into mischief | Horse Racing Free Tips

Amoss Remains High on Hoosier Philly

At odds of 2-5 and so highly regarded that she was the only filly included in Round 4 of the Derby Future Wager, Hoosier Philly (Into Mischief) was a well-beaten third in the GII Rachel Alexandra S. at the Fair Grounds Feb. 18. It was the last thing trainer Tom Amoss expected from a filly he had called the best horse he ever trained and who was 3-for-3 going in.

But as Hoosier Philly prepares for a start in the Mar. 25 GII Fair Grounds Oaks, Amoss said everything he has seen tells him that his filly is about to show everyone what all the hype was about.

Has he lost any confidence in the horse? “Zero,” he replied. “I still think she's the best horse I have ever had in my barn.”

Amoss spoke shortly after Hoosier Philly worked five furlongs at the Fair Grounds Thursday morning in 1:00. It was her third work since the Rachel Alexandra.

“I've had her since June of her 2-year-old year,” said Amoss, who confirmed that Edgar Morales has retained the mount. “I know her personality. The way she has trained and the way she has worked out since her last race gives me a lot of confidence going into this next race.”

Yet, he was saying pretty much the same thing before the Rachel Alexandra and he knows that Hoosier Philly did not back up his high expectations. So what happened? Amoss believes that she was compromised by a less than perfect trip.

“You have to be honest with yourself. It was not a good race,” Amoss said. “Then you have to figure out why it was not a good race. What was behind it? Nine times out of 10 when a horse has a bad trip in a race it starts right out of the gate. That's exactly what happened. She left the gate fine. She almost broke a little too hard. Then she stumbled and lost her balance a bit and found herself in a bad spot. The way to race ride, especially when there is a big favorite in the race, is to take advantage of something like that. The riders riding against her very alertly made her trip a very difficult one. The next thing you know she's last. She's eager and wanting to go. The pace wasn't very fast and there's no place for her to go. The pace was not only slow but look at chart of the race. Nobody changed positions except for her. Those things hurt in a race. She found herself in a position she wasn't used to being in.”

At the top of the stretch and very much within striking position, Morales wheeled Hoosier Philly to the outside and she had a clear run. She didn't respond, losing even more ground on the leaders in the stretch, losing by 8 1/2 lengths.

“I thought even after tough trip, turning for home she would show some punch and she did not,” Amoss admitted. “That was a concern.”

It was a major blow not just for those who bet Hoosier Philly in the Rachel Alexandra but for anyone who wagered on her in the Derby Future Wager. She went off at 11-1, third choice behind the “all others” option and Forte (Violence). A total of $16,956 was bet on her. Amoss has ruled out a start in the Derby and wishes she had not been included in the wager in the first place. Along with Julia Shining (Curlin), Hoosier Philly was one of only two fillies nominated to the Triple Crown.

“I'm not the guy who decided to put her in the future pool,” he said. “Nobody ever came to me and said we want to put her in the Derby Future pool, are you good with that? I don't know what determines what goes into that. I can't worry about that. I'm just trying to do right by my horse. I never wanted the public to be led in the wrong direction. Had they asked me, I wouldn't have been comfortable putting her in the Derby Future Pool. I don't think it was fair to have people betting on something that may not occur.”

Hoosier Philly went off at 7-1 in the one round of the Kentucky Oaks Future Wager, which closed last Sunday. Should she win the Fair Grounds Oaks impressively that will look like a bargain. But will she? There are too many unknowns this time for her to be a heavy favorite. Amoss knows that and knows that this is the most important race thus far in her career. Was the Rachel Alexandra for, whatever reason, a race that you can throw out? Or did Hoosier Philly not make the all important transition from two to three? Or maybe she just isn't as good as everyone thought. Every one of those questions should be answered in her next start.

“I'll be nervous when she goes to the gate,” Amoss said. “Leading into the race I'm just trying to concentrate on the things I can control and I think we've done a good job taking care of those things. I would love to think that last race was a one off. There is enough evidence to suggest it will be. This race coming up will determine whether that's true or not. I know that.”

