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Mischevious Alex Dominates In the Carter

Mischevious Alex (Into Mischief) took his 2021 record to a perfect three-for-three and scored a career high Saturday in Aqueduct's GI Carter H. Breaking sharply alongside the fleet-footed Chateau (Flat Out), the 4-5 chalk allowed his foe to dictate terms, sitting two lengths back in second as Chateau clocked a :23.09 first quarter and :45.89 half-mile. Chateau turned for home in front, but Mischevious Alex was just winding up. The bay inhaled the pacesetter by mid-stretch and rolled clear with ease under a hand ride from Irad Ortiz to win by 5 1/2 lengths. Mind Control (Stay Thirsty) got up for second and Souper Stonehenge (Speightstown) was third with Chateau fading to be fourth out of five. It was the second graded win on the card for both Ortiz and trainer Saffie Joseph.

“I was a little concerned early in the race,” Joseph said. “He was a little far back and I know the track has been heavy and I didn't know if he could make up that much ground. Obviously, he was giving Irad some feel and he rode him with a ton of confidence. He ran well, but I didn't expect him to win a Grade I as easy as he did. I have a lot of respect for the competition.”

As for what's next, Joseph said, “[Part-owner] Chuck [Zacney] has always wanted to go to the [GI] Met Mile because we want to make him [Mischevious Alex] a stallion. Winning a Grade I today takes a lot of pressure off. In my opinion, he wants to sprint six or seven furlongs. Can he get a mile? Yes, against the right company. But it all depends on who shows up. The Met Mile is definitely under consideration and then the two Grade Is at Saratoga [Forego and Vanderbilt]. Hopefully, he comes out of it good and then we'll make a game plan.”

“He came to Saffie's barn in December and he took it from there,” Zacney said. “This was always our goal. We felt this horse deserved a Grade I. That's what we were shooting for, and now he has it.”

Romping by seven lengths in Gulfstream's GIII Swale S. in February of last year, Mischevious Alex followed suit with a facile score in Aqueduct's GIII Gotham S. a month later. With COVID-19 halting racing in much of the country, he did not make his next start until June 20, finishing fourth in Belmont's GI Woody Stephens S. Sixth next out in the GI H. Allen Jerkens S. at Saratoga Aug. 1, the $75,000 KEESEP buy was subsequently shelved for the season and transferred from John Servis to Joseph in the interim. Kicking off 2021 with a decisive optional claimer score at Gulfstream Jan. 10, Mischevious Alex captured the GIII Gulfstream Park Sprint S. last time Feb. 13.

Pedigree Notes:

Mischevious Alex is the ninth Grade I winner by leading sire Into Mischief and is also one of 39 graded winners and 92 black-type scorers by the red-hot stallion. He is also the fourth Grade I winner out of a daughter of Speightstown and one of 11 graded winners and 30 black-type victors out of mares by that WinStar stalwart. The winner is bred on the same Into Mischief/Speightstown cross as MGISW Mia Mischief and MGSW & MGISP Engage. His dam White Pants Night is a half-sister to GSW Hebbronville (Majesticperfection); MSW & GSP Master of Disaster (Dance Master) and SW A Day For Dancing (Dance Master). Mischevious Alex was her second foal and she has since produced the 3-year-old gelding Great Gasby (Tiznow); a juvenile colt by Outwork; and a yearling colt by Wicked Strong. White Pants Night was bred back to Audible last season.

Saturday, Aqueduct
CARTER H.-GI, $291,000, Aqueduct, 4-3, 4yo/up, 7f, 1:23.97, ft.
1–MISCHEVIOUS ALEX, 123, c, 4, by Into Mischief
                1st Dam: White Pants Night, by Speightstown
                2nd Dam: More d'Amour, by Tour d'Or
                3rd Dam: Love Connection, by Master Derby
1ST GRADE I WIN. ($75,000 Ylg '18 KEESEP; $140,000 RNA
2yo '19 OBSAPR). O-Cash is King LLC and LC Racing; B-WinStar
Farm, LLC (KY); T-Saffie A. Joseph, Jr.; J-Irad Ortiz, Jr. $165,000.
Lifetime Record: 12-7-1-1, $614,730. Werk Nick Rating: A+++
*Triple Plus*. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Mind Control, 123, h, 5, Stay Thirsty–Feel That Fire, by
Lightnin N Thunder. O-Red Oak Stable (Brunetti) & Madaket
Stables, LLC; B-Red Oak Stable (KY); T-Gregory D. Sacco.
$60,000.
3–Souper Stonehenge, 118, g, 5, Speightstown–
Onepointhreekarats, by Medaglia d'Oro. O-Live Oak
Plantation; B-Live Oak Stud (FL); T-Mark E. Casse. $36,000.
Margins: 5HF, 1, HD. Odds: 0.85, 2.60, 18.00.
Also Ran: Chateau, Shoplifted. Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS.com PPs or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.

