Mighty Mischief | Horse Racing Free Tips

Real Talk Gets First Stakes Win In Jersey Shore At Monmouth

A few jumps out of the starting gate, jockey Paco Lopez knew he was a winner in Sunday's $100,000 Jersey Shore Stakes at Monmouth Park in Oceanport, N.J.

With a pair of speedsters – Mighty Mischief and Moonlite Stroke – inside of him, Lopez and Real Talk got the jump on both from the start of the six-furlong feature and cruised to a front-running 4½-length victory, with the 3-year-old son of Gemologist notching the first stakes win of his 10-race career.

Mighty Mischief, in post position three, and Moonlight Strike, in post position one, both looked to have superior early speed on paper. But Lopez never let either one get close to the lead, opening up on the field a few jumps out of the gate.

“I'm not surprised he made the lead even with all of the speed inside of him,” said winning trainer Carlos David. “I had Paco Lopez. When the horse was in Gulfstream (before shipping to Monmouth) I called Paco's agent and said `I need him for this race.' He said `we have to wait for nominations.' I told him `I don't care. I need Paco on this horse.'

“Paco was the key. The horse is nice and he's fast but Paco getting him out there on the lead was the difference. He rode him great. I was worried about Mighty Mischief but I was also worried about Moonlite Strike because he had the one post and I was thinking he was going to go. I felt I needed to beat both to the spot to get the rail and we got it and he got the job done.”

After breaking on top, Lopez rolled through fractions of :22 flat for the opening quarter and :44.44 for the half. With yet another speedster, Fire Sword, backing out after being frustrated from chasing the leader, Mighty Mischief made a three-wide bid coming around the final turn. But he found himself in the uncomfortable position of chasing instead of being chased. It was another length back to Moonlite Strike in third.

“Sometimes you have to be lucky,” said Lopez, well on his way to an eighth riding title at Monmouth Park. “Sometimes you have to come out there firing, sometimes not. He just broke out of the gate so fast. He was right on top after the gate opened. It reminded me of when I rode quarter horses.

“I knew Mighty Mischief was the horse to beat and that we would probably have to get the jump on him to win. I let him go and he was able to get comfortable.”

The winning time for the six furlongs was 1:10.02, with Real Talk returning $6.40 to win.

Owned by Bell Racing LLC, Real Talk now has four wins and three seconds from 10 career starts. David, Gulfstream-based but with a division at Monmouth Park the past three years, notched his first stakes win at the track with the victory.

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Capuano Considering Next Start For Alwaysinahurry

Mopo Racing's Alwaysinahurry is set to return to action later this month for the first time since his impressive upset victory over Grade 3-winning favorite Mighty Mischief in the July 4 Concern Stakes at historic Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Md.

Trainer Dale Capuano said the Great Notion gelding is being considered for both the $75,000 Star de Naskra Aug. 21 at Pimlico as well as the $150,000 Robert Hilton Memorial Aug. 27 at Charles Town in Charles Town, W. Va., contested at six and seven furlongs, respectively. Both races are restricted to 3-year-olds.

The Star de Naskra is among four $75,000 stakes for Maryland-bred/sired horses on Pimlico's Maryland Pride Day program, along with the Miss Disco for 3-year-old fillies sprinting six furlongs on the main track, 1 1/16-mile Find for 3-year-olds and up, and 1 1/16-mile All Brandy for fillies and mares 3 years old and older, each on the turf.

“He's doing well. We're looking at the race at Charles Town, possibly the Star de Naskra. We're just going to play it by ear,” Capuano said. “We'll take a look at things and see how it shakes out.”

Bred in Maryland by Dr. and Mrs. Thomas Bowman, Quin Bowman, and Rebecca Davis, Alwaysinahurry burst from beneath the shadow of his multiple stakes-winning stablemate Kenny Had a Notion with a 4 ½-length triumph in the Concern at odds of 9-1. Mighty Mischief, trained by Hall of Famer Steve Asmussen, had won three straight races including the May 15 Grade 3 Chick Lang at Pimlico.