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Seven-Figure Justify Colt Debuts on FOY Undercard

Insights, sponsored by Alex Nichols Agency
4th-GP, $84K, Msw, 3yo, 7f, post time: 12:27 p.m. ET
Mrs. John Magnier, Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith, Westerberg and Gandharvi LLC's ILLUSTRATED (Justify) was led out unsold when bidding stalled out at $290,000 at the 2021 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Sale. The blaze-faced bay made the decision to retain him look that much better when selling for $1.1 million at last year's Fasig-Tipton Gulfstream Sale after breezing an eighth of a mile in :10 flat despite jumping the shadows of the sixteenth pole and of floodlights around the area of the finish line. His GI Spinaway S.-winning dam Appealing Zophie (Successful Appeal) was purchased by My Meadowview for $1.1 million at the 2007 Fasig-Tipton November Sale and went on to produce GI Belmont S. hero and young stallion Tapwrit (Tapit), MGSW & GISP Ride a Comet (Candy Ride {Arg})–who carried the silks of Len Riggio's operation–and SW & 'TDN Rising Star' Inject (Frosted). Carrying a full-sister to Tapwrit, Appealing Zophie was hammered down to Barronstown Stud for $1.2 million at FTKNOV in 2018. Having amassed a worktab dotted with bullet drills, Illustrated is the 5-2 favorite from gate 10 and has the services of Luis Saez. Illustrated will be opposed by LNJ Foxwoods' Scotland (Good Magic), a daughter of Grade III winner and Grade I-placed Gemswick Park (Speightstown), who was acquired for $675,000 on behalf of the Roth family at the 2013 Fasig-Tipton February Sale. The chestnut gelding also has a series of strong works under his belt, including five furlongs from the gate at Payson Park in 1:01 2/5 (1/9) Feb. 17. TJCIS PPs

7th-FG, $50K, Msw, 3yo, 1m 70 yds, post time: 5:15 p.m. ET
RULE BREAKER (Into Mischief) was one of four horses–two by this sire–to fetch $1 million or better at last year's OBS March Sale after hammering for that price to Spendthrift, the BSW/Crow Colts' Group and Broman after a :10 1/5 breeze. The New York bred is the latest foal to the races for the Bromans' multiple Grade I winner Artemis Agrotera (Fusaichi Pegasus), whose son Chestertown (Tapit) topped the 2019 March Sale on a bid of $2 million. Rule Breaker's second dam is SW & MGSP Indy Glory (A.P. Indy), a full-sister to Stephen Got Even. TJCIS PPs

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Feb. 26 Insights: Albaugh Family Stables Send Out ‘Mischief’ Firster

Sponsored by Alex Nichols Agency

6th-GP, $84k, Msw, 3yo, f, 1 1/16m, 2:39p.m. ET
Against a field where several have high-profile connections and purple catalog pages, the Albaugh Family Stables look to be counted present with MILAN MISCHIEF (Into Mischief), their $440,000 KEESEP daughter of America's four-time reigning champion general sire. Hailing from the female line of Irish Mare of the Year, several time European/Irish champion, and four-time High-weight runner MG1SW Kooyonga (Ire) (Persian Bold {Ire}), the Dale Romans trainee is a full-sister to SW Little Menace. Their dam is herself a half-sister to MGSW & GISP Balance the Books (Lemon Drop Kid) as well as seven-time winner, SP Photo Shoot (Giant's Causeway). This is also the extended female family of G1SP Princess Sinead (Ire) (jeremy); MGSW & G1SP Mondragon (Brz); South African Champion 3-year-old filly, GISW Kundalini (El Gran Senor); and G1SP Jaljuli (Ire) (Jalmood). TJCIS PPs

