It was second verse same as the first for Mullikin (Violence) as he powered home to win a quick edition of the GII John A. Nerud Stakes.
Untouchable in 2024, he started his season Apr. 26 at Keeneland when beating a first-level allowance group by over five lengths, posting a lifetime best Beyer figure of 98 in the process. He was awarded a similar number for his effort last out June 8 at Churchill Downs, where he soundly defeated a field of optional claimers by 3 1/4 lengths.
On the back of those performances, the betting public crowned him a slight 6-5 favorite over GSW Everso Mischievous (Into Mischief), who had come into the race having finished worse than second only once in his career. Pressing the pace as 'TDN Rising Star' GSW Prevalence (Medaglia d'Oro) took the lead through :22.54 and a half in :44.87, Mullikin took command inside the five-sixteenths as MSW & GSP Coastal Mission (Great Notion) came calling from his outside. Game as it gets, the eventual winner wouldn't give an inch as the runner-up comfortably held on to second with MSW & MGSP Ninetyprcentmddie (Weigelia) coming on to claim third.
“Looking at the PPs, having the outside draw let us have an idea of how that was going to set up. We didn't know what they were going to do on the inside, but at least this gave us the chance to break and look at it. We know the gate can be his little hiccup, but we have learned from him–he did it today; when he got in, he tried to go on the lower end and then the guy got him up and left him alone,” said winning trainer Rodolphe Brisset.
“If you try to do too much, he'll start to do it again, so after that he broke and was in position. From there, it's up to the horse and the jock. Perfect position and a good ride. It looks like he's stepping up with the time [he posted], so we'll see how the number comes back, bring him home, and go from there.”
Brisset added that a start in the GI Forego Stakes was a potential option, “That's the logical next thing, but we're going to have to see how he comes out. That's what we'll be looking at. We opted to come here because [it would give us] seven weeks until the Forego [run Aug. 24], and he's actually a little better off if he has more space between racing, we think. With running that fast today, I'm happy we have six or seven weeks and not four.”
Pedigree Notes:
A son of GIII Schuylerville Stakes-placed [now a Listed race] Tulira's Star, herself a half-sister to GSW Mountain General (Mountain Cat), Mullikin is her third winner. The dam is also a half-sibling to the dam of Graded-placed Xoxo (Majestic Warrior), and to stakes-placed runners Queens Up (Classic Empire) and Everqueen (Colonel John). This is the family of GISW Storm Tower and GSW & GISP Psyched
Tulira's Star has three winners from four to the races with the other runner Trump Card (Nyquist) being placed. Mullikin is her most recent into the gate and the most successful thus far. She's since produced a 2-year-old filly by McKinzie, a yearling colt by Maxfield, and a 2024 colt by Liam's Map.
MULLIKIN, 4YO son of @HillnDaleFarm stallion Violence, wins the John A. Nerud Stakes (G2) with Flavien Prat up for @BrissetRodolphe! pic.twitter.com/GcnYbo1RmO
— NYRA (🌳) (@TheNYRA) July 6, 2024
Saturday, Belmont The Big A
JOHN A. NERUD S.-GII, $194,000, Belmont The Big A, 7-6, 4yo/up, 7f, 1:20.54, ft.
1–MULLIKIN, 118, c, 4, by Violence
1st Dam: Tulira's Star (GSP), by Congrats
2nd Dam: Tulira, by General Assembly
3rd Dam: Unconscious Doll, by Unconscious
1ST BLACK TYPE WIN, 1ST GRADED STAKES WIN. ($500,000 Ylg '21 KEESEP). O-Siena Farm LLC and WinStar Farm LLC; B-Fred W. Hertrich lll & John D. Fielding (KY); T-Rodolphe Brisset; J-Flavien Prat. $110,000. Lifetime Record: 8-4-3-0, $398,612. Werk Nick Rating: A. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Coastal Mission, 118, g, 5, Great Notion–Smart Crowd, by Crowd Pleaser. O/T-Jeff C. Runco; B-Coleswood Farm, Inc. (WV). $40,000.
3–Ninetyprcentmaddie, 118, g, 4, Weigelia–Amblin Easy, by Private Interview. O/B-LC Racing LLC (PA); T-Robert E. Reid, Jr. $24,000.
Margins: 1HF, 2 1/4, 5 3/4. Odds: 1.20, 5.00, 12.20.
Also Ran: Everso Mischievous, Prevalence.
Click for the Equibase.com chart and the TJCIS.com PPs. VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.
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