The six-furlong Concern was only the second race this year for Alwaysinahurry, who needed five tries to break his maiden and raced eight times at 2 with two wins and a second to Kenny Had a Notion in the Maryland Million Nursery, one of his three runner-up finishes. Alwaysinahurry came back six months later to run fourth in a Delaware Park starter allowance as a tune-up for the Concern.

“It was impressive, wasn't it? He did it the right way,” Capuano said. “I always felt this horse could run. It took a little while for him to come around, so, hopefully, he's gotten it together now. We'll see what happens.”

Alwaysinahurry has worked three times at Pimlico since the Concern, with bullets going four and five-eighths and, most recently, an easy five-furlong move in 1:02.80 Aug. 6.

“Hopefully, he'll just improve a little bit more and get a little bit better as we go on,” Capuano said. “Time will tell.”

Louis Ulman and Neil Glasser's Kenny Had a Notion won stakes on turf and dirt as a 2-year-old and opened his 3-year-old season with a neck triumph over favored Maythehorsebwithu in the seven-furlong Spectacular Bid Jan. 16 at Laurel Park in Laurel, Md. He got a break after running third in the one-mile Miracle Wood Feb. 20 and was sixth to Wondrwherecraigis in his July 18 return at Pimlico.

Capuano put Kenny Had a Notion back on the grass for his most recent start, a five-furlong dash July 30 at Pimlico, where he raced between horses early before tiring to be seventh behind Mamba On Three.

“He ran OK the other day on the turf,” Capuano said. “He just hasn't come back to himself. It's a bit disappointing.”

Capuano said he plans to run Taking Risks Stable's Cannon's Roar in the Find. The 7-year-old gelding, second in the 2020 Maryland Million Turf and third in the July 8 Sussex at Delaware Park, was third to Logical Myth and Monarchs Glen in the West Virginia House of Delegates Speaker's Cup Aug. 7 at Mountaineer Park in New Cumberland, W.Va.

“He ran a big race, so my plan is to back in the Find,” Capuano said. “He ran his race and ran terrific. The two favorites beat him. He got beat a length and a half. They just outran him. He did everything right, he just wasn't quite good enough. The Maryland-bred race hopefully will be a little bit easier, and we won't have to ship six hours to get there.”

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Mighty Mischief, Street Lute Among Nominees For Four Stakes On Independence Day Card At Pimlico

Four horses from the May 15 Grade 3 Chick Lang Stakes, including impressive winner Mighty Mischief and third-place finisher Hemp, are among 25 3-year-olds nominated to the $100,000 Concern Stakes Sunday, July 4 at historic Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Md.

The six-furlong Concern, named for the only Maryland-bred winner of the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Classic in 1994 and trained by Dickie Small, is among four stakes worth $375,000 in purses scheduled for the Independence Day holiday program.

Bill and Corinne Heiligbrodt's homebred Mighty Mischief was making his stakes debut in the G3 Chick Lang Stakes, on the undercard of the 146th Preakness Stakes (G1), following maiden and allowance wins at Oaklawn Park. The bay Into Mischief colt led from start to finish to extend his win streak to three with a 1 ¼-length triumph over multiple stakes-winning stablemate Jaxon Traveler.

Narrow Leaf Farm's Hemp came with a three-wide move to be third in the G3 Chick Lang, 2 ½ lengths behind Jaxon Traveler, following an impressive allowance win in the mud on April 10 at Laurel Park. He ran fourth after breaking a step slow in the five-furlong Ben's Cat Stakes June 13 at Pimlico, a race originally carded for the turf.

Palatial Times, fifth in the G3 Chick Lang, came back to be second by less than a length facing older horses in a six-furlong starter optional claimer June 12 at Pimlico. Shackled Love, winner of the 1 1/16-mile Private Terms Stakes March 13 at Laurel, has not raced since running last of six in the G3 Chick Lang.

