Feeling Mischief, Poppy's Pride Excel at Tampa Bay
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Photo: SV Photography
Feeling Mischief wins the Sandpiper Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs
Michael Campbell, the trainer of $50,000 Sandpiper Stakes winner Feeling Mischief, knew he had something special in his barn when the 2-year-old filly broke her maiden by eight lengths Aug. 3 at Colonial Downs going five furlongs in a swift :57.65.
A skin issue that kept her from fully extending herself and Campbell's decision to rate her off the pace in her next start Oct. 4 at Keeneland contributed to a disappointing third-place finish. But the veteran Campbell was brimming with optimism entering the Dec. 5 Sandpiper, and his confidence was rewarded when Feeling Mischief moved smartly to the lead on the turn for home and was never threatened down the stretch.
"I thought she was a (sure) winner today," Campbell said. "She is just a spectacular horse, and today I let her go because she doesn't want to be restricted. She wants to be a free-running horse, and we took that approach."
Not only did the daughter of Into Mischief score a two-length win in the six-furlong event, but she did it in a stakes-record time of 1:09.76.
Jockey Jesus Castanon enjoyed a dream trip on the 3-1 favorite, prompting the pace behind Briella in the 11-horse field and taking over after a :22.26 quarter and a :44.74 half. Gulf Coast rallied for second, followed by Little Nesso 1 1/4 lengths back in third.
Feeling Mischief is owned by George Mellon's Mellon Patch and was a $340,000 RNA from breeder Stonehaven Steadings' consignment to the 2019 Keeneland September Yearling Sale. She is out of the Latent Heat mare True Feelings, whose three starters have all been winners.
Poppy's Pride Quick in Inaugural
In the $100,000 Inaugural Stakes for males, 6-5 favorite Poppy's Pride led virtually gate-to-wire, posting a 2 3/4-length victory under jockey Samy Camacho. The Florida-bred Khozan gelding dashed home in 1:10.05, just .73 seconds off the track record, according to Tampa Bay Downs publicity.
After nominating the 2-year-old gelding to the six-furlong test, trainer Michael Yates was unsure whether the three weeks since his previous start was enough time to prepare him for his best effort.
It only took Poppy's Pride a few strides out of the starting gate to quell Yates' concerns.
"This race was a little sooner than what we anticipated running him back (after his Nov. 14 score in the Juvenile Sprint Stakes at Gulfstream Park West)," Yates said. "But he came out of that race so well and was doing so well, it just made sense to do it. I thought he ran a great race today. He was used a little harder than normal early and had to dig in, but he kept on running. He's a real horse."
Poppy's Pride wins the Inaugural Stakes
Thealligatorhunter broke on top in the six-horse field, but Camacho wasted little time urging Poppy's Pride to the lead from post 1. He sped through opening fractions of :21.89 for the quarter and :44.70 for the half and shook off Al Heybay en route to victory. Thealligatorhunter surged late to get third but missed the runner-up spot by half a length.
Poppy's Pride's Inaugural victory was his fourth in a row, the past three in stakes competition for breeder/owner Stonehedge, the operation of owners Gilbert and Marilyn Campbell. He is out of the With Distinction mare Lovely Lexi, whose four starters have all been winners. The $125,000 Pasco Stakes Jan. 16 at Tampa Bay could be the gelding's next target.