A 4-year-old son of Into Mischief, Mischevious Alex retired with seven wins in 15 starts with earnings of $734,355. He was trained by John Servis and Saffie Joseph Jr., for owners Cash Is King and LC Racing.

Mischevious Alex started in the Servis barn, where he won on debut as a juvenile at Parx Racing and finished that season with a win in the Parx Juvenile Stakes. He started off his 3-year-old campaign with a pair of Grade 3 wins in the Swale Stakes at Gulfstream Park and the Gotham Stakes at Aqueduct.

The colt was moved to the Joseph barn for his 4-year-old season, where he won his first three starts of the season: a Gulfstream Park allowance optional claiming race, the G3 Gulfstream Park Sprint Stakes, and the G1 Carter Handicap. He also finished third in the G1 Metropolitan Handicap.

Bred in Kentucky by WinStar Farm, Mischevious Alex is out of the winning Speightstown mare White Pants Night. His extended family includes Grade 3 winner Hebbronville.

Mischevious Alex is expected to arrive in Japan in November, and he will stand at Shizunai Stallion Station in Hokkaido. He joins a JBBA roster that also features stallions with North American ties including Creator, Aldebaran, Came Home, Cape Blanco, David Junior, Eskendereya, Johannesburg, Squirtle Squirt, and Stravinsky.

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Trained by John Servis and campaigned by Cash Is King LLC at two, the bay won two of five starts, including the Parx Juvenile. Victorious in the GIII Swale S. and GIII Gotham S. early in his sophomore season, he was subsequently transferred to Saffie Joseph Jr. after LC Racing secured a stake in the colt. The winner of a pair of starts at Gulfstream for new connections, including the six-furlong GIII Gulfstream Park Sprint, the WinStar Farm-bred recorded his biggest career win in the GI Carter H. at Aqueduct. Third in Belmont's GI Met Mile later that June, he finished off the board in his final two starts against Grade I company. He retired with seven wins from 15 starts and earnings of $734,355.

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Bred in Kentucky by WinStar Farm, Mischevious Alex was a $75,000 Keeneland September yearling and was acquired privately by Charles Zacney's Cash Is King LLC after failing to meet his reserve at $140,000 at OBS April in 2019. A debut winner at Parx that June for trainer John Servis, the bay announced his arrival with a 9 3/4-length thumping of his rivals in the Parx Juvenile S. following which LC Racing bought into the colt. Mischevious Alex stamped himself as the leading sprinter/miler of his generation in early 2020, winning the seven-furlong GIII Swale S. by seven lengths and the GIII Gotham S. going Aqueduct's one-turn mile.

Turned over to Saffie Joseph, Jr. for his 4-year-old season, Mischevious Alex annexed a pair of starts in Florida, including the GIII Gulfstream Park Sprint S. before validating 4-5 favoritism in the Carter, accounting for MGISW Mind Control (Stay Thirsty). A courageous third in the GI Hill 'n' Dale Metropolitan H. in June after battling Knicks Go (Paynter) on the front end, Mischevious Alex retires with a record of 15-7-1-2 and earnings of $734,355. According to the release from the JBBA, Mischevious Alex will leave for Japan in early November. Shizunai Stallion Station is also home to American imports Animal Kingdom, Declaration of War, Eskendereya and Noble Mission (GB).

Mischevious Alex, who is bred on the same cross as fellow Grade I winner Mia Mischief, is out of a winning half-sister to the fleet GSW Hebbronville (Majesticperfection) from the same Harlan's Holiday sire line and to SW & GSP Master of Disaster (Dance Master). Into Mischief, who just celebrated his 100th black-type winner, is the sire of 13 winners from 17 runners in Japan, including the Group 2-placed Delta Barows.

WATCH: Mischevious Alex runs them ragged in the Carter

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The 42nd running of the Forego, a seven-furlong sprint for older horses, is one of seven graded-stakes, six of them Grade 1, worth $4.6 million in purses on a blockbuster program highlighted by the 152nd renewal of the Grade 1, $1.25 million Runhappy Travers.

Five of the eight horses entered in the Forego are Grade 1 winners, including Firenze Fire, Mind Control, Mischevious Alex and Whitmore, the champion sprinter of 2020. Lexitonian joined the group with a half-length victory in the six-furlong Alfred G. Vanderbilt July 31, his 19th career start and first since being eased to the wire in the Grade 1 Hill 'n' Dale Metropolitan Handicap June 5 at Belmont Park.

“He's probably not a fan favorite horse because he's a tough horse to handicap. No one knows what to expect,” trainer Jack Sisterson said. “We've always had the confidence to put him in races like that. He does from time to time throw a clunker in. He got beat [45 ¼] lengths in the Met Mile. A lot of people probably would have dropped him down a grade to get him a confidence win and get him back on track, but he showed signs that he was still capable of winning a type of race like the Vanderbilt. We stuck him in there and he proved to everybody that he's got the capability of jumping up with a big performance.”

Sisterson approached the Vanderbilt with a different strategy, asking jockey Jose Lezcano to get the 5-year-old son of champion sprinter Speightstown involved early. Breaking from the rail, they dueled first with Strike Power and then with Special Reserve on the lead before prevailing at odds of 34-1, the longest shot in a field of nine that also included Whitmore [third], Firenze Fire [fifth] and Mischevious Alex [eighth].

