Hoosier Philly (Into Mischief) ran to her billing and kept her perfect record in tact Saturday, scoring her third straight win at Churchill Downs in the GII Golden Rod S.
A debut winner going 5 1/2urlongs at this oval Sept. 25, the $510,000 KEESEP acquisition showed two turns was no problem, charging home to a 7 1/2-length victory in a sloppy renewal of the 1 1/16-mile Rags to Riches S. Oct. 30. She prepped for this with a series of bullet drills and was duly made the 2-5 favorite.
Stumbling a bit at the break, Hoosier Philly quickly jumped into the bridle and kept tabs from fourth, running off the fence as 13-1 shot T Max (Connect) clocked a :24.29 first quarter. Charging up to take control as the half-mile went in :47.79 with Pure Paline (Curlin) hot on her tail, the gray bounded clear at the top of the lane and was on cruise control from there, coasting home to an effortless five-length score. She earned 10 points towards a spot in the GI Kentucky Oaks starting gate. Knockyoursocksoff (Kitten's Joy) was best of the rest in second with Pretty Mischievous (Into Mischief) in third and Pure Pauline filling out the superfecta.
“I've said multiple times, and I hope it doesn't come across as arrogant, I've never seen any horse like her,” said Tom Amoss, who trained 2019 Oaks winner Serengeti Empress (Alternation). “I've been training since 1987 and she's different than anything I've ever had come in my barn. The instructions to [rider] Edgar [Morales] were pretty simple, he was on the best horse and ride her with confidence.”
He continued, “Now, she'll get a break by design and will bring her back as a 3-year-old. She's a filly but I have entertained the thought of putting her on the Road to the Kentucky Derby.”
“She's unbelievable,” Morales said. “I had so much horse the entire race. I got behind horses a little bit going into the first turn but kept her outside and she was moving so easily. It's so much fun to ride her and so easy, too. She knows exactly what to do and when to do it.”
Pedigree Notes:
Hoosier Philly is graded winner number 57 for the all-conquering Into Mischief and one of 116 black-type winners for the Spendthrift kingpin. She is the 33rd graded scorer out of a daughter of Tapit, who was represented by his 30th Grade I winner as a sire Friday at Churchill in GI Clark H. victor Proxy. Tapella is a daughter of unbeaten stakes winner Princess Arabella (Any Given Saturday), who is also responsible for MGSP Ulele (Candy Ride {Arg}). Cheyenne Stables purchased Tapella for $750,000 at the Fasig-Tipton Saratoga sale and she won two of eight starts. Hoosier Philly is her first foal and she has since produced a yearling filly by Mastery and weanling colt by Justify. She was bred back to Munnings for 2023.
Saturday, Churchill Downs
GOLDEN ROD S.-GII, $400,000, Churchill Downs, 11-26, 2yo, f, 1 1/16m, 1:43.94, ft.
1–HOOSIER PHILLY, 122, f, 2, by Into Mischief
1st Dam: Tapella, by Tapit
2nd Dam: Princess Arabella, by Any Given Saturday
3rd Dam: Tortuga Lady, by Thunder Gulch
1ST GRADED STAKES WIN. ($510,000 Ylg '21 KEESEP). O-Gold
Standard Racing Stable, LLC; B-Candy Meadows LLC (KY);
T-Thomas M. Amoss; J-Edgar Morales. $242,470. Lifetime
Record: 3-3-0-0, $432,610. Werk Nick Rating: A+. Click for the
eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Knockyoursocksoff, 122, f, 2, Kitten's Joy–Fateer, by
Eskendereya. ($80,000 RNA Wlg '20 KEENOV). O-Town &
Country Racing, LLC; B-Zayat Stables (KY); T-Chris M. Block.
$78,700.
3–Pretty Mischievous, 122, f, 2, Into Mischief–Pretty City
Dancer, by Tapit. 1ST BLACK TYPE, 1ST GRADED BLACK TYPE.
'TDN Rising Star'. O/B-Godolphin (KY); T-Brendan P. Walsh.
$39,350.
Margins: 5, NK, HF. Odds: 0.48, 24.16, 5.15.
Also Ran: Pure Pauline, Defining Purpose, T Max, American Rockette, Take Charge Briana. Scratched: Black Forest, Mustang Lady.
Click for the Equibase.com chart and the TJCIS.com PPs. VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.
Not a subscriber? Click here to sign up for the daily PDF or alerts.