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Fonner Files: Martinez Chases 2,000th Career Riding Win

Fonner Park CEO Chris Kotulak shares slices of life from the Grand Island, Neb., racetrack throughout the 2021 meet in the Fonner Files.

One month ago, trainer Kelli Martinez saddled her 500th career winner as a trainer. This weekend, Armando Martinez, her first-call jockey and husband of over 20 years, is expected to record his 2,000th career winner.

Over the years and decades, the pair has emerged as a force to contend with at Fonner Park. Together they win races with claiming horses and an occasional allowance horse; they're a no frills and hardscrabble success.

Last year, Armando won his first-ever champion jockey belt buckle at Fon. This year, he and perpetual leading jockey Jake Olesiak have been head-and-head for top jock throughout the season. Armando has paid his dues on the Nebraska circuit and deserves achieving his milestone win.

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Edgard Zayas Off To Fast Start At Gulfstream’s Spring/Summer Meet

Defending two-time champion Edgard Zayas has gotten off to a quick start for the Spring/Summer Meet at Gulfstream Park, riding five winners on the first two programs.

The 27-year-old jockey, who rode a personal-best 74 winners during the recently concluded Championship Meet, made three visits to the winner's circle Friday after notching a double on Thursday's opening-day card.

“I had my best meet of my career in the Championship Meet. I'm hoping I can keep it going for the Spring/Summer Meet,” said Zayas, who also captured the 2020 title at Gulfstream Park West.

The Puerto Rico native, who rode his first career race at Gulfstream in 2013, has ridden 1755 winners while based in South Florida.

“I love Florida. Everyone asks me why I don't go somewhere else. I feel so comfortable here. It feels like home to me. I can stay here year-round. It's great for the family,” the father of two said. “But, next year, if things keep getting better, I could go somewhere else.”

Zayas scored back-to-back aboard Swirling Candy ($4.60) in Race 1 and Systematic ($2.60) in Race 2 before winning aboard Pearlescent ($9.40) in Race 6

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Scarlett Sky Overcomes Slow Pace in Transylvania

Stuart Janney III's SCARLETT SKY (c, 3, Sky Mesa–Mata Mua, by Arch) looked to have it all to do in Friday's GIII Transylvania S. at Keeneland, as he lingered in last of six behind a glacial pace. But, steered out widest into the stretch, he motored down the center of the course and was along late to post an ultimately cozy victory over Palazzi (Pioneerof the Nile), who hit the lead inside the final sixteenth, only to be run over in the final strides. GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf hero Fire At Will (Declaration of War) enjoyed a very soft time of things on the engine, but could not take advantage of the slow pace he set and could do no better than third. It was the second win in the race for Janney and trainer Shug McGaughey, who teamed to win the 2011 renewal with Janney homebred Air Support (Smart Strike). Scarlett Sky was most recently narrowly beaten into second by 'TDN Rising Star' Annex (Constitution) in the Feb. 27 Palm Beach S. at Gulfstream Park. Lifetime Record: 7-3-3-0. O/B-Stuart S Janney III (KY); T-Shug McGaughey.

Friday, Keeneland Race Course
KENTUCKY UTILITIES TRANSYLVANIA S.-GIII, $150,000, Keeneland, 4-2, 3yo, 1 1/16mT, 1:43.89, gd.
1–SCARLETT SKY, 118, c, 3, by Sky Mesa
                1st Dam: Mata Mua, by Arch
                2nd Dam: Impressionism, by Broad Brush
                3rd Dam: Sky Blue Pink, by Strawberry Road (Aus)
1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN, 1ST GRADED STAKES WIN. O/B-Stuart
Janney, III LLC (KY); T-Claude R. McGaughey III; J-Joel
Rosario. $90,000. Lifetime Record: 7-3-3-0, $210,400.
Werk Nick Rating: A+.
Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Palazzi, 120, c, 3, Pioneerof the Nile–Kindle, by Indian
Charlie. ($375,000 Wlg '18 KEENOV; $510,000 Ylg '19 FTSAUG).
O-John C. Oxley; B-HnR Nothhaft Horseracing LLC & Pioneerof
the Nile Syndicate (KY); T-Mark E. Casse. $30,000.
3–Fire At Will, 123, c, 3, Declaration of War–Flirt, by Kitten's
Joy. ($97,000 Ylg '19 KEESEP). O-Three Diamonds Farm; B-Troy
Rankin (KY); T-Michael J. Maker. $15,000.
Margins: HF, HF, 1 1/4. Odds: 2.50, 10.70, 1.10.
Also Ran: Barrister Tom, Earls Rock (Ire), Breadman.
Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS.com PPs or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.

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