Sunland Park: Holiday Mischief back to two turns in Riley Allison Futurity

Barbara D. Livingston

Show Some Magic is one of four Henry Dominguez-trained runners in the $100,000 Riley Allison Futurity at Sunland Park.

Holiday Mischief will be making a meaningful distance move Sunday, when he stretches back out to two turns for the $100,000 Riley Allison Futurity at Sunland Park. He will face nine other 2-year-olds in the one-mile race, including four runners from the barn of trainer Henry Dominguez.

The Riley Allison is the first of two local stepping-stones to the Grade 3, $800,000 Sunland Derby on March 24. The other prep is the $130,000 Mine That Bird Derby on Feb. 23.

Holiday Mischief has invaded from Oklahoma for the Riley Allison. He will be moving back to two turns after finishing a close fourth in the $100,000 Clever Trevor at seven furlongs at Remington Park on Nov. 9.

“I think he’ll be better going a mile,” said Joe Offolter, who co-owns and trains Holiday Mischief. “He won his second out going two turns, and he rated nice. I thought he ran his best race.”

Holiday Mischief’s win came in a maiden special weight at a mile at Remington on Sept. 28. It was his first route race, and he drew clear by 2 1/4 lengths.

“He was in the 12 hole and got hung seven wide, had a horrible trip, and still won pretty easily,” Offolter said.

Holiday Mischief cut back in distance for the Clever Trevor and raced close to a hot pace before finishing 1 1/2 lengths behind winner King Henny. Holiday Mischief earned a Beyer Speed Figure of 66, the second-best last-race number in the Riley Allison. Glen Murphy will ride from post 6.

“I kind of like drawing the six hole,” Offolter said. “He can sit right back off the lead, and it looks like there’s plenty of pace in there.”

Holiday Mischief will be Offolter’s first starter at Sunland. He last was at the track in 1987, to run a horse for a trainer he worked for at the time. Offolter owns Holiday Mischief, a son of the Harlan’s Holiday stallion Into Mischief, with Carter Thoroughbreds.

Dominguez’s quartet includes Show Some Magic, who earlier this year was fifth in the Grade 2 Hopeful at Saratoga. The horse will be seeking his first two-turn win after finishing ninth in the Grade 3, $1 million Delta Downs Jackpot on Nov. 17. Miguel Hernandez has the mount on Show Some Magic for J. Kirk and Judy Robison, who are coming off the Thoroughbred owner title at Zia.

The field also includes Arizona-bred stakes winners Gadsden Purchase and Lewiston and recent Zia overnight stakes winner I Stand Alone.