Golden Mischief punches Breeders' Cup ticket in Thoroughbred Club of America

LEXINGTON, Ky. – That loud sigh of relief you may’ve heard Saturday afternoon came from trainer Brad Cox, who was only too happy to see Golden Mischief survive a jockey’s objection following the 38th running of the Grade 2, $250,000 Thoroughbred Club of America Stakes at Keeneland.

“You know what happened two weeks ago,” said Cox, who indeed was chagrined by the Sept. 22 disqualification of his stable star, Monomoy Girl, from the Grade 1 Cotillion at Parx for interference in deep stretch.

Golden Mischief, with Florent Geroux riding for Cox and owner Juddmonte Farms, appeared to bear out a path or two in the final 40 yards of the six-furlong TCA, causing jockey Ricardo Santana Jr. to check slightly aboard Vertical Oak, but evidently not enough to warrant a change in the order.

Chalon finished second with a steady outside rally, beaten just a head by Golden Mischief, with Vertical Oak, who led most of the way, another length back in third. Miss Sunset, the 17-10 favorite in a field of 10 fillies and mares, was another neck back in fourth.

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The victory gives Golden Mischief an expenses-paid berth into the seven-furlong Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint on Nov. 3 at Churchill Downs, which Cox said will most likely be used. Bred in Kentucky by Fredericka Caldwell, Golden Mischief returned $11 as third choice after finishing in 1:09.39 over a fast track. She now has won 10 of 21 career starts and $668,150.

“We’ve known this filly is better than what she showed the last time she ran at Churchill,” he said, referring to a fifth-place finish as the odds-on favorite in the May 26 Winning Colors. “We’d been working on getting her confidence back,” explaining her easy triumphs in ungraded stakes at Prairie Meadows in July and Mountaineer Park in August. “She really showed up today.”

Santana said he wasn’t sure whether his late stretch trouble was caused by Golden Mischief to his inside or Chalon to her outside. “My filly ran great,” he said.

The $2 exacta (7-9) paid $63.20, the $1 trifecta (7-9-4) returned $174.40, and the 10-cent superfecta (7-9-4-3) was worth $45.73.