Mia Mischief Runs Away With Carousel Stakes

More than a year after Mia Mischief fell short of victory in the Carousel Stakes at Oaklawn Park, the now 5-year-old mare proved April 25 that with age comes wisdom and a renewed will to win. 

With racing options limited during the COVID-19 outbreak, Saturday's six-furlong, $125,000 sprint drew a slightly larger field of eight older fillies and mares, including multiple grade 1 winner Bellafina, who was making her first start of 2020. 

With a March 20 allowance optional claiming victory already under her belt, Mia Mischief was ready to build on a foundation of success and broke sharply from the far outside, post 8, under jockey Ricardo Santana Jr. The Into Mischief  mare moved up for second just behind Amy's Challenge, who worked her way to the inside from post 6 to take command. 

Bellafina came away slowly from the gate and raced near the back of the pack early before being checked on the heels of Midnight Fantasy. Amy's Challenge kept the pace steady at the front during the first half-mile, clicking off fractions of :21.91 and :45.21. Mia Mischief kept the pressure on to the outside in the two path before drawing on near-even terms of Amy's Challenge leaving the turn. 

Amy's Challenge fought to turn back Mia Mischief but stood little chance against her rival as Santana set his mare down for a drive. The pair kicked into high gear in midstretch and powered home to win by 4 1/2 lengths. The time for the race on a fast track was 1:09.57.

Second place went to Amy's Challenge, who finished 3 1/4 lengths in front of 45-1 longshot Lady Suebee, who made a three-wide rally off the turn. Bellafina, the 7-5 favorite, made her own wide-running move on the turn but could not earn back enough ground to pose a serious threat and flattened out to fourth.

Joe Talamo, who was aboard Bellafina, said his concern ahead of the race had been the post. 

"That's kind of what we were all worried about—the 1 hole," Talamo said. "She always breaks a step slow, and that definitely cost us today, especially drawing the 1 hole. If she would have drawn outside, it would have been a whole different scenario. It is what it is."

Sunny Dale, Classy Act, Midnight Fantasy, and What a Fox completed the order of finish. 

The Carousel marked the third consecutive victory for Mia Mischief ($5), who is trained by Hall of Famer Steve Asmussen. The 2019 season was an especially lucrative one for the bay mare, who before this year raced for owners Bill and Corinne Heiligbrodt, Heider Family Stables, and Madaket Stables. She took home her first top-level score in the Humana Distaff Stakes (G1) at Churchill Downs and added wins in the Roxelana Overnight Stakes and Dream Supreme Stakes.  

"Obviously, she's a very talented mare," Asmussen said. "She's a grade 1 winner. I think she's better now than she's ever been, and we're very fortunate to train her for Stonestreet Stables. She's very special. Hopefully, we can see her in the Breeders' Cup this fall. With her ability, that's the path she should be on."

Bred in Kentucky by Spendthrift Farm, Mia Mischief is the fifth foal out of the Speightstown  mare Greer Lynn. Consigned by ELiTE to The November Sale at Fasig-Tipton last fall, she was purchased for $2.4 million by Stonestreet Stables. The Carousel victory pushed her record to 10-6-1 from 21 starts, with $1,215,234 in earnings. 

Video: Carousel S. (BT)