“We sort of changed the tactics with him,” Sisterson said. “He'd been breezing down on the inside of horses, and he's very workmanlike. It was just by chance we drew the one hole. I suppose when you draw the one, you have to jump and go forward. Going three-quarters, you're not going to take back and make one run. I'd never be someone to tell a jockey what to do, but I just chatted to Jose about the race. I said, 'Let's be real aggressive early and see if you can put him on the lead.' Credit to Jose, it was a brilliant ride. Lexitonian really responded to that.”

Lexitonian became a graded-stakes winner in the Grade 3 Chick Lang in 2019 at Pimlico Race Course, later that summer returning to Maryland to take the Concern at Laurel Park. He won one of his next 11 starts prior to the Vanderbilt, coming up a nose short in the Grade 1 Bing Crosby last August and a head shy in the Grade 1 Churchill Downs May 21. He also ran fifth in last year's Forego, beaten 2 ½ lengths by Win Win Win.

“He'd probably been a bit unfortunate not to already have been a Grade 1 winner. Obviously I'm biased. He's had some near misses but he put it all together in the Vanderbilt,” Sisterson said. “He's shown us signs that he's going to run the same sort of race he did in the Vanderbilt. We haven't changed anything up with him. We've just kept it simple. With him, less is more. We found that out pretty quickly. We're excited about Saturday. It would be great to see him duplicate a performance like that. I think he's well capable of doing it. He couldn't be doing any better.”

Lezcano returns to ride from post position 3.

Robert LaPenta, trainer Ron Moquett and Head of Plains Partners' Whitmore rallied to be third after some early trouble in the Vanderbilt, beaten less than two lengths. According to Equibase, the 8-year-old gelding – a winner of 15 races including the 2018 Forego and nearly $4.5 million in purse earnings from 42 career starts – can become the second-oldest horse to win a Grade 1 event at Saratoga behind John's Call, who was 9 when he won the Sword Dancer in 2009.

The Vanderbilt was Whitmore's first race since running third by a head in the Churchill Downs, a nose behind Lexitonian. Winner of the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Sprint last fall to clinch his first year-end championship, he will have the services of Joel Rosario from post position 2.

Another multi-millionaire in the Forego is Mr. Amore Stable's Firenze Fire, a 14-time winner with nine graded victories who earned Grade 1 credentials in the 2017 Champagne at Belmont Park. The 6-year-old Poseidon's Warrior horse has enjoyed great success downstate, including wins in the Grade 2 True North and Grade 3 Runhappy this spring, but his lone win in eight Saratoga starts came in the Grade 3 Sanford in 2017, his second career race.

Making his third straight appearance in the Forego, having run second to champion Mitole in 2019 and 11th behind Win Win Win last year, Firenze Fire will have Jose Ortiz in the irons from post position 8.

Red Oak Stable and Madaket Stables' Mind Control [post 4, John Velazquez] snapped an eight-race losing streak last out in the Grade 2 John A. Nerud July 4 at Belmont Park, his first start for newly inducted Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher. His two career Grade 1 victories have come at Saratoga in the 2018 Hopeful and 2019 H. Allen Jerkens, both at the Forego distance, for previous trainer Gregg Sacco.

“He's good at the distance. He's won over the track and seems to be maintaining form,” Pletcher said. “We expect a tough race, but he's doing good.”

Cash is King and LC Racing's Mischevious Alex won back-to-back Grade 3 stakes last year in the Swale at Gulfstream Park and Gotham at Aqueduct for trainer John Servis. Moved to South Florida-based Saffie Joseph, Jr. for 2021, the 4-year-old Into Mischief colt put together a three-race win streak that included the Grade 3 Gulfstream Park Sprint and Aqueduct's Grade 1 Carter. Third in the Met Mile, he regressed with an eighth-place finish in the Vanderbilt that left Joseph scratching his head.

“Last race, he didn't show up. Hopefully, we can correct it this time and he can come back and run his usual race for us,” Joseph said. “If he runs his race, he's a horse who goes in there with a good chance.”

Mischevious Alex's stablemate, Shooting Star Thoroughbreds' Chance It, has run second two starts this year, both at Gulfstream. He was beaten less than a length each time after returning from more than a year layoff, first by Double Crown in a May 23 optional claimer and then by Miles Ahead in the Grade 3 Smile Sprint July 3.

“Chance It is making his third start off a layoff and seems to be training really well. He always had a lot of potential. He'll have to step it up against these types of horses, but he's entitled to have a chance,” Joseph said. “He's come back and in his both his races, he's been just as good as before the layoff. The added distance will work to his advantage. This will be his test to see if he belongs against these types of horses. We feel like he does, so fingers crossed.”

Tyler Gaffalione has the call on Chance It from post position 6, while Irad Ortiz, Jr. rides Mischevious Alex from post position 1.

Bill and Corinne Heiligbrodt's Yaupon won each of his first four career starts last year, two of them coming at Saratoga – an open allowance triumph over older horses and the Grade 2 Amsterdam – as well as the Chick Lang. Following a troubled eighth in both the Breeders' Cup Sprint to end 2020 and the Group 1 Dubai Golden Shaheen to open 2021, Yaupon returned to capture Pimlico's Lite the Fuse July 4 in his most recent outing.

