Maximus Mischief (Into Mischief) made a mockery of his first two starts at Parx, graduating by a seemingly effortless 8 3/4 lengths in his 5 1/2-panel unveiling Sept. 29 and romping by six lengths in a seven-furlong allowance Oct. 20. The argument could be made that the $340,000 EASMAY buy was competing against weak fields, but his performances were so good that he could not be ignored and earned him the 'TDN Rising Star' tag. Maximus Mischief silenced all doubters Saturday, proving he was indeed the real deal with a decisive victory in Aqueduct's nine-panel GII Remsen S.
Seizing the early advantage alongside 60-1 shot Gladiator King (Curlin), the 7-5 second-choice edged a long neck clear of that rival and 17-1 chance Tax (Arch) to his outside, registering opening splits of :25.12 and :50.67. Gladiator King called it quits on the backstretch and it was Maximus Mischief and Tax left to decide things turning for home. Maximus Mischief hit another gear in the stretch, charging clear of Tax to win as he pleased. Even-money favorite Network Effect (Mark Valeski) came on late to nail Tax, who was fresh off the claim, for second.
“They've been running slow times down here,” said winning trainer Robert Reid, Jr. “I watched the beginning of the card and I was hoping it was a little faster than that, but to go from seven-eighths to a mile and an eighth, especially the way he did it, is a pretty good accomplishment.”
He continued, “He runs the turns really well and he swaps leads really good so that's generally where he gets the drop on them. The first thing Frank [Pennington] said when he came off the horse was that when he went into the first turn, [Maximus Mischief] pricked his ears and settled down–and he hadn't had too many horses around him early in his career–that he wasn't worried about the horses inside or outside of him, so that's a really good sign.”
“Running short he was always so sharp and keen, but Butch Reid did an awesome job getting him ready for this race,” Pennington said. “He broke well. Going into the first turn he relaxed right back to me and put his ears up and I knew he was going to be good today.”
Pedigree Notes:
Maximus Mischief is the 20th graded stakes winner and 44th black-type winner for his sire Into Mischief. A half-sister to ill-fated Grade I winner Secret Compass (Discreet Cat), the winner's dam Reina Maria most recently produced a yearling filly by Flatter. She was bred back to Lord Nelson earlier this spring.
Saturday, Aqueduct
REMSEN S.-GII, $250,000, Aqueduct, 12-1, 2yo, 1 1/8m, 1:51.34, ft.
1–MAXIMUS MISCHIEF, 118, c, 2, by Into Mischief
1st Dam: Reina Maria, by Songandaprayer
2nd Dam: Maria's Pride, by Maria's Mon
3rd Dam: Venting the Blues, by Cure the Blues
'TDN Rising Star' 1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN, 1ST GRADED STAKES
WIN. ($165,000 Wlg '16 KEENOV; $170,000 RNA Ylg '17
FTSAUG; $245,000 RNA 2yo '18 FTFMAR; $340,000 2yo '18
EASMAY). O-Cash is King LLC & LC Racing; B-Martha Jane
Mulholland (KY); T-Robert E. Reid, Jr.; J-Frankie Pennington.
$137,500. Lifetime Record: 3-3-0-0, $192,100. Werk Nick
Rating: A+. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Network Effect, 118, c, 2, Mark Valeski–Sandy Key Gal, by
Put It Back. ($95,000 2yo '18 OBSAPR). O-Klaravich Stables,
Inc.; B-Louis Jolin (FL); T-Chad C. Brown. $50,000.
3–Tax, 118, g, 2, Arch–Toll, by Giant's Causeway. O-Hugh Lynch
& Corms Racing Stable; B-Claiborne Farm & Adele B.
Dilschneider (KY); T-Danny Gargan. $30,000.
Margins: 2 1/4, HF, 6 1/4. Odds: 1.40, 1.15, 17.30.
Also Ran: Bourbon War, Jungle Warrior, Gladiator King, Chinomado. Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS.com PPs or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.
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