Pretty Mischievous

LOUISVILLE, Ky. -- In a division still crying out for a clear-cut leader, a full field of sophomore fillies will take centerstage in a deep renewal of Friday's GI Kentucky Oaks at Churchill Downs. Trainer Brad Cox will have three chances, including the top two choices on the morning-line, to collect a third Oaks trophy following wins with Monomoy Girl in 2018 and Shedaresthedevil in 2020. After sweeping the Oaklawn Park series for 3-year-old fillies, Godolphin homebred and 5-2 Oaks morning-line favorite Wet Paint (Blame) shoots for a fourth straight...

Throughout prep season for the GI Kentucky Oaks no filly seemed capable of putting in the type of performance that stamped them as the clear leader of the division. It has been a rather uninspiring three months. As for the Oaks itself, it kept looking like the race would be a crap shoot that just about anybody could win. But, thankfully, that changed last week. The win by Wet Paint (Blame) in the GIII Fantasy S. at Oaklawn was decisive and stamped her as the clear leader of the division....

For the sport's best 3-year-old fillies it's where the rubber meets the road time. The last round of preps for the GI Kentucky Oaks is upon us. In the GII Fair Grounds Oaks and the Bourbonette Oaks, there were a pair of key races last weekend. This week, we have the GII Gulfstream Park Oaks and the GIII Fantasy S. It's a division where, since 2-year-old filly champ Wonder Wheel (Into Mischief) finished second at 1-2 in the Feb. 11 Suncoast S. at Tampa, there has been no clear leader....

Southlawn (f, 3, Pioneerof the Nile--Mo d'Amour, by Uncle Mo), a runaway, eight-length optional claiming winner at Fair Grounds with first-time Lasix in her sophomore debut Feb. 17, ran back to that effort in a big way to upset Saturday's GII Fair Grounds Oaks. Drawn on the fence, the 7-1 chance trailed the field of five heading into the clubhouse turn. Southlawn traveled nicely in an inside fourth down the backstretch and set her sights on the top two as they straightened. Last out GII Rachel Alexandra S. heroine and...

D J Stable's Eclipse Award and GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies winner Wonder Wheel (Into Mischief) is the marquee name among 103 sophomore fillies that were nominated at the first entry stage for the $1.25-million GI Longines Kentucky Oaks, to be run beneath the Twin Spires Friday, May 5, 2023. The first stage of nominations closed Feb. 18, with a $200 payment. Any 3-year-old filly not among the original entries can become eligible with a fee of $1,500 due no later than Saturday, Apr. 15. Wonder Wheel was four-for-five during...

The betting public was pretty sure that an Into Mischief filly out of a Tapit mare would emerge victorious in Saturday's GII Rachel Alexandra S. Presented by Fasig-Tipton, but they only got it half right. It wasn't 2-5 Hoosier Philly who picked up the 50 GI Kentucky Oaks points, but instead Godolphin homebred and 'TDN Rising Star' Pretty Mischievous who starred at Fair Grounds. Pacesetting longshot Miracle (by Into Mischief's younger brother Mendelssohn) stretched Pretty Mischievous to 3/4 of a length, and was another 7 3/4 lengths clear of Hoosier...

9th-Churchill Downs, $114,155, Alw (NW1X)/Opt. Clm ($100,000), 10-30, 2yo, f, 7f, 1:26.84, sy, 1 3/4 lengths. PRETTY MISCHIEVOUS (f, 2, Into Mischief--Pretty City Dancer {GISW, $286,344}, by Tapit) was named a 'TDN Rising Star' off a 2 1/4-length winning performance on debut when sprinting 6 1/2 furlongs over this same track Sept. 18. Hammered into 1-5 favoritism for her first try against winners, Pretty Mischievous settled into a stalking position from fourth behind pacesetter Bluelightspecial (Super Saver). Given her head with three furlongs to run, she struck the front at...

Sent off at odds of 2-1 despite a difficult draw in gate 12, Godolphin's Pretty Mischievous (f, 2, Into Mischief--Pretty City Dancer, by Tapit) did it toughest of all, but was there for Tyler Gaffalione when push came to shove and went on to prevail by 2 1/4 deceptively easy lengths to become the 33rd 'TDN Rising Star' for her boom sire. Away without incident from the wide outside, the homebred raced four wide in the breeze just off a trio of pacesetters up ahead of her. Cruising along in...

Sponsored by Alex Nichols Agency 1st-BAQ, $95k, Msw, 2yo, 1m, post time: 1:00 p.m. ET A well-bred bunch of 2-year-old males gets the Sunday program off to a competitive beginning at Aqueduct. BIG WICKS (Medaglia d'Oro), a $575,000 graduate of last year's Keeneland September sale, is part of an entry that is favored at 2-1 on the morning line and is a son of Sovereign Award-winning 3-year-old filly Leigh Court (Grand Slam), a two-time graded winner for the late Eugene Melnyk who was purchased by Speedway Stables for an even...