|
Into Mischief streaks to Futurity glory
 | |
Into Mischief has emerged as a major player on the Kentucky Derby trail
(Benoit Photo) |
B Wayne Hughes' INTO MISCHIEF (Harlan's Holiday) overtook pacesetter Eaton's
Gift (Johannesburg) approaching the stretch and powered home an impressive 1
1/4-length winner of the $753,000
CashCall Futurity (G1)
over Hollywood Park's Cushion Track on
Saturday. The Richard Mandella trainee went 1 1/16 miles in 1:40 4/5 under
Victor Espinoza and returned mutuels of $29.60, $11 and $8.40 while being
ignored at nearly 14-1. In the process, Into Mischief catapulted himself onto
the Triple Crown radar screen.Eaton's Gift grabbed the lead early and established healthy splits of :22
3/5, :46 2/5 and 1:10 2/5 for six panels, being pressed by Into Mischief all the while. Espinoza began to urge his mount for more nearing the head of the stretch and
Into Mischief responded, quickly moving clear a few jumps into the lane
and leveling off well while never being challenged late.
"He was real strong at the end and was waiting for horses," Espinoza
said. "I just hit him a couple of times to keep his attention focused.
It was very impressive for him to run like this today. This horse is
going to have a really unbelievable future."
Colonel John (Tiznow),
the 2-1 favorite, had a troubled start but rebounded well to close the best
of the rest in the latter stages. The runner-up paid $4 and $3.60 while
completing the $64.80 exacta ($1).
"We wanted to be patient with him," jockey Corey Nakatani said of
Colonel John. "Today wasn't the day to go to the bottom of the well.
He's only going to get better. He's a young horse and keeps on improving
by stepping up like he did today. He probably took the worst of it by
getting all the dirt and the education that he did and he galloped out
unbelievable. I wouldn't change spots with anybody. He's a special
horse."
Massive Drama (Kafwain), the 3-1 second
choice,
stalked along the rail just off the pace, moved outside to put in
his stretch drive and missed second by a half-length. Show was worth $4.60, and
the winning trifecta paid $207.10 ($1). Monba (Maria's Mon), who was well back early, found his best stride too late.
He flew into the fourth position in the
final yards, just a half-length shy of a black-type placing. The 7-1 fourth choice
capped the $834.10 superfecta ($1) (12-8-2-10).
Indian Sun (Indian Charlie) was next and followed by Sierra Sunset (Bertrando),
Eaton's Gift, Meal Penalty (Tale of the Cat), Overextended (Monarchos), Shore Do
(Include), Referee (Distorted Humor) and Tres Borrachos (Ecton Park). Old Man
Buck (Hold That Tiger) and Slew's Tiznow (Tiznow) were withdrawn.
|
With the winner's share, Into Mischief boosted his bankroll by nearly nine times to $448,800. The bay colt easily took his debut
at Oak Tree prior to a game second-place
effort in the Hollywood Prevue S. (G3) most recently.
Mandella commented on Into Mischief's upward development curve.
"He ran really good in his first race, a little green, but the raw talent was
obvious," Mandella said. "In his second start (the Prevue), he got a little
excitable and had a bit of the jitters going into the gate. He left there like
he wasn't really sure what he was supposed to do -- most of his greenness came
in that second race.
"He made it all up today," the horseman continued. "I thought it was better
to post on the outside because I wasn't going to take him back. In his last
race, we kind of left there sitting still, and I think it discouraged him a
little bit. He was too young and anxious.
"I told Victor to let him run on out of there then just do what you want, and
for right now that's better. Hopefully he will get smarter as we go."
The winner was bred in the Bluegrass State by James T. Hines Jr., and brought
the gavel down at $180,000 at the OBS March Two-Year-Olds in Training sale. He
is out of the stakes-winning Leslie's Lady (Tricky Creek) and has an unnamed
yearling half-sister by Yankee Victor and an unnamed weanling half-sister by
Orientate. Into Mischief hails from the same family as Grade 1 winner Roanoke
(Pleasant Colony).
Mandella wouldn't be drawn into a discussion of future targets.
"I'm going to enjoy this today and not worry about where he will be going,"
the trainer said.
Send this article to a friend
| 
