Formerly known as the Kelso, Saturday's GII Forty Niner S. at Aqueduct may not have Breeders' Cup implications, but as the first graded win in New York for Cristian Torres, who piloted Everso Mischievous (c, 3, Into Mischief–Ever So Clever, by Medaglia d'Oro), it may have felt like the Breeders' Cup. Torres picked up the sixth graded win of his career after earning his first one earlier this year in the GIII Razorback S. at Oaklawn on Last Samurai (Malibu Moon).
“It's unbelievable,” said Torres. “I can't express how I feel. To win a stakes race in any part of the country is awesome, but NYRA? It's great.”
Tracking from second behind 14-1 leader Swiftsure (Uncle Mo) through a first quarter in :23.29 and a half in :45.89, Everso Mischievous collared the frontrunner going into the turn as GII Woodward runner-up Film Star (Flatter) joined the fray to his outside. The three raced across the track, emerging with Everso Mischievous holding a slight advantage as the Chad Brown duo of Dr Ardito (Liam's Map)–who was five for six over this track–and last-out GII Vosburgh runner-up Accretive (Practical Joke) made their own runs. The blinkered Brad Cox winner fought to the wire in determined fashion and dug in to hold a closing Dr Ardito at bay by a half-length, while favorite Accretive just missed second by a nose.
“He was perfect,” said Torres of the winner, who was the lone 3-year-old in the field. “The trip worked out perfect. 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.”
Everso Mischievous was a $600,000 Keeneland September yearling purchase for China Horse Club and Gandharvi Racing before selling again just over a year later at the Keeneland November Horses of Racing Age sale having not made it to the starting gate. Fergus Galvin picked him up for $85,000. Now a Qatar Racing colorbearer, the bay is two heads shy of being undefeated. He debuted in February at Aqueduct, broke his maiden at second asking in May at Churchill, and has now won three straight, including the Harrods Creek S. at Churchill in his last out Sept. 23. He's never gotten under a 90 Beyer Speed Figure and added blinkers three back, which Cox has said helped him focus.
Pedigree Notes:
Spendthrift's Into Mischief, who will stand for $250,000 again in 2024, is the sire of the Forty Niner winner and 138 other black-type winners worldwide. His 68 graded winners include six Grade I winners this year, tops among North American-based sires. He's led the leading sires list for the past four seasons and is on target to do it again this year.
Active Darley sire Medaglia d'Oro, who stands at Jonabell Farm, has sired the dams of 97 stakes winners. Ever So Clever, dam of Everso Mischievous, is one of his 176 black-type winners worldwide. She has juvenile and yearling full-brothers to the Forty Niner winner and was bred to Jack Christopher for next term. Her 2-year-old is unraced and was a $400,000 RNA at Keeneland September in 2022, while her yearling was a $1.1-million purchase for West Point Thoroughbreds at the recent edition of the same sale.
Saturday, Belmont at the Big A
FORTY NINER S.-GII, $300,000, Belmont The Big A, 10-28, 3yo/up, 1m, 1:35.32, ft.
1–EVERSO MISCHIEVOUS, 120, c, 3, by Into Mischief
1st Dam: Ever So Clever (GSW, $522,830), by Medaglia d'Oro
2nd Dam: Foxy Danseur, by Mr. Greeley
3rd Dam: Ravish Me, by Wild Again
1ST GRADED STAKES WIN. ($600,000 Ylg '21 KEESEP; $85,000 2yo '22 KEENOV). O-Qatar Racing; B-Clearsky Farms (KY); T-Brad H. Cox; J-Cristian A. Torres. $165,000. Lifetime Record: 6-4-2-0, $524,640. Werk Nick Rating: A+. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Dr Ardito, 122, g, 5, Liam's Map–Delightfully So, by Indian Charlie. 1ST GRADED BLACK TYPE. ($95,000 Ylg '19 SARAUG). O-Michael J. Caruso and Michael Dubb; B-Fred W. Hertrich lll & John D. Fielding (NY); T-Chad C. Brown. $60,000.
3–Accretive, 122, g, 4, Practical Joke–Mallory Street, by Street Sense. ($180,000 Ylg '20 KEESEP). O-Klaravich Stables, Inc.; B-Falcon Wood Partners (KY); T-Chad C. Brown. $36,000.
Margins: HF, NO, 1 1/4. Odds: 2.60, 6.00, 1.60.
Also Ran: Film Star, Swiftsure, Business Model, Double Crown. Scratched: Synthesis.
Click for the Equibase.com chart and the TJCIS.com PPs. VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.
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