Mia Mischief Puts Away Covfefe to Win Roxelana
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Photo: Coady Photography
Mia Mischief (red cap) wins the Roxelana Overnight Stakes at Churchill Downs
Mia Mischief, winner of the Humana Distaff Stakes (G1) on Kentucky Derby Day, ran shoulder-to-shoulder with swift pacesetter Covfefe and put away the 2-5 favorite inside the final 50 yards to win the $120,100 Roxelana Overnight Stakes by three-quarters of a length at Churchill Downs June 22.
Late-closing Awestruck narrowly picked up second by a head over a tiring Covfefe, the lone 3-year-old in the field of five sprinting fillies and mares.
Mia Mischief, owned by Bill and Corinne Heiligbrodt, Heider Family Stables (Scott Heider), and Madaket Stables (Sol Kumin and Jason Monteleone), ran six furlongs over a fast track in 1:09.76 under jockey Ricardo Santana Jr.
The Roxelana capped a big day for Hall of Fame conditioner Steve Asmussen, who became only the third trainer to win 700 races at historic Churchill Downs one race earlier when his 5-year-old gelding Rocky Tough rallied to win the ninth race.
"We've been blessed with many great horses to get us there," Asmussen said.
Consider the swift 4-year-old filly Mia Mischief among Asmussen's lengthy roster of great ones, which includes Gun Runner , Rachel Alexandra, and Curlin , all named Horse of the Year. Asmussen also saddled Mitole and Midnight Bisou to recent victories in the Runhappy Metropolitan Handicap (G1) and Ogden Phipps Stakes (G1), respectively, at Belmont Park.
Covfefe, who set a blistering six-furlong track record at Pimlico Race Course (1:07.70) while easily winning the Adena Springs Miss Preakness Stakes (G3) five weeks ago, hesitated slightly from post 2 when the starting gate opened, but she quickly took over to set a pressured pace of :21.38 for the first quarter-mile, with Classy Act and Mia Mischief a half-length back to her outside.
Classy Act gave way around the turn, and the two favorites matched strides as they crossed the half-mile pole in a fast :44.41 and five-eighths in :56.48. In a long and thrilling stretch drive, the elder Mia Mischief put her nose in front within the final furlong and wore down Covfefe as Awestruck rallied late to pick up the place position.
"(Mia Mischief) is such a nice filly, and we beat a very nice filly in Covfefe today," Santana said. "Going around the turn, (Covfefe) kicked clear a little bit and got me a little worried. Mia is such class and just kept digging in for more."
The triumph was worth $74,120 and boosted Mia Mischief's bankroll to $957,540 with a record of 7-6-0 from 15 starts. In her previous start, she scored an 11-1 upset in the seven-furlong Humana Distaff when she defeated favorite Marley's Freedom by 1 3/4 lengths. Her 3-year-old campaign included a victory in the Eight Belles Stakes Presented by Kentucky Trailer (G2) at Churchill Downs and a narrow runner-up effort in the Longines Test Stakes (G1) at Saratoga Race Course.
"It was very special to get this filly back to the winner's circle and get ready for bigger races down the road," Asmussen said.
Mia Mischief returned $5.60, $3.20, and $2.10 as the 7-2 third betting choice. Awestruck, sent to post at odds of 16-1 under Julien Leparoux, returned $6.40 and $3.80. Covfefe, under Shaun Bridgmohgan, paid $2.10 to show. Honey Bunny was another half-length back of the third-place finisher and was 13 lengths clear of Classy Act, who trailed the field.
"We went really fast, and she got pressure the entire race," Bridgmohan said of Covfefe. "We just got beat today."
The field was reduced to five starters after half the entries scratched.
Mia Mischief is a daughter of Into Mischief out of the Speightstown mare Greer Lynn and was bred in Kentucky by Spendthrift Farm.
Steve Asmussen scored his 700th Churchill Downs victory with Rocky Tough in Race 9
Asmussen, who was inducted into the National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame in 2016, joined Dale Romans (728) and Bill Mott (715) in a very select group to reach the 700-win milestone at Churchill Downs.
The 53-year-old trainer collected his first Churchill Downs win on May 16, 1993, when Snake Eyes won a $41,420 allowance at 1 1/16 miles on turf by 1 1/4 lengths under Hall of Fame jockey Pat Day.
Asmussen has won a record 20 Churchill Downs training titles and is poised to collect No. 21. Rocky Tough and Mia Mischief were his 24th and 25th wins at the 38-day Spring Meet, which gave him a 10-win advantage over Eddie Kenneally. Closing day is June 29.
Overall, Asmussen has won more than 8,400 races, which is second behind horse racing's all-time leader, Dale Baird, who collected 9,445 wins.
Saturday's Roxelana annually honors the crack female sprinter who won seven of 11 starts and $264,726 from 2000-03 for owner/breeder William Landes III and trainer William "Blackie" Huffman.