Mia Mischief Seeks First Keeneland Grade 1 in Madison
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Photo: Coady Photography
Mia Mischief takes the Carousel Stakes at Oaklawn Park
Stonestreet Stables' Mia Mischief is among the handful of accomplished winners who made the trip to Central Kentucky this week to take advantage of a truncated, stakes-packed Keeneland summer meet.
Entered in the $250,000 Madison Stakes (G1) over seven furlongs July 11, Mia Mischief has made precious few starts at Keeneland. The 5-year-old mare's only win at the Lexington oval came at 2 when she broke her maiden for trainer Steve Asmussen in her second start. Her next trip to the track came last year, when she finished third, 1 1/2 lengths behind winner Spiced Perfection, in the Thoroughbred Club of America Stakes (G2).
"She did break her maiden (at Keeneland) on a wet track and ran extremely well," Asmussen said. "I was a bit disappointed in her TCA race here last year, but she's training really well and she's in a very good rhythm."
That rhythm has manifested in a nice stream of performances for the Into Mischief mare, including three wins and a third since the Thoroughbred Club of America. Mia Mischief closed 2019 with a win in the Dream Supreme Stakes at Churchill Downs and returned strong in 2020, winning a March 20 allowance optional claiming race and the April 25 Carousel Stakes at Oaklawn Park. She enters the Madison off a third-place effort in the May 30 Winning Colors Stakes (G3) at Churchill Downs.
"She's doing really well. She's a very accomplished mare, being a grade 1 winner," said Asmussen, who believes the combination of post position and race length will help his mare Saturday.
"She's 2-for-3 this year, and seven-eighths of a mile suits her," Asmussen said. "It's a very competitive field, and post 7 of 9 for her is an excellent spot. Hopefully, she does well. She needs to break cleanly and be in control of where she's at in the race. She's a big older mare that knows what she wants to do, and we want her to be comfortable and happy."
Mia Mischief's only grade 1 score came in 2019 when she took the Humana Distaff Stakes (G1) at Churchill on the Longines Kentucky Oaks (G1) undercard. Ricardo Santana Jr., her regular rider, will have the call.
The morning-line favorite at even money is Three Chimneys Farm and Hill 'n' Dale Equine Holdings' Guarana, who opened her 4-year-old season with a June 4 victory in an allowance optional claiming race at Churchill Downs.
#6 Guarana is back with a bang for @TheRealChadCBr1 in Race 8 at @ChurchillDowns pic.twitter.com/y75VrLzMYG
— TwinSpires (@TwinSpires) June 4, 2020
A daughter of Ghostzapper , Guarana made a splash early in her sophomore season when she took the Acorn Stakes (G1) and Coaching Club American Oaks (G1) in her second and third starts. She closed the year with a second in the 2019 Cotillion Stakes (G1) before taking time off.
Her trainer, Chad Brown, feels she has a preference for one-turn races and has planned a 2020 campaign around such opportunities.
Jockey Jose Ortiz will partner with Guarana from post 5.
Another formidable competitor is Winning Colors winner Bell's the One. Trained by Neil Pessin and campaigned by Lothenbach Stables, the 4-year-old Majesticperfection filly impressed at Keeneland in October when she won the Lexus Raven Run Stakes (G2) by 1 1/4 lengths at the Madison distance.
Video: Winning Colors S. (G3)
Bell's the One has been training steadily since her Winning Colors score and most recently turned in a four-furlong move July 4 in :48 1/5 at Churchill Downs. Corey Lanerie will be in the irons from post 8.
Diamond Crazy, Wildwood's Beauty, Sally's Curlin, Princess Causeway, Unique Factor, and Amy's Challenge complete the field.
Keeneland, Saturday, July 11, 2020, Race 5Entries: Madison S. (G1)
PP
Horse
Jockey
Wgt
Trainer
M/L
1
1Diamond Crazy (LA)
Brian Joseph Hernandez, Jr.
118
Dallas Stewart
50/1
2
2Wildwood's Beauty (FL)
Joseph Rocco, Jr.
118
Scott Becker
20/1
3
3Sally's Curlin (KY)
Joseph Talamo
118
Dale L. Romans
10/1
4
4Princess Causeway (KY)
Julien R. Leparoux
118
Ian R. Wilkes
15/1
5
5Guarana (KY)
Jose L. Ortiz
118
Chad C. Brown
1/1
6
6Unique Factor (KY)
Flavien Prat
118
Peter Miller
15/1
7
7Mia Mischief (KY)
Ricardo Santana, Jr.
118
Steven M. Asmussen
3/1
8
8Bell's the One (KY)
Corey J. Lanerie
120
Neil L. Pessin
6/1
9
9Amy's Challenge (KY)
Joel Rosario
118
McLean Robertson
8/1