“[The Breeders' Cup] was too much too soon,” Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen said. “He had run well at Pimlico previously and thought it was a very fast race. He came out of it in good shape. Obviously, I think he deserves the chance in the Forego. He's run very well at Saratoga, as well.”

Ricardo Santana, Jr. rides Yaupon from post position 7.

Three Diamonds Farm's Doubly Blessed [post 5, Luis Saez] is set to make his graded-stakes debut in the Forego. Fourth in the 1 3/8-mile Stud Muffin March 27 at Aqueduct, the 4-year-old Empire Maker gelding will be cutting back to a sprint for the first time in a 13-race career that began last spring on the turf. Last out, he won a 1 1/16-mile optional claimer in the Belmont Park slop May 29.

The Forego is slated as Race 8 on the 13-race card. First post is 11:35 a.m. Eastern. For the third consecutive year, FOX will air the Runhappy Travers as the centerpiece of a 90-minute telecast beginning at 5 p.m. The networks of FOX and FOX Sports will air 7.5 total hours of live racing and analysis on Runhappy Travers Day, with coverage scheduled to begin at 11:30 a.m. on FS1. For the complete Saratoga Live broadcast schedule, and additional programming information, visit https://www.nyra.com/saratoga/racing/tv-schedule.

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The Maclean's Music colt registered a four-furlong breeze in :47:47 in company with 2020 Grade 1 Haskell runner-up Ny Traffic over the Saratoga main for trainer Saffie Joseph, Jr.

Owned by Slam Dunk Racing, Madaket Stables, Wonder Stables, and Michael Nentwig, Drain the Clock finished second behind top divisional contender Jackie's Warrior in the 6 1/2-furlong Amsterdam on a sloppy and sealed track August 1.

The ultra-consistent Drain the Clock enters the seven-furlong H. Allen Jerkens with momentum, posting four wins and a pair of second-place finishes through the first six starts of his 3-year-old campaign. He won the Grade 3 Swale, contested at the Jerkens distance, by 6 1/4 lengths in January at Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Beach, Fla., and tallied consecutive wins on the NYRA circuit with a 1 3/4-length victory in the Grade 3 Bay Shore in April at Aqueduct Racetrack in Ozone Park, N.Y.,  before edging Jackie's Warrior by a neck in the seven-furlong Woody Stephens on Belmont Stakes Day June 5.

“He had a good work going in company with Ny Traffic and galloped out pretty strong,” Joseph, Jr. said. “Obviously, last time he was well-beaten fair and square by Jackie's Warrior. Now, you have Life Is Good in this race, so, hopefully, we can get outside this time. I think the draw will have a lot to do with it. But we're willing to give it another chance.”

Joseph, Jr. also saw two contenders for the $600,000 Grade 1 Forego work Saturday at Saratoga, with Chance It and Mischevious Alex logging four furlongs in :48.12 and :48.48, respectively, on the main track.

The Forego, for 4-year-olds and up sprinting seven furlongs, will give four-time graded stakes-winner Mischevious Alex a chance to add to that total, with the Into Mischief colt posting wins in last year's Grade 3 Swale and Grade 3 Gotham as a sophomore before continuing to improve as a 4-year-old, winning the Grade 3 Gulfstream Park Sprint in February and romping by 5 1/2 lengths in the Grade 1 Carter in April at the Big A.

After running third in the Grade 1 Hill 'N' Dale Metropolitan Handicap on Belmont Stakes Day, Mischevious Alex [owned by Cash is King and LC Racing] ran eighth in the six-furlong Grade 1 Alfred G. Vanderbilt on July 31 at Saratoga. Joseph, Jr. said his charge has continued to work well as he readies to stretch back out to seven furlongs next week.

Shooting Star Thoroughbreds' Chance It, second last out in the Grade 3 Smile Sprint going six furlongs on July 3 at Gulfstream, has compiled a 4-4-0 record in nine starts entering his Saratoga debut. The 4-year-old son of Currency Swap is looking for his first graded stakes victory.

“They worked by themselves and they seem to be coming into the race in good order,” Joseph, Jr. said.

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The 152nd edition of the Travers is the centerpiece of a blockbuster day of racing featuring seven stakes, including six Grade 1 events, offering $4.6 million in total purse money with automatic berths in the Breeders' Cup to the winner of the $750,000 Grade 1 Resorts World Casino Sword Dancer [Turf], the $600,000 Grade 1 Personal Ensign presented by Lia Infiniti [Distaff], and the $500,000 Grade 1 Ketel One Ballerina [Filly & Mare Sprint].

In addition, the Travers Day card will also include the $600,000 Grade 1 Forego, a seven-furlong sprint for 4-year-olds and upward, and the $500,000 Grade 1 H. Allen Jerkens Memorial for 3-year-olds going seven furlongs. Rounding out the signature day at the Spa is the $400,000 Grade 2 Ballston Spa on turf for older fillies and mares.

Godolphin homebred Essential Quality, the reigning 2-year-old Champion and last-out Grade 2 Jim Dandy winner, breezed at 8:45 a.m. after the break, going five furlongs in 1:01.58 on the main track in company with Juddmonte homebred Bonny South, who is targeting the Personal Ensign.

