By Alan Carasso
A well-backed 5-1 while making his stakes debut in Friday's GIII Pimlico Special S. over the Preakness S. course and distance, Blue Heaven Farm homebred Pyrenees (Into Mischief) was delivered in the nick of time by Kentucky Derby-winning jockey Brian Hernandez, Jr. to complete a memorable stakes three-timer for the Cherie DeVaux barn.
The beautifully bred 4-year-old, who capped a three-race winning streak–with Hernandez, Jr. aboard each time–courtesy of a three-length allowance victory over a sloppy Keeneland main track Apr. 12, was eased back and settled not far from a dawdling early pace set by the rail-drawn Harlocap (Justify) and heavily favored Kingsbarns (Uncle Mo) through an opening half-mile in :50.26. Racing in the two path around the turn, Pyrenees was niggled along to keep pace five-sixteenths of a mile from home and was pulled out four and five deep in upper stretch, with every conceivable chance if good enough. Kingsbarns edged in front for Luis Saez well off the inside with less than a furlong to run, but Pyrenees did slightly the better of the two and clawed his way home late for a narrow success. Harlocap held for third after laying down those soft splits.
DeVaux also took the Hilltop S. with the impressive She Looks Pretty (Karakontie {Jpn}) and the Allaire duPont Distaff S. with Shotgun Hottie (Gun Runner), both backed into odds-on favoritism.
“I've never won three races in a day, so we'll take this,” DeVaux said. “We were just hoping the horses showed up. You just hope you come in here and the horses run their race, they come out sound, they come out healthy. That's the most important, the last part. It's great. This is my first time really running here on my own. So, I think I'll have to make this a yearly visit.”
Pedigree Notes:
Bonnie Baskin and Adam Corndorf's Blue Heaven Farm acquired GIII Turnback the Alarm H. winner Our Khrysty for $600,000 in foal to Tiznow at the 2011 Fasig-Tipton November Sale and have bred six winners from her, including 2021 GI Del Mar Debutante victress Grace Adler (Curlin) and GII Gazelle S. third Virginia Key (Distorted Humor). The latter duo have also gone on to commercial stardom, as Grace Adler was sold for $2 million at FTKNOV in 2022, while Virginia Key's now 2-year-old son Tappan Street (Into Mischief) made an even $1 million at last year's Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Sale.
A half-sister to GI Whitney H. hero Bullsbay (Tiznow), MSW & GSP Vegas No Show (Hard Spun) and SW Hidden Expression (Yonaguska), Our Khrysty is also responsible for the unraced 3-year-old filly Prestwick (Uncle Mo), a yearling filly by Gun Runner and was most recently covered by Life Is Good.
Pyrenees, bought back twice at public auction, is the 149th worldwide stakes winner and 74th group/graded winner for Into Mischief.
Jockey @b_hernandezjr sits off the pace then surges late with #4 PYRENEES ($12.20) to get the G3 🏆 Pimlico Special victory and third stakes win on the card for @cdevauxracing. Congratulations to Blue Heaven Farm, owners of this 4YO colt by @spendthriftfarm's Into Mischief. pic.twitter.com/M1XDsX0ksL
— FanDuel Racing (Formerly TVG) (@FanDuel_Racing) May 17, 2024
Friday, Pimlico
PIMLICO SPECIAL S.-GIII, $250,000, Pimlico, 5-17, 3yo/up, 1 3/16m, 1:57.73, ft.
1–PYRENEES, 120, c, 4, by Into Mischief
1st Dam: Our Khrysty (GSW, $313,260),
by Newfoundland
2nd Dam: The Hess Express, by Lord Carson
3rd Dam: Turcomedy, by Turkoman
1ST BLACK TYPE WIN, 1ST GRADED STAKES WIN. ($350,000
RNA Wlg '20 KEENOV; $380,000 RNA 2yo '22 OBSAPR).
O/B-Blue Heaven Farm (Bonnie Baskin and Adam Corndorf)
(KY); T-Cherie DeVaux; J-Brian Joseph Hernandez, Jr. $150,000.
Lifetime Record: 8-4-1-1, $321,716. *1/2 to Grace Adler
(Curlin), GISW, $258,800. Werk Nick Rating: C.
Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Kingsbarns, 126, c, 4, Uncle Mo–Lady Tapit, by Tapit.
($250,000 Ylg '21 FTSAUG; $800,000 2yo '22 FTFMAR).
O-Spendthrift Farm LLC; B-Parks Investment Group, LLC (KY);
T-Todd A. Pletcher. $50,000.
3–Harlocap, 122, c, 4, Justify–Mezinka, by Bodemeister.
1ST GRADED BLACK TYPE. ($150,000 Ylg '21 KEESEP; $275,000
2yo '22 FTFMAR; $400,000 2yo '22 EASMAY). O-Harlo Stables
Corp. and Villa Rosa Farm, Inc.; B-Breed First LLC (KY); T-Steven
Asmussen. $25,000.
Margins: 3/4, 2 1/4, 1 1/4. Odds: 5.10, 0.70, 13.70.
Also Ran: Red Route One, Be Better, Royal Ship (Brz), Double Crown. Scratched: Time for Trouble.
Click for the Equibase.com chart and the TJCIS.com PPs. VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.
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