Everso Mischievous set to face stern battle in Forty Niner

Much has been expected from Everso Mischievous since he stepped foot on the racetrack. It looks like he’s starting to deliver on that promise.

Beaten at 3-5 on debut at Aqueduct in February, Everso Mischievous returns to the Big A riding a two-race winning streak into Saturday’s Grade 2, $300,000 Forty Niner Stakes going one mile. The Forty Niner, formerly known as the Kelso, is the local prep for the Grade 2 Cigar Mile run here on Dec. 2.

Everso Mischievous, 3, was beaten at odds-on in a first-level allowance at Ellis Park in June. Since then, with blinkers added, he has gone 2 for 2. With the blinkers, Everso Mischievous won an allowance at Saratoga narrowly and pulled away to win the Harrods Creek Stakes by 3 1/4 lengths at Churchill Downs on Sept. 23.

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“The blinkers made him focus,” Cox said. “He acted like he wanted to wait on horses. He showed that in his debut, he came back on and almost got him and we thought a small set of blinkers would help.”

Though all three of Everso Mischievous’ wins have come at seven furlongs, Cox believes the horse will handle the one-turn mile of this race.

“He ran a mile at Ellis against older horses in the third start of his career,” Cox said. “It was a good effort. He lost a shoe in that race. I’m hopeful that he can get a good trip. I like the way it looks on paper. Obviously, he’s got to step up.”

Christian Torres rides Everso Mischievous from post 2.

Everso Mischievous figures to vie for favoritism Saturday with Accretive, a Chad Brown-trained runner who comes off a second to Cody’s Wish in the Grade 2 Vosburgh on Oct. 1. Brown had jockey Irad Ortiz Jr, send Accretive to the lead that day, figuring it was his best chance to upset Cody’s Wish. He has also run well from a stalking position.

Accretive won a second-level allowance at a mile at Saratoga on Sept. 2.

Brown also sends out Dr Ardito, who is 5 for 7 at one mile, but all those wins have come against New York-bred competition.

Film Star has finished first or second in each of his last nine starts, including, most recently, a runner-up effort to Zandon in the Grade 2 Woodward Stakes at Aqueduct on Oct. 2. While his better races have come at 1 1/8 miles around two turns, trainer Linda Rice said she doesn’t mind turning him back to a one-turn mile, which is partly why she chose this race over Saturday’s Fayette Stakes at Keeneland, a race in which he was also entered.

“This horse has been laying pretty close to the lead going a mile and an eighth,” Rice said. “I think he will definitely be sitting off of it going a flat mile based on the horses that look like are signed on.”

Swiftsure, who has won two straight with blinkers added, certainly looks like a pace player for Horacio De Paz.

Double Crown upset this race last year at 42-1 but is just 2 for 16 since. He did win the Polynesian Stakes at Pimlico on Sept 10.

Trainer David Jacobson sends out a pair of off the-pace-runners in Business Model and Synthesis.

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