Qatar Racing's stakes-winning sophomore Everso Mischievous defeated elders in his graded stakes debut, fending off a late rally from dual New York-bred stakes winner Dr Ardito to capture Saturday's 43rd running of the $300,000 Forty Niner (G2) – formerly known as the Kelso – going a one-turn mile at Belmont at the Big A.
Trained by Brad Cox, Everso Mischievous entered the Forty Niner from a sharp 3 1/4-length victory in the seven-furlong Harrods Creek on September 23 at Churchill Downs. The Into Mischief bay has finished no worse than second in six lifetime starts, which also includes a seven-furlong maiden triumph at second asking at Churchill Downs as well as a first level allowance score against elders at the same distance on August 5 at Saratoga.
Breaking from post 2 under Cristian Torres, Everso Mischievous rated a close second and tipped a path to the outside of the Kendrick Carmouche-piloted pacesetter Swiftsure, who registered an opening quarter mile in :23.29 and a half-mile in :45.89 over the fast main track. Around the far turn, Everso Mischievous matched strides with Swiftsure, and graded stakes placed Film Star joined them widest of all.
Everso Mischievous held clear command at the stretch call as Film Star and the slow-starting post time favorite Accretive put in their runs on the outside, but Everso Mischievous was able to keep his foes at bay and hang on to a half-length win in a final time of 1:35.32. Dr Ardito charged late to grab place honors, a nose in front of fellow Chad Brown trainee Accretive.
Completing the order of finish were Film Star, Swiftsure, Business Model and Double Crown. Synthesis was scratched.
“He was perfect. The trip worked out perfect. Kendrick went to the lead and I sat two-wide the whole race – that's where he runs comfortable,” said Torres. “When we were turning for home, I asked my horse and he took off again. He's a nice horse, so he finished up. They always thought this was a nice horse. In the beginning of his career, he was a little green, but it was just a matter of time that he'd mature. They put blinkers on him at Saratoga and he improved a lot. They're very happy, I'm very happy, and I'm very grateful to ride this kind of horse.”
Torres earned his first career graded stakes triumph aboard Last Samurai in this year's Razorback (G3) at Oaklawn Park and collected his sixth graded stakes win in the Forty Niner.
“It's unbelievable. I can't express how I feel,” Torres said. “To win a stakes race in any part of the country is awesome, but NYRA? It's great.”
Brown was proud of Dr Ardito's run under Manny Franco, but said he often is late on the scene.
“Dr Ardito ran good late. He's frustrating as sometimes he's just late to get going and it was just a little too late,” Brown said. “It's a double-edged sword; if you push him off the bridle too early, he's kind of a one-run horse. He wasn't really taking Manny there and I'm sure Manny wanted to be closer. It is what it is and just the way the race unfolded. The winner got a jump on everyone, but ran a really good race start-to-finish and finished the race off when it counted when everyone was running at the wire.”
Brown said Accretive, who was a last out second to Cody's Wish in the Vosburgh (G2), was hindered by missing the break.
“It cost him a little bit there. It forced him to rush up and get a wide trip and it probably cost him a length or so,” Brown said. “My horses both ran solid, but the winner just ran a little bit better.”
Brown indicated that Dr Ardito and Accretive could target the $500,000 Cigar Mile Handicap (G2)on Dec. 2 at Aqueduct Racetrack.
Everso Mischievous, who returned $7.20 for a $2 win wager, banked $165,000 in victory which increased his lifetime earnings past the half-million mark to $524,640. He now has a 6-4-2-0 record.
Bought by Fergus Galvin for $85,000 at the 2022 Keeneland November Horse of Racing Age Sale, where Highgate Sales consigned him, Everso Mischievous is out of the graded stakes-winning Medaglia d'Oro mare Ever So Clever. He was bred in Kentucky by Clearsky Farms.
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