By Bill Finley
Champion filly Pretty Mischievous (Into Mischief) will return to the scene of her greatest triumph when she kicks off her 4-year-old campaign in the May 3 GI La Troienne S. at Churchill Downs. Pretty Mischievous won last year's GI Kentucky Oaks, a win that went a long way toward her earning an Eclipse Award as the nation's outstanding 3-year-old filly.
“She's been doing great and working very well,” trainer Brendan Walsh said. “We're very happy with the way she has progressed from three to four. We won't know until we actually get her on the racetrack, but we've been very pleased with the way she's been working. She seems as enthusiastic as ever and is working as well as she ever has. We're looking forward to getting her back.”
Pretty Mischievous was being pointed for last year's GI Breeders' Cup Distaff and made the trip to Santa Anita. But Walsh pulled her out of the race because he wasn't happy with the way she was doing.
“We brought her out there and she didn't travel well,” he said. “She got a little colicky when we got her out there and she was acting dull. It was coming to the end of the year and she wasn't giving us the right vibes. We didn't want to risk having no horse this year. We thought we'd do the smart thing and take her out. Hopefully, she can make up for it this year.”
After the Breeders' Cup, she was sent to Godolphin's Kentucky farm and was given a couple of months off. Walsh said the filly arrived at his barn at Palm Meadows in Florida around the first of the year. She had her first recorded workout Feb. 22 and followed that up with seven more works. The most recent was a five-furlong breeze at Keeneland Apr. 13 in which she went in 1:01. Walsh said the filly will be moved to Churchill Downs next week to prepare for her 2024 debut in the La Troienne.
“You always look forward to getting a horse like this back,” he said. “It's exciting to have a horse of her caliber, a champion filly. It will be exciting to see how it goes. If she improves at all she should be very tough in that division this year. She worked really well here last week. She looks as good, if not better, than she ever has.”
So far as future plans, Walsh said he has not mapped out a schedule, but will point for this year's Distaff.
“We'll start with this race and see how it goes,” he said. “Obviously, the Breeders' Cup at the end of the year is a goal. If she maintains her form we'll point her to all of the top races.”
In addition to the Oaks, Pretty Mischievous won last year's GII Rachel Alexandra S, the GI Acorn S. and the GI Test S.
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