Essential Quality, with Luis Saez up, worked outside of Bonny South and was caught by NYRA clockers working five-eighths from the half-mile pole through splits of :11.40, :23.22, :47.81, and out in 1:15 flat.

“He seems to be a little more forward leading up to this race than he was in the Jim Dandy,” said trainer Brad Cox. “We've tried to sharpen him up the last few weeks and I feel like we have mentally. He's ready to go. Luis was super excited with how he worked. His last two works were better than his first two leading up to the Jim Dandy, so I feel like we have a horse who is every bit as good as we were leading into the Jim Dandy; maybe even better.”

Cox said the work was a good follow-up to the bullet five-eighths in :59.40 last weekend that was also over the main track.

“Last week, we were looking to do a little more, we weren't going quite as quick this week,” Cox said. “Overall, he was doing everything the right way.”

FTGGG Racing's Masqueparade, winner of the Grade 3 Ohio Derby in June at Thistledown in North Randall, Ohio, worked four furlongs in :48.11 seconds in company with Sum Kinda Pretty on the main track after the break.

“I got him in 47 and four and out in a minute and change. He was traveling like a winner, hopefully. Visually, with what I saw, I'm happy,” Stall, Jr. said.

Stall, Jr. said the Upstart bay, who was a prominent third last out in the Jim Dandy, should improve second time out over the Spa main track.

“With the shipping, I only worked him twice from the Ohio Derby to the Jim Dandy,” Stall, Jr. said. “When we got up here, we noticed the track was a little deeper than it was in the past or at least it seemed that way. I think he got a little bit out of that race and it should help him for this race.”

Cypress Creek Equine, Arnold Bennewith, and Spendthrift Farm's Keepmeinmind, runner-up in the Jim Dandy last out, worked a solo half-mile in :47.55 under exercise rider Dennis Means on the main track after the break.

“He went very good,” said trainer Robertino Diodoro. “He was doing it nice and easy all on his own and with a strong gallop out once again. Touch wood, everything is on schedule. This was easy as could be and I thought Dennis did a good job because he's not an easy horse to slow down.”

A number of the morning works, including those for Essential Quality and Masqueparade, were moved back due to a wet track from overnight rain.

“I thought the maintenance crew did a great job. The track, after the break here, looked good,” Diodoro said.

Keepmeinmind, who graduated in the Grade 2 Kentucky Jockey Club at Churchill in November, competed in two-thirds of the Triple Crown finishing seventh in the Grade 1 Kentucky Derby and fourth in the Grade 1 Preakness.

Diodoro said the Laoban bay will need to bring his best to topple Essential Quality.

“He needs to have his game face on for game day and be ready to run the race of his life,” Diodoro said.

Trainer Kenny McPeek sent last year's Grade 1 Preakness-winner Swiss Skydiver out to breeze on the Oklahoma training track at 7:30 a.m. under Jose Ortiz, covering five furlongs in 1:00 flat.

Peter Callahan's Swiss Skydiver, who is targeting the Grade 1 Personal Ensign, maneuvered around a work team down the lane and galloped out strong.

“We tried to time it so it wouldn't be so crowded out there but it was,” McPeek said. “I think she needed that. She galloped out great and cooled out good. No problem.”

Three Chimneys Farm and Fern Circle Stables' King Fury went to the Oklahoma dirt training track at 9:30 a.m. under Jose Ortiz and covered five furlongs in 1:01.13 solo in preparation for the Travers.

“It was a solid breeze. We caught him in a minute,” McPeek said. “It was a nice solid maintenance breeze. The horse can run all day. He's coming into the race great. I think a mile and a quarter will be right up his alley.”

The Curlin chestnut captured the Grade 3 Lexington in April in his seasonal debut and followed with a rallying second in the Ohio Derby, finishing a half-length back to Masqueparade.

Last out, King Fury finished tenth in the Grade 1 Saratoga Derby Invitational after a wide trip in his turf debut.

“He's a horse that won't have any trouble with the distance. He fits fine,” McPeek said. “The horses that ran in the Jim Dandy, he'd actually beaten the horse that ran second [Keepmeinmind] in the Ohio Derby and he had a troubled trip when he did that. If he jumps to another level, I think we're good. The turf race was probably a bad idea in hindsight.”

Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher worked a number of his stakes contenders on the Oklahoma dirt training track Saturday, including Repole Stable, Phipps Stable, and St. Elias Stables' Dynamic One, the last-out winner of the nine-furlong Curlin on July 30 at the Spa.

With Irad Ortiz, Jr. up, Dynamic One worked in company with graded-stakes winning filly Spice Is Nice through a half-mile in :50.67.

“I caught them in 50 and 1. I thought it was a good steady work with a solid gallop out over a track that's not very fast,” Pletcher said. “He's had two solid works back now and two good gallop outs.”

Red Oak Stable and Madaket Stable's Mind Control, last-out winner of the Grade 2 John A. Nerud in July at Belmont, breezed a half-mile in :49.52.

The 5-year-old Stay Thirsty bay captured the 2018 Grade 1 Hopeful at the Spa as a juvenile and followed up a year later with a score in the Grade 1 H. Allen Jerkens.

