Mia Mischief plunges in class for Roxelana Stakes
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – It’s not often you see a horse fresh from a Grade 1 victory make her next start in an ungraded race, but that’s what Mia Mischief will be doing next Saturday, June 22, in the $120,000 Roxelana at Churchill Downs.
Mia Mischief, trained by Steve Asmussen, won the Grade 1 Humana Distaff on Kentucky Derby Day. She also was a winner on Derby weekend last year in the Eight Belles, then finished fifth in the Victory Ride at Belmont Park in her next start. The Bed o’ Roses, won last weekend at Belmont by Separationofpowers, could have served as a bridge to the major races in the division at Saratoga this summer, but Asmussen said the subpar performance by Mia Mischief in the 2018 Victory Ride dissuaded him from going there.
“Churchill and Saratoga are the two places she’s run well, and it’s why we chose not to run her at Belmont,” he said. “She’ll go to Saratoga shortly after the Roxelana.”
The six-furlong Roxelana also is expected to get a handful of returnees from the Grade 3 Winning Colors on May 25, including the winner, Honey Bunny.
El Tizar to Canterbury Park
El Tizar, a 2 3/4-length winner of his career debut last Sunday at Churchill, will be pointed to a pair of Minnesota-bred stakes at Canterbury Park this summer, trainer Mike Tomlinson said.
A 3-year-old gelding by Uncle Mo, El Tizar earned a 63 Beyer Speed Figure in the six-furlong race. He missed out on the winner’s share of a $41,200 bonus restricted to Kentucky-breds.
“This horse has been a challenge, but he’s very talented and definitely worth the effort,” said Tomlinson, who trains El Tizar for philanthropist Paul Hanifl, who lives in the Minneapolis area and races under the nom de course of Suzanne Stables.
The Canterbury races are the $50,000 Victor Myers Stakes at six furlongs on July 4 and the $100,000 Minnesota Derby at a mile and 70 yards on Aug. 10.
◗ Keeneland gave Lee “Spec” Alexander a poignant and fitting tribute following the Tuesday funeral for the track’s longtime starter. The Keeneland starting gate was sprung as a hearse transported Alexander past the entrance of his final resting place in the Bluegrass Memorial Gardens in Nicholasville, Ky. Alexander, who had served as the Keeneland starter since the 1980s, died June 3 at age 80.
◗ With so many big races here Saturday night, the only allowance on a nine-race Friday card will serve as a nominal feature. Carded as race 8, it’s a $99,000, second-level turf sprint in which the California shipper Ficanas could be favored for trainer John Sadler in a field of 10 fillies and mares. First post is 12:45 p.m. Eastern.
