Mischevious Alex Under Consideration for Wood Memorial

Cash is King, LC Racing, and trainer John Servis enjoyed a perfect March 7 at Aqueduct Racetrack with Mischevious Alex victorious in the Gotham Stakes (G3) following a winning effort by Diamond King in the Stymie Stakes.

Mischevious Alex has been undefeated since the addition of blinkers and continued a three-race winning streak.

"It was a very good day. They both came out of the race very well," Servis said. "I knew he'd settle and sit anywhere, and he ran the way I expected him to. Since we put the blinkers on, he's all business."

Servis said Mischevious Alex is likely to make his next start in the April 4 Wood Memorial Stakes Presented by Resorts World Casino (G2) at the Big A.

"He hasn't done much wrong. I think the Wood is the logical spot on the radar," Servis said. "I'll sit down with Mr. Zacney (Cash is King) and Mr. Bennett (LC Racing) and decide where we're going to go next."

Servis was full of praise for jockey Kendrick Carmouche, who was aboard the Into Mischief  colt for the first time.

"Kendrick rode him perfect. I told him if he runs to his PPs, he'll break like a rocket," Servis said. "He broke sharp, and he let him sit off it a little bit. When he had to call on him to maintain his position, he got right up there and sat again. Turning for home, when he asked him, he drew off. I think he had a little more left in the tank."

As for Diamond King, Servis said he will point the 5-year-old son of Quality Road  to the April 18 Charles Town Classic (G2) at Hollywood Casino at Charles Town Races. Diamond King finished second in the Charles Town Classic last year.

"I thought he ran great. He runs good fresh for me," Servis said. "We'll probably aim for the Charles Town race as he ran well there last year. After that, I might back up on him again and get him ready for something in the summer."

Sacco in New York State of Mind With Mind Control

Trainer Gregg Sacco could not speak higher volumes of Red Oak Stable and Madaket Stables' Mind Control the morning after the 4-year-old Stay Thirsty  colt launched a dramatic rally to win the Tom Fool Handicap (G3) at Aqueduct.

"He came back great," Sacco said. "We didn't expect to be that far back, but the little stumble caused that. He was on his wrong lead down the backside, and (jockey) Junior (Alvarado) just let him be. He didn't want to start fooling with him. He just let him settle into stride, and when he got him in the clear, he took off. It was a pretty explosive run."

Sacco said he will point the dual grade 1 winner toward a third top-flight score in the April 4 Carter Handicap (G1) at the Big A.

"He's a special horse and showed another dimension yesterday," Sacco said. "We'll keep marching on here, and the Carter will be the next step. It's an important race, and we'll see how everything goes there. We're kind of on the New York path here. We'll take things one race at a time, but I think every race is New York for him."

Mind Control won the Hopeful Stakes (G1) at 2 and wrapped up his 3-year-old campaign with a score in the H. Allen Jerkens Stakes (G1).

"He probably won't work for another two weeks, which should give us two works leading into the Carter. I'll probably work him back a half and five-eighths before the race," Sacco added. "He's really fit, and he really blossomed during that time off from 3 to 4. He needed that break after the Jerkens."

Jeff and Michael Fazio's stakes winner Joevia will get some time off after incurring a displaced palate following a last-place finish in the Stymie Stakes, which followed an 11th-place finish in the Feb. 17 Razorback Handicap (G3) at Oaklawn Park.

"He displaced his palate and blocked off his air, so he'll have surgery and get a few weeks off," Sacco said. "It may have happened at Oaklawn, and you don't always pick it up on the scope. (Jockey) Chris DeCarlo said he was making a lot of noises. It's a minor surgery, but hopefully he'll bounce back." 

Water White Wows in Busher

Trainer Rudy Rodriguez said E.V. Racing Stable's Water White was in good order Sunday following her 17-1 upset score in the Busher Invitational Stakes.

"My voice is still hoarse," Rodriguez said. "By the sixteenth pole, it looked like (Kansas Kis) was stopping and we were coming, but it looked tough. But I knew at the wire she had won it."

Rodriguez said a contested pace set by favorite Lake Avenue helped his filly's chances.

"The pace helped us. The two top horses didn't run their race, and that helped us," Rodriguez said. "She's a grinder, and she kept coming and coming."

Rodriguez said Water White is likely to make her next start in the April 4 Gazelle Stakes (G3) at the Big A.

"She came out of the race good. We'll take the points and hope for the best. If she keeps her weight, then that's what we'll do," Rodriguez said.

Conditioner Ray Handal reported that Perrine Time Thoroughbreds' Kansas Kis, beaten a nose in the Busher, returned from her second-place effort in good order Sunday. 

"It's kind of bittersweet," Handal said. "It's tough to lose the race the way in which she did, but at the same time we know now that we have a legit filly. She came back out of it well. One thing about these Constitution  babies is that they're really tough."

Handal said the Gazelle is the most likely next spot for Kansas Kis.

Bill Mott's assistant Leanna Willaford said Godolphin's Lake Avenue was in good order Sunday after finishing fourth in the Busher as the 4-5 favorite.

"She came back fine. It just wasn't her day," Willaford said. "She came back well, ate up last night, and she'll be back again. She's going to go back to Florida (on Monday), and I can imagine she'll show up either at Keeneland or back here."