“It was a very straightforward work. He's a good workhorse,” Pletcher said. “He's easy to train and likes to do his job. He was very professional as usual.”

CHC Inc. and WinStar Farm's Life Is Good, undefeated in three starts, worked five-eighths in 1:00.61 under exercise rider Amelia Green.

The Into Mischief bay captured the Grade 3 Sham in January and Grade 2 San Felipe in March, both at Santa Anita for Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert before being transferred to Pletcher.

Pletcher said he was impressed by the colt's fifth breeze at Saratoga in preparation for the Grade 1 H. Allen Jerkens.

“Another very impressive breeze with a tremendous gallop out,” Pletcher said. “He seems to do things effortlessly. He's impressive to watch and it should have him ready to go in what is a demanding task going seven-eighths in a Grade 1 off a layoff. He seems to be training extremely well.

“I would argue that today was his best work of all, particularly the gallop out,” Pletcher continued. “I had him out the mile in 1:39 and one under a motionless rider. He has a good foundation of fitness.”

Hall of Fame jockey Mike Smith will travel to Saratoga to retain the mount.

“I would expect some pretty fast fractions, so we'll just have to play it by ear off the break and see how it unfolds,” Pletcher said.

Whisper Hill Farm's Graceful Princess, the last-out winner of the Grade 3 Molly Pitcher, worked four furlongs in :48.95 in preparation for the Grade 1 Personal Ensign.

“It was a very good work. She's a very good workhorse and seems to be in good form at the moment,” Pletcher said.

Pletcher also noted that Travers-nominated Bourbonic will instead point to the Grade 1 Pennsylvania Derby on September 25 at Parx in Bensalem, Penn.

Trainer Chad Brown, in pursuit of his first Grade 1 Runhappy Travers triumph, worked Peter Brant and Robert V. LaPenta's stakes-placed Miles D five furlongs over the Oklahoma training track in 1:01.16 in company with maiden-winner Southern District.

“He looked fine,” Brown said. “His last piece of work was on the training track because the main track was still wet and such, but he went well.”

Miles D, a son of Curlin, was a last-out second to fellow Runhappy Travers aspirant Dynamic One in his sire's namesake sake on July 30 at Saratoga. He broke his maiden off an eight-month hiatus going a one-turn mile on June 12 at Belmont Park.

Trainer Fausto Gutierrez sent multiple Grade 1-winner Letruska to the main track just after 8:45 a.m. for a five-eighths work in :59.02 in her final breeze for the Grade 1 Personal Ensign.

Piloted by Ortiz, Jr., the 5-year-old daughter of Super Saver clocked eighth-mile fractions of :12, :23.20, :35.20 and galloped out in 1:12.00.

“Normally, she is a horse who likes to work fast and she worked well today,” Gutierrez said. “The idea was to feel full of horse and she's a horse that is ready to run.”

A graded stakes-winner over four different ovals this year, Letruska arrives at the Personal Ensign off a coup in the Grade 2 Fleur de Lis on June 26 at Churchill Downs.

Drain the Clock, the winner of the Grade 1 Woody Stephens and the last-out runner-up in the Grade 2 Amsterdam, recorded his final work on Saturday ahead of the Grade 1 H. Allen Jerkens.

The Maclean's Music colt registered a four-furlong work in :47:47 seconds over the Saratoga main for trainer Saffie Joseph, Jr. The ultra-consistent Drain the Clock enters the seven-furlong H. Allen Jerkens with momentum, posting four wins and a pair of second-place finishes through the first six starts of his 3-year-old campaign.

Joseph, Jr. also saw two contenders for the $600,000 Grade 1 Forego work Saturday at Saratoga, with Chance It and Mischevious Alex logging four furlongs in :48.12 and :48.48, respectively, on the main track.

The Forego, for 4-year-olds and up sprinting seven furlongs, will give four-time graded stakes-winner Mischevious Alex a chance to add to that total.

Chance It, second last out in the Grade 3 Smile Sprint going six furlongs on July 3 at Gulfstream, has compiled a 4-4-0 record in nine starts entering his Saratoga debut.

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The 4-year-old Into Mischief bay worked a half-mile solo in :48.45 on the main track in preparation for a start in the $600,000 Grade 1 Forego at seven furlongs on the main track on Travers Day August 28.

“He's bounced out of the race good. We haven't seen anything to deter us running back in the Forego,” Joseph, Jr. said. “He got the thumps last time pretty bad. Hopefully, that was the reason for his performance.”

A multiple graded stakes winner, Mischevious Alex has won 3-of-5 starts this year, including scores in the Grade 3 Gulfstream Park Sprint at Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Beach, Fla., in February and the Grade 1 Carter Handicap in April at Aqueduct Racetrack in Ozone Park, N.Y.

Joseph Jr. said Friday's breeze have him confidence that Mischevious Alex could return to form in the Forego.

“He went a good half by himself. Hopefully, the real Alex shows up and if he does, he'll have a good chance,” Joseph, Jr. said.

Slam Dunk Racing, Madaket Stables, Wonder Stables, and Michael Nentwig's Drain the Clock, a sophomore son of Maclean's Music, also breezed Friday covering a half-mile in :48.83 on the main track.