Also prominent among Concern nominees are Beren, riding a three-stakes win streak for Parx-based trainer Robert E. 'Butch' Reid Jr.; Good With People, a two-time California-bred stakes winner trained by Peter Miller; 2020 Sapling Stakes winner Waist Deep; Momos, graded-stakes placed on both the turf and dirt last fall as a 2-year-old; stakes-placed Awesome Gerry, Dalton, Doubleoseven, Love My Jimmy, Roderick, Rolling Fork, Singlino, Three Two Zone; and Marvalous Mike, a winner of three straight.

Two stakes are part of the 24-race Mid-Atlantic Thoroughbred Championship (MATCH) Series – the $100,000 Lite the Fuse Stakes for 3-year-olds and up sprinting six furlongs and $100,000 Caesar's Wish Stakes for fillies and mares going 1 1/16 miles, both on the main track.

The Lite the Fuse, honoring the two-time Grade 1 Carter Handicap and Frank J. De Francis Memorial Dash (G2) winner, was last run in 2002 at Laurel. It was most popular among horsemen with 33 nominations led by Yaupon, record-setting winner of the 2020 Chick Lang unraced since the Grade 1 Dubai Golden Shaheen March 27 and also owned by the Heiligbrodts and trained by Hall of Famer Steve Asmussen.

Also nominated were Jan. 30 Grade 3 Toboggan Stakes winner American Power, second to Grade 1 winner Firenze Fire in the June 4 Grade 3 True North Stakes; March 6 Grade 3 Tom Fool Stakes winner Chateau, also runner-up to Firenze Fire in the May 8 Grade 2 Runhappy Stakes; 2019 Grade 3 Fall Highweight Handicap winner Happy Farm, a two-time claiming winner this year who ran fifth in the G3 Tom Fool; 2020 De Francis winner Laki; 2020 Grade 3 Fred Hooper Stakes winner Phat Man, fifth in the True North; and multiple stakes winner Whereshetoldmetogo.

Among 20 nominees to the Caesar's Wish were multiple stakes winners Miss Leslie, most recently fifth in the Grade 2 Black-Eyed Susan Stakes May 14 at Pimlico, Artful Splatter, and Mrs. Orb; Our Super Freak, winner of the 2019 Shine Again Stakes at Laurel who has placed in back-to-back graded-stakes including a second to champion Monomoy Girl in the Grade 3 Bayakoa Stakes Feb. 28; Water White, second by a length over Our Super Freak in the May 2 Grade 2 Ruffian Stakes; 2020 Treasure Chest winner Gibberish and Landing Zone, respectively 2-3 in the June 6 Lady's Secret Stakes at Monmouth Park; and Sosua, undefeated in three starts including a May 20 allowance win at Pimlico.

The Caesar's Wish debuted in 1978 at old Bowie Race Course and was also contested at both Pimlico and Laurel before being renamed the Beyond the Wire in 2018.

Stablemates Anna's Bandit, an 11-time stakes winner who ran fifth in the June 13 Shine Again in her season debut, and Street Lute head 24 nominees to the Jameela Stakes, a five-furlong turf sprint for Maryland-bred/sired fillies and mares 3 and up. A 7-year-old Great Notion mare bred, owned, and trained by Jerry Robb, Anna's Bandit is winless in three career tries on grass. Lucky 7 Stables' Street Lute earned her seventh stakes win from 11 starts in the off-the-turf Stormy Blues Stakes, also June 13 at Pimlico.

Epic Idea, winless in two starts this year since her mild upset of the Maryland Million Ladies last fall at Laurel; five-time stakes winner Hello Beautiful, second in three lifetime turf races; Introduced, a three-time turf winner with two stakes wins on dirt; Never Enough Time, twice a stakes winner over the main track; and Wicked Hot, who followed a 12-length maiden score May 28 with a half-length allowance score over older horses June 20, both at Pimlico for trainer Graham Motion, are also nominated.