7th-FG, $50k, Msw, 3yo, f, 1mT, 5:15p.m. ET
Godolphin's royal blue silks are carried to post here on the back of HECKLED (Hard Spun), a homebred half-sister to MGSW Pixelate (City Zip). Out of SP Speckled (Street Cry {Ire}), herself half to MGSW Skylighter (Sky Mesa)–granddam of Wet Paint (Blame)–as well as SW Cave Hill (Frosted) and the dam of GSP Meru (Sky Mesa), Heckled claims three other winning half-siblings. Michael Stidham sends her to post with a steady string of works and one off the rail for this unveiling. This is the female line of MGISW Nastique (Naskra), herself responsible for 11-time winner, Japanese multi-millionaire Nobo True (Broad Brush) and GSW Thunder Kitten (Storm Cat), dam of five Graded/Group performers including MG1SP Michita (Dynaformer) and GI Emirates Airline Dubai World Cup-placed Cat O'Mountain (Street Cry {Ire}); among others. TJCIS PPs

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Which Sire Has Had The Most Rising Stars? It’s Tapit

Since 2004, we've shined the spotlight on over 1,500 'TDN Rising Stars' worldwide, recognition given to a horse early on its career who has done something so impressive on the racetrack that our team believes they will go on to become graded stakes winners. A horse is designated as a 'Rising Star' by the TDN staff after a careful and comprehensive review of many factors–including the quality of the field, margin and time of victory, pedigree, sales price and more.

Over the years, it has become a badge of honor for a sire to produce a Rising Star. So which sires have been the most prolific when it comes to having one of their progeny be named a Rising Star? Below is our Top 10, which includes only sires based in North America. The list probably won't surprise you. Good sires produce good horses.

Sire (#Rising Stars)

1) Tapit (51)
Not only is the 22-year-old Tapit one of the top sires in the history of the sport, but he has been around nearly as long as the Rising Stars have. He got his first Rising Star way back in 2010 when Trappe Shot won a maiden special weight race for 3-year-olds at Gulfstream Park. The TDN team was not wrong about Trappe Shot, who went on to win the GII True North H. in 2011. A year earlier, he won the Long Branch S. and ran second in the GI Haskell Invitational S. As a sire, Trappe Shot has had two Rising Stars.

Tapit was just getting started. Constitution was named a Rising Star in 2014 after winning a maiden special weight race at Gulfstream. He would go on to win the GI Florida Derby and the GI Donn H. Constitution turned out to be a top sire in his own right and had produced seven TDN Rising Stars. The hits kept on coming with subsequent Rising Stars by Tapit including 2014 GI Belmont S. winner Tonalist and Essential Quality, the 3-year-old champion of 2021, whose victories include wins in the Belmont, the GI Travers S., the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile and the GI Claiborne Breeders' Futurity.

And, no, the team didn't miss out on Flightline. Arguably the best horse Tapit has ever produced, he was named a Rising Star after he broke his maiden on April 24, 2021 at Santa Anita. You know the rest of the story.

We didn't always get it right. One of Tapit's early Rising Stars was Tapit It Rich, who broke his maiden on Oct. 12, 2013 at Santa Anita. He ran five more times and never won again.

2) Into Mischief (36)
The main thing separating Tapit and Into Mischief is how long they have been at stud as Into Mischief is four years younger than his rival stallion.
Into Mischief started churning out Rising Stars from the start. His first was Goldencents, who was named a Rising Star after he broke his maiden in 2012 at Del Mar. A top horse throughout his career, Goldencents went on to win, among other races, the GI Santa Anita Derby and two runnings in the GI Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile. As a sire, he's had two Rising Stars. Other notable Rising Stars by Into Mischief include GI Kentucky Derby winner Mandaloun, multiple Grade I winner Life Is Good and 2020 champion female sprinter Gamine.

There are two Rising Stars by Into Mischief who are among the top candidates for this year's Kentucky Derby in Newgate and Giant Mischief.

We did not tab 2020 Kentucky Derby winner Authentic, among the better horses Into Mischief has produced, as a Rising Star.