Boasting a record of six wins and two seconds from nine starts, Drain the Clock bested Jackie's Warrior by a neck on June 5 at Belmont in the Grade 1 Woody Stephens.

Last out, in the 6 1/2-furlong Grade 2 Amsterdam, Jackie's Warrior turned the tables with a romping 7 1/4-length score over a sloppy and sealed Saratoga main track.

Joseph Jr. said he is hopeful Drain the Clock will one-up his familiar foe in the $500,000 Grade 1 H. Allen Jerkens Memorial on Travers Day.

“No one was beating Jackie that day. He ran dynamite. Maybe our horse didn't run his best that day but all credit to Jackie,” Joseph, Jr. said. “We have no excuse. We had a good trip. The record is one and one. He's beat us once, we beat him once. We'll try again in the Allen Jerkens.”

John Fanelli, Cash is King, LC Racing, Paul Braverman, and Team Hanley's Ny Traffic, a 4-year-old New York-bred son of Cross Traffic, breezed a half-mile in :48 flat Sunday on the main track.

The talented colt finished second in a trio of graded events last year, including the Grade 2 Louisiana Derby in March at Fair Grounds in New Orleans, La., the Grade 3 Matt Winn in May at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky., and the Grade 1 Haskell at Monmouth Park in Oceanport, N.J., in July in which he finished just a nose back of Authentic.

Ny Traffic won his seasonal debut in May at Belmont by 6 3/4-lengths sprinting seven furlongs against fellow state-breds in an optional claimer and followed with a close second in the Grade 3 Salvator Mile in June at Monmouth.

Last out, Ny Traffic faded to fourth in the nine-furlong Grade 3 Monmouth Cup on July 17.

“He went good this morning. It was his first breeze back since Monmouth, I had him in 47 and 4. It was a good work back,” Joseph Jr. said. “There's a possibility he could go in the Forego or the Charles Town Classic.”

Joseph Jr. said Ny Traffic will breeze again next weekend before he decides on cutting back to seven furlongs for the Forego or stretching out to nine furlongs for the Grade 2 Charles Town Classic at Charles Town in Charles Town, W.Va. on August 27.

Overall, Joseph, Jr. said he has been pleased with Ny Traffic's performances this season.

“He won his debut at Belmont and in his second race at Monmouth he ran second but it was a good race,” Joseph, Jr. said. “Last time he disappointed a little bit if you just look at the running lines, but the reality is that he acted up pre-race back at the barn and I think he lost his race there. It wasn't a true run.”

Joseph, Jr. said e Five Racing Thoroughbreds' Gibberish will turn back to nine furlongs for the $120,000 Summer Colony on August 22 at the Spa.

Last out, the 4-year-old daughter of Lea was a game second to Miss Marissa in the 10-furlong Grade 2 Delaware Handicap on July 10.

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Proving himself as an exciting sophomore prospect last season with back-to-back open-lengths scores in the GIII Swale S. and GIII Gotham S., but missed the triple Crown and failed to crack the trifecta in his last two starts for John Servis when fourth in the GI Woody Stephens S. and sixth in the GI H. Allen Jerkens S. Transferred to Saffie Joseph and laid up for over five months, the $75,000 Keeneland September bargain came back with three straight dominant victories, culminating with a 5 1/2-length score in the GI Carter H. that earned a field-best 109 Beyer. He was unable to quite stick it out in the Met Mile though, flattening out late to be third after contesting the pace.

Hard-knocking 14-time winner Firenze Fire (Poseidon's Warrior) will also try to rebound after suffering a rare defeat over his favorite track at Belmont. The victor of a remarkable 11 stakes races, he was last of four in last summer's Vanderbilt and again could see them all at the finish in the local GI Forego S., dropping his record to just one win in seven starts lifetime at the Spa. He's picked up three graded stakes trophies since though, all at Belmont, before being narrowly outdueled by Mind Control (Stay Thirsty) in the GII John A. Nerud S. last out July 4.

The ever-popular Whitmore (Pleasantly Perfect) is back for another bite at the apple after running a strong second in last year's Vanderbilt. Out of the top three in his next two outings, he unleashed a powerful stretch run to upset the GI Breeders' Cup Sprint by 3 1/4 lengths, locking up champion male sprinter honors. He's yet to find the mark in three tries as a 7-year-old, however, running second in the Hot Springs S. and GIII Count Fleet Sprint H. and most recently a close third in the GI Churchill Downs S. May 1.

The 'now' horse may be improving 5-year-old gelding Special Reserve (Midshipman). Haltered by Mike Maker for $40,000 out of an allowance/optional claiming spot Feb. 6 at Oaklawn, the bay has gone three-for-four since, with his only loss coming when second in the GIII Commonwealth S. Apr. 3 at Keeneland. When last seen, he dueled through a jaw-dropping :43.35 half-mile split and kicked away in the final furlong to a 2 3/4-length conquest of the Iowa Sprint S. July 3 at Prairie Meadows.

The post Mischevious Alex Back Sprinting in Vanderbilt appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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The prestigious six-furlong sprint for 3-year-olds and upward pays homage to the influential owner, breeder and racetrack operator who made a major impact on the North American thoroughbred industry in the 20th century.

