Noffey (Into Mischief), Desert...