3) Distorted Humor (28)
Another sire who has been picking up Rising Stars for years. He got his first Rising Star way back in 2005 with Halo Humor, a maiden winner at Saratoga who was a Louisiana-bred. Halo Humor did not go on to win a graded stakes, but plenty of other Rising Stars by Distorted Humor did. The list includes such graded stakes winners as Any Given Saturday, Alternation, Cowtown Cat. There's also Maclean's Music, who, though he raced just once, has gone on to be a top sire.

With Momos having earned Rising Star status in 2020, Distorted Humor's time as a producer of Rising Stars has covered a span of 15 years.

4) Medaglia d'Oro (24)
Another prolific sire who has been around for a while and has churned out two dozen Rising Stars, starting with Dashing Debby in 2009, who broke her maiden in the JJ'sdream S. at Calder.
In 2015, the team nailed it when naming Songbird a Rising Star after she broke her maiden at Del Mar. She, of course, went on to be a major star who was the champion 2-year-old filly in 2015 and the champion 3-year-old filly in 2016. She won eight Grade I races.
Elate, named a Rising Star in 2016, became another top performer for her sire and had Grade I wins in the Alabama S. and the Beldame S.

4) Unbridled's Song (24)
His list is topped by Arrogate, named a Rising Star after he won a 2016 maiden special weight race at Santa Anita. Considered one of the best horses of this century, he had a run that won't soon be forgotten, winning, in order, the Travers, the GI Breeders' Cup Classic, the GI Pegasus World Cup Invitational S. and the GI Dubai World Cup. Arrogate has produced three Rising Stars so far during his brief time as a stallion.

Unbridled's Song's list of Rising Stars also includes Liam's Map, the winner of the GI Woodward S. and the Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile.

6) Speightstown (23)
He got off to a fast start as a Rising Stars sire as his second ever Rising Star was Munnings. Named a Rising Star in 2008, he won three Grade II races and went on to be a top stallion, who has had 10 Rising Stars. Other notable Rising Stars by Speightstown include Speighster, Echo Town, Charlatan and Nashville. Another sire who has been producing Rising Stars over the course of three decades, he had his most recent Rising Star last year when Andiamo a Firenze broke his maiden at Belmont Park.

6) Curlin (23)
Curlin picked up his first Rising Star in 2013 with Del Mar maiden winner Socialbug. That horse didn't go on to win a graded stakes, but plenty of other Rising Stars by Curlin did. His most successful Rising Star was no doubt Malathaat, the champion 3-year-old filly of 2021 and the champion older dirt female of 2022. Her dam, Dreaming of Julia, also deserves mention as she is also the dam of Malathaat's full sister and Rising Star Julia Shining. Julia Shining was named a Rising Star after breaking her maiden last fall at Keeneland and has since gone on to win the GII Demoiselle S. (The record for most Rising Stars for a broodmare is six, held by Delta Princess, the dam of Royal Delta). Curlin's most recent Rising Star is Faustin, who is a Kentucky Derby candidate after finishing second in the GII San Vicente S.

8) Malibu Moon (22)
Another sire who has been producing Rising Stars for what seems like forever. He had his first Rising Star in 2007 and his most recent came in 2021 with H P Moon, a maiden winner at Pimlico. His top Rising Star is Carina Mia, who captured the GI Acorn S.

9) Bernardini (19)
Bernardini's list is topped by Cavorting, a three-time Grade I winner who captured the GI Test S., the GI Ogden Phipps S. and the Personal Ensign. Grade I winner Dame Dorothy is another Rising Star by Bernardini. She is the dam of Spice Is Nice, a Rising Star by Curlin.

9) Storm Cat (19)
Considering that he was retired from study duty in 2008, it's remarkable that Storm Cat made the Top 10. Where would he be if Rising Stars went back to 1990 when his first crop appeared on the racetrack? He picked up his first Rising Star in 2005 with Where's That Tiger, a winner at the Curragh. In the U.S., the list of Rising Stars by Storm Cat includes Grade I winners Bluegrass Cat and Life Is Sweet, the winner of the 2009 GI Breeders' Cup Ladies Classic. He had his last Rising Star in 2011 with Hoorayforhollywood, a maiden winner at Santa Anita.

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