Whitmore, co-owned by trainer Ron Moquett with Robert V. LaPenta and Head of Plains Partners, arrives at the Vanderbilt with $4,434,350 in the bank, and a record of 41-15-13-4, including seven graded stakes victories at four different racetracks. The gelded son of Pleasantly Perfect capped his award-winning 2020 campaign with a 3 ¼-length victory in the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Sprint at Keeneland.

Whitmore has not found the winner's circle in 2021 but has come close in all three starts. After a game second by a neck to C Z Rocket in the Hot Springs on March 13 at Oaklawn Park, he returned to run second to his rival once more in the Grade 3 Count Fleet Sprint on April 10 at the Arkansas oval. Whitmore was last seen finishing a close third in the Grade 1 Churchill Downs on May 1, where he was seven-wide in upper stretch and crossed the finish line in tandem with Flagstaff and Lexitonian.

“His record says he's 0-for-3 this year, but he's 3-for-3 in effort,” Moquett said. “All we can ask is for him to try. Are there some things that may have resulted in a better outcome? Probably. But at the same time, he brought his A game. You're going to win some and you're going to lose some. It's all about bringing the effort.”

A winner of the 2018 Grade 1 Forego at Saratoga, Whitmore was second in last year's Vanderbilt to Volatile.

“He was going to be the favorite for the Vanderbilt during his 4-year-old year, but we had to scratch him because he pawed from the airplane in Albany to here. He would have been a short price,” Moquett said. “We learned from that. He's training us on how to train him and we learned that we need to move him well in advance or, if he's going to be on a van, it's going to be ours. Someone that won't stop and just go straight through. He can't do a milk run.”

Whitmore captured last year's Breeders' Cup Sprint at 18-1 odds, after running a respective eighth [2017], second [2018] and third [2019] in the previous three runnings.

Despite arriving at last year's Breeders' Cup as a longshot, Moquett said he felt a strong sense of confidence in Whitmore, who was fourth in the Grade 3 Phoenix at Keeneland, a race he won in 2017, in his previous effort.

“When I ran against [2019 Breeders' Cup Sprint winner] Mitole the previous year, I thought we were going to need someone to hook him or get him out of position, but I didn't feel like that against any of the ones we were up against last year,” Moquett said. “I figured we could run our best race and they could run theirs, but we could still be in front. I threw the Phoenix out. It was a speed and rail-favoring surface. We got a little far back, but he finished up well and needed the race. There were some good horses in there, but there was no [2018 Breeders' Cup Sprint winner] Roy H or Mitole. I just knew that we were sitting in a good post and had enough ability.”

Fresh off a Grade 1 triumph aboard Maracuja in last Saturday's CCA Oaks, jockey Ricardo Santana, Jr. seeks an eighth triumph aboard Whitmore, whom he will ride for the 18th time from post 6.

Mr. Amore Stable's Firenze Fire also is an accomplished veteran with nine graded stakes triumphs over four different tracks, including victories in the Grade 3 Runhappy and Grade 2 True North at Belmont Park to commence his 6-year-old season. He has finished fourth in the last two editions of the Vanderbilt.

Trained by Kelly Breen, the son of Poseidon's Warrior boasts a record of 34-14-5-3 with earnings of $2,534,350, including victories in the Grade 3 General George in March 2020 at Laurel Park and the Grade 3 Gallant Bob in September 2018 at Parx Racing. His lone graded win at the Spa came during his juvenile campaign when taking the Grade 3 Sanford in July 2017. Third to Whitmore in last year's Breeders' Cup Sprint, Firenze Fire notched his only Grade 1 triumph in the 2017 Champagne at Belmont Park.

Firenze Fire was a game second last out in the Grade 2 John A. Nerud on July 4 at Belmont Park, where he battled gamely down the stretch to the inside of Mind Control, finishing a head shy of victory.

“He's on his game and doing well,” said owner Ron Lombardi. “After that last race he came back to the barn that night and felt like he didn't even run, He went for a jog the next morning. At this level they're all tough races, but he's doing great.”

Lombardi said the results might have been reversed had it been Firenze Fire dueling to the outside in his most recent engagement.

“If he's on the outside he probably runs that race but it's all a part of the game. It was a duel with Mind Control last time, and we just missed,” Lombardi said. “That was the first time we went gate to wire which is something I've always wanted to try. Jose [Ortiz] did that with him, and it worked out.”

Ortiz will return aboard Firenze Fire from post 3.

Cash is King and LC Racing's Mischevious Alex proved a force to be reckoned with following decisive graded stakes victories earlier this year, and cuts back to six furlongs after running third in the Grade 1 Met Mile last out on June 5 at Belmont Park.

The Saffie Joseph, Jr.-trained 4-year-old son of Into Mischief displayed excellence in his first three starts this season, defeating optional claiming company on January 10 at Gulfstream Park en route to a victory in the Grade 3 Gulfstream Park Sprint on February 13. A winner of the Grade 3 Gotham in March 2020 at Aqueduct, he returned to the Big A with vigor in capturing the Grade 1 Carter in April by 5 ½ lengths under a hand ride by Irad Ortiz, Jr., garnering a 109 Beyer Speed Figure.

