Mischevious Alex (Into Mischief) handled the added distance of Saturday's one-turn mile Gotham with aplomb, running away to his third straight impressive victory.
He broke sharply and raced three deep to vy for command as they stacked up four across the track through a :23.54 opening quarter. The bay made his move to gain a narrow advantage approaching the far turn, was sat down by Kendrick Carmouche nearing the quarter pole and responded nicely from there, driving clear in the stretch to deliver as the favorite.
Mischevious Alex entered the Gotham off two runaway victories going seven furlongs since adding blinkers, the Parx Juvenile S. Nov. 5 and Gulfstream's GIII Swale S. last time Feb. 1. He was third going a mile around two turns at Monmouth in last summer's Sapling S. His lone career off-the-board finish came in the grassy Laurel Futurity S. in September.
“It was a great day for us,” winning trainer John Servis said. “He handled the next step up really well and gave us a solid effort today. We'll see how he comes out of this and Chuck [Zacney, Cash is King] and the other partners and I will discuss what's next. Ever since we put the blinkers on him, everything that we've handed him, he has handled very well.”
Servis added, “We'll discuss [the 1 1/8-mile GII Wood Memorial Apr. 4], but as long as he comes out of it well, I think it's worth taking a shot.”
Pedigree Notes:
Mischevious Alex added to a banner day for leading sire Into Mischief. Two-time winner White Pants Night was purchased as a broodmare prospect by WinStar Farm for $100,000 at the 2014 KEENOV Sale. The 9-year-old mare is a half-sister to graded winner Hebbronville (Majesticperfection) and stakes winners Master of Disaster (Dance Master) and A Day for Dancing (Dance Master). She is also represented by the 2-year-old colt named Great Gasby (Tiznow) and a yearling colt by Outwork. She was bred to Wicked Strong for the 2020 season.
Saturday, Aqueduct
GOTHAM S.-GIII, $300,000, Aqueduct, 3-7, 3yo, 1m, 1:38.80, ft.
1–MISCHEVIOUS ALEX, 123, c, 3, by Into Mischief
1st Dam: White Pants Night, by Speightstown
2nd Dam: More d'Amour, by Tour d'Or
3rd Dam: Love Connection, by Master Derby
($75,000 Ylg '18 KEESEP; $140,000 2yo '19 OBSAPR). O-Cash is
King LLC and LC Racing; B-WinStar Farm, LLC (KY); T-John C.
Servis; J-Kendrick Carmouche. $165,000. Lifetime Record:
7-4-1-1, $344,230. Werk Nick Rating: A+++. *Triple Plus* Click
for eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Untitled, 118, c, 3, Khozan–Cindy Says, by Elusive Quality.
($45,000 RNA Ylg '18 FTKOCT). O-Gary Barber & Michael B.
Sebastian; B-Brent & Crystal Fernung, Mike Sebastian Jr. &
Mike Sebastian Sr. (FL); T-Mark E. Casse. $60,000.
3–Attachment Rate, 118, c, 3, Hard Spun–Aristra, by Afleet
Alex. ($100,000 Wlg '17 KEENOV; $200,000 Ylg '18 KEESEP).
O-Jim Bakke & Gerald Isbister; B-C. Oliver Iselin (VA); T-Dale L.
Romans. $36,000.
Margins: 2, HD, 2 3/4. Odds: 1.75, 4.30, 3.55.
Also Ran: Montauk Traffic, Necker Island, Flap Jack, Informative, First Deputy, Sixto, War Stopper, Celtic Striker. 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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