The Jameela Stakes has had all but four of its first 32 editions at Laurel Park and was last held at Pimlico in 2001.

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Steve Asmussen Edges Mike Maker In Preakness Weekend Trainer Bonus

Hall of Famer Steve Asmussen edged defending champion Mike Maker to claim the top prize of $50,000 for the third time in five years in the Maryland Jockey Club's $100,000 trainer bonus offered to horsemen for their participation in stakes races over Preakness weekend, May 14-15, at Pimlico Race Course.

Asmussen started 11 horses in 10 stakes over the two days, finishing with 54 points. On May 15 he ran first and second with Mighty Mischief and Jaxon Traveler in the $200,000 Chick Lang (G3) and also finished second with Midnight Bourbon in the 146th Preakness Stakes (G1), Strike Power in the $150,000 Maryland Sprint (G3) and Casual in the $100,000 Runhappy Skipat. Boldor finished fourth for Asmussen in the $100,000 Jim McKay Turf Sprint.

Willful Woman's runner-up effort in the $250,000 Black-Eyed Susan (G2) was Asmussen's best finish with five horses on the May 14 program. He was also third with Arm Candy in the $100,000 Hilltop, fifth with Abrogate in the $150,000 Miss Preakness (G3), sixth with Max Player in the historic $250,000 Pimlico Special (G3) and seventh with Another Broad in the $150,000 Allaire du Pont (G3).

To be eligible, trainers had to run a minimum of five horses in the 15 Thoroughbred stakes races during Preakness weekend, not including the $100,000 UAE President Cup (G1) for Arabians. Points were accumulated for finishing first (10), second (seven), third (five), fourth (three) and fifth through last (one).

This marked the fifth straight year the MJC has offered the trainer bonus program. Asmussen also earned the top prize in each of the first two years, 2017 and 2018.

Maker ran seven horses in six stakes and finished with 43 points for a $25,000 bonus. He won the Black-Eyed Susan with Army Wife and ran first and seventh with Last Judgment and Treasure Trove in the Pimlico Special, also finishing seventh with Phantom Vision in the Hilltop. On Preakness day, Maker won the $250,000 Dinner Party (G2) with 2020 runner-up Somelikeithotbrown and Maryland Sprint with Special Reserve, and was seventh with Kasim in the $100,000 James W. Murphy.

Fair Hill (Md.) Training Center-based Graham Motion was third with 27 points and earned $12,000. Mean Mary won the $150,000 Gallorette (G3) and Alda and Mia Martina were respectively first and fourth in the Hilltop. Bye Bye Melvin was fourth and English Bee seventh in the Dinner Party.

Brad Cox, the 2019 top bonus winner, had 24 points to finish fourth and earn $7,000. He won the James Murphy with T D Dance, was second and third with Dreamalildreamofu and Getridofwhatailesu in the Dinner Party, seventh with French Empire in the Skipat and eighth with Adventuring in the Black-Eyed Susan.

Rounding out the top finishers were Chad Brown with 14 points ($4,000) and Mike Trombetta with 12 points ($2,000). Among his horses, Brown ran third and fourth with Great Island and Flighty Lady in the Gallorette and fifth with Crowded Trade and eighth with Risk Taking in the Preakness. Trombetta's best stakes finish came with Murphy runner-up Arzak.

Bonus money totaling $50,000 was also offered for trainers having the most points in non-stakes races during Preakness weekend, with points accumulated in similar fashion. Trombetta and Claudio Gonzalez, Maryland's winningest trainer the past four years, tied for first with 27 points and split the $35,000 top prize.

Also winning bonus money were Brittany Russell (21 points, $7,500), Hamilton Smith (15 points, $4,000), Arnaud Delacour (14 points, $1,750) and Anthony Aguirre (14 points, $1,750).

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