“He is training for this as well as he did for the Carter,” Joseph, Jr. said. “I thought he had a real good work here a couple weeks back. He's going over with a really good chance. I think six to seven is his best distance. This race is six and the next one will be seven. I think that's most suitable.”

Ortiz, Jr. will return to irons from post 2.

Calumet Farm's Lexitonian will seek to make amends following a lackluster sixth in the Grade 1 Met Mile for trainer Jack Sisterson.

The 5-year-old chestnut son of Speightstown, who won the 2004 Vanderbilt, was previously a game second finishing a nose in front of Whitmore in the Grade 1 Churchill Downs.

Lexitonian, who scratched at the gate in last year's Vanderbilt, finished second by a nose to Collusion Illusion one week later in the Grade 1 Bing Crosby at Del Mar. During his sophomore season, he won the Grade 3 Chick Lang at Pimlico at 17-1.

“He has so much heart. He's never a flashy work horse or in running,” Sisterson said. “He may come off the bridle, but whoever is riding him knows he responds to pressure and that's just the way he likes to be ridden. Ideally, his best running style is being forwardly placed in a dog fight. He really shows his true colors when asked to be set down and that's how he'll be ridden. He'll be forwardly placed. We'll be aggressive out of the gate and put him in the race and see who wants to come and catch us.”

Jockey Jose Lezcano rides from post 1.

Miles Ahead made the grade last out in the Grade 3 Smile Sprint on July 3 at Gulfstream Park and will try to sustain momentum when racing outside of Florida for the first time.

The dark bay or brown son of Competitive Edge, previously trained by Florida-based conditioner Eddie Plesa, Jr., makes his debut for the barn of Rusty Arnold and boasts a consistent 16-8-2-1 record.

Jockey Luis Saez will ride from post 7.

Trainer Mike Maker will saddle up-and-comer Special Reserve, who has displayed newfound abilities in his last two efforts. Never off the board in five starts this year, the son of Midshipman, owned by Paradise Farms Corp and David Staudacher, won the Grade 3 Maryland Sprint on May 15 at Pimlico ahead of a score in the Iowa Sprint on July 3 at Prairie Meadows, where he recorded a career-best 101 Beyer.

Breaking from post 9, Special Reserve will be ridden by jockey Joel Rosario.

Completing the field for the Vanderbilt are 2018 Grade 3 Swale-winner Strike Power [post 4, Tyler Gaffalione], Three Technique [post 5, Manny Franco] and Montauk Traffic [post 8, Eric Cancel].

Voted “The Man Who Did Most for Racing” four times, Vanderbilt operated the prominent Sagamore Farm in Maryland for multiple decades and campaigned Hall of Famers Discovery, Bed o' Roses and Native Dancer. As a racetrack operator, Vanderbilt owned Pimlico Race Course and arranged the famous match race between Seabiscuit and War Admiral in 1938. He also was president of Belmont Park and served as chairman of the NYRA board from 1971-75.

The Vanderbilt is slated as Race 8 on Saturday's 11-race card, which offers a first post of 1:05 p.m. Eastern. Saratoga Live will present daily television coverage of the summer meet on FOX Sports and MSG Networks. For the complete Saratoga Live broadcast schedule, and additional programming information, visit https://www.nyra.com/saratoga/racing/tv-schedule.

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The chestnut sophomore son of Maclean's Music arrived at the seven-furlong event off an in-hand victory in the Grade 3 Bay Shore on April 3 at Aqueduct.

Trainer Saffie Joseph, Jr. said Drain the Clock emerged from his third graded stakes score in good order and will now target the Grade 1, $500,000 H. Allen Jerkens Memorial on August 25 at Saratoga Race Course.

“He came out of the race well. He ran a big race yesterday,” Joseph said. “That was the first time he got involved in a duel and the horse he dueled with normally doesn't get beat when he duels. It was a gutsy performance.”

Following victories in the Limehouse and Grade 3 Swale at Gulfstream Park, Drain the Clock stretched out in distance in the Grade 2 Fountain of Youth, where he finished second beaten 1 ½ lengths to Greatest Honour. Following such an effort, Joseph cut him back to one turn.

“It paid off yesterday and justified for not pushing the issue,” Joseph said.

Primarily based at Gulfstream Park year round, Joseph said Drain the Clock would most likely remain at Belmont Park for the time being.

“He'll breeze in three weeks, that's what we did last time,” said Joseph. “That was the first time we had so many breezes into a race and he seems to thrive off that. I would say most likely he'll stay here, but it's not set in stone yet.”

Later on the card, Joseph saddled Mischevious Alex to a close third in the Grade 1 Metropolitan Handicap. Although the son of Into Mischief captured the Grade 3 Gotham in March 2020 going a one-turn mile, Joseph said the horse's better runs are going an eighth to a quarter of a mile shorter. He plans on targeting the Grade 1, $350,000 A.G. Vanderbilt on July 31 and the Grade 1, $600,000 Forego, both at Saratoga Race Course, are the next goals moving forward.

“I think a mile might be stretching him at top class,” Joseph said. “I truly believe that going six or seven furlongs he's one the best in the country. He ran his race, and we'll aim for the two Grade 1 races at Saratoga and then hopefully the Breeders' Cup Sprint.”

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