Golden Mischief gets help from stewards to win Purple Martin
HOT SPRINGS, Ark. - Golden Mischief had her number put up Saturday in the $150,000 Purple Martin at Oaklawn after first-place finisher Our Majesty was disqualified for an incident down the backstretch and placed fourth. The move elevated Chanel’s Legacy from third place to second. Vertical Oak, whose rider, Luis Contreras, claimed foul against Our Majesty, was placed third.
The Purple Martin was a six-furlong race for 3-year-old fillies and it was run on a pleasant, sunny afternoon that lured an estimated on-track crowd of 17,500.
Golden Mischief ($7.40) had one horse beat early as Our Majesty took the field through fractions of 22.32 seconds for the opening quarter-mile and 46.01 for the half-mile. Golden Mischief rallied through the stretch, closing in on a clear Our Majesty, who had a 1 1/2- length advantage at the wire. Our Majesty covered the distance on a track rated fast in 1:10.55.
Geovanni Franco was aboard Golden Mischief for trainer Steve Asmussen.
Following the race, Contreras claimed foul against Ricardo Santana Jr., who was aboard Our Majesty. John Ferrara, a steward at Oaklawn, gave the reason for the disqualification.
“[Vertical Oak] and [Our Majesty] were basically running side by side down the backside,” Ferrara said. “[Our Majesty] gradually drifted in and impeded the path of [Vertical Oak], causing that horse to check.”
Golden Mischief earned a first-place check of $90,000, which pushed her earnings to $266,730. The Purple Martin was her third career stakes victory, behind the My Trusty Cat at Delta Downs and the Letellier Memorial at Fair Grounds. Overall, she is 5 for 10. Golden Mischief is a daughter of Into Mischief and races for Bill and Corinne Heiligbrodt.