Round 2 for Idiomatic, Pretty Mischievous in Phipps

A championship showdown looms in the older filly and mare dirt division for the second time in about five weeks.

Juddmonte's Idiomatic , last year's Eclipse Award-winning older dirt mare, battles Godolphin's Pretty Mischievous , the reigning champion 3-year-old filly, in the $500,000 Ogden Phipps Stakes (G1) June 8 at Saratoga Race Course. Early last month, they met in the La Troienne Stakes (G1) on Kentucky Oaks (G1) day at Churchill Downs, with Idiomatic pulling away for a 3 3/4-length victory in the slop over Free Like a Girl . Pretty Mischievous ran a length and a half farther back in third.

Both Idiomatic and Pretty Mischievous made their first starts of 2024 in the La Troienne, and while Idiomatic picked up right where she left off in 2023 when she captured eight of nine starts, Pretty Mischievous flattened out late, perhaps in need of a comeback start.

It was all Idiomatic in the G1 Fasig-Tipton La Troienne Stakes! Florent Geroux was aboard the Champion Juddmonte Farm homebred for trainer Brad Cox. pic.twitter.com/SmtRHW4y3Q

— Churchill Downs (@ChurchillDowns) May 3, 2024

Though these two females are undoubtedly the star power of the Phipps, four other quality runners are in the 1 1/8-mile race. They include 2023 Alabama Stakes (G1) winner Randomized , second to Pretty Mischievous in Eclipse Award voting in the 3-year-old filly division last year, plus stakes winners Tizzy in the Sky , Soul of an Angel , and Raging Sea . The latter two are graded winners.

As a Breeders' Cup Challenge Series event, the Phipps provides the winner an automatic berth to the Breeders' Cup Distaff (G1) in the fall at Del Mar, a race Idiomatic took last year when the Breeders' Cup was held at Santa Anita Park. That victory, capping her stellar 2023 season, led her to finish third in voting for Horse of the Year, the most coveted award in Thoroughbred racing.

She continues to be a leading candidate for that award this season, though she may need to defeat males to garner sufficient support.

First things first for front-running Idiomatic and jockey Florent Geroux: beating Pretty Mischievous and four others on a unique Belmont Stakes (G1) day at Saratoga.

Juddmonte is in pursuit of a record fourth Phipps, having won with Close Hatches  (2014) and Sightseek (2003-04). 

"She's training really well, and Florent told me she worked really nice again (June 1)," Juddmonte USA general manager Garrett O'Rourke said. "She definitely reached a lovely peak last year and showed she is at that peak again this year in the La Troienne. All we're really hoping to do is have her stay at the same level and try to keep the streak going." 

The long-legged Idiomatic, a homebred 5-year-old by Curlin  , is in search of her seventh straight victory and fifth straight grade 1. She is 10-for-13 for trainer Brad Cox.

Trainer Brendan Walsh would like to see a dry track for Pretty Mischievous, whose biggest victories for owner/breeder Godolphin have come on fast surfaces, including last year's Kentucky Oaks (G1), Acorn Stakes (G1), and Test Stakes (G1).

The daughter of Into Mischief   was scratched from the Breeders' Cup Distaff in early November and had been out of action before the La Troienne since a runner-up finish in a sloppy Cotillion Stakes (G1) at Parx Racing in September. One other race in the slop resulted in a 1 3/4-length victory at Churchill Downs in the fall of her 2-year-old season.

Tyler Gaffalione returns in the irons.

"She's doing well," Walsh said. "She came out of the last race good and we were happy enough with her. She should move forward from it.

"I think we were a little compromised by the wet track. She's not quite her best on it and that's been proven in the past. From a fitness point of view, she's been working and doing very well and looks fantastic. Hopefully, we get a nice, dry track and have no excuses. That's all we want." 

As of June 4, the National Weather Service forecast partly sunny skies with a 70% chance of showers Saturday. Rain could begin as early as mid-week in upstate New York.

Perhaps aiding her prospects is the presence of other speed in the Phipps. Randomized and Tizzy in the Sky have won their stakes on the lead and could potentially occupy Idiomatic early. The latter is not a need-the-lead type, however, having shown she can win when pressing the pace outside.

Chad Brown trains Randomized and Raging Sea, who captured the Doubledogdare Stakes (G3) at Keeneland in her last outing April 19.

Saffie Joseph Jr. trains Soul of an Angel, who upset Randomized in the Ruffian Stakes (G2) May 4 at Aqueduct Racetrack.

Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher seeks his fourth Phipps with Tizzy in the Sky, a nine-length winner of the Top Flight Stakes at Aqueduct April 14.

Due to a different track layout at Saratoga, the Phipps is a sixteenth of a mile longer than last year when it was held at Belmont Park. The Belmont Stakes Festival is taking place at Saratoga due to the reconstruction of Belmont.

The Phipps is the seventh race on Saturday's program at 2:36 p.m. ET.