Mia Mischief takes them all the way in Eight Belles
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LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Though Mia Mischief had rated nicely in her last race, the speedy 3-year-old filly came to the Churchill Downs paddock prior to Saturday’s Grade 2 Eight Belles Stakes with run on her mind.
“When she walked in the paddock - she’s a very strong mare, big - she was definitely on her toes,” trainer Steve Asmussen said. “No doubt she noticed there were a few more people in attendance when she walked over, and she was pretty aggressive.”
Mia Mischief took her aggression out on her six rivals in the $200,000 Eight Belles, putting away the pace prompters Talk Veuve to Me and Amy’s Challenge to record a front-running 1 3/4-length score in the seven-furlong race for 3-year-old fillies.
Talk Veuve to Me, who was taken back off the pace after the opening quarter, finished second, 4 3/4 lengths ahead of Gas Station Sushi. Salt Bae, Criminal Mischief, Hold Her Tight, and Amy’s Challenge completed the order of finish.
Mia Mischief, who won for the fourth time in seven starts, gave Asmussen his 7,997th career victory as a trainer.
Mia Mischief was coming off an 8 1/4-length victory in the Purple Martin Stakes at Oaklawn Park on March 24, sitting about two lengths off the early pace.
Saturday, under Ricardo Santana, Mia Mischief broke sharply in the seven-furlong race and was inside of Talk Veuve to Me through an opening quarter of 22.21 seconds. Gary Stevens then had Amy’s Challenge come up along the inside of Mia Mischief while Shaun Bridgmohan eased Talk Veuve to Me just off the front-runners, who went a half-mile in 44.21 seconds.
Turning for home, Talk Veuve to Me came outside of Mia Mischief, but with a few taps of Santana’s whip, Mia Mischief kept that rival at bay through the stretch.
Mia Mischief, a daughter of Into Mischief owned by William and Corinne Heiligbrodt, Sol Kumin’s Madaket Stables, and Scott Heider’s Heider Family Stables, covered the seven furlongs in 1:21.84 and returned $5 as the favorite.
“She was really sharp,” Santana said. “She broke so good and then she relaxed a little bit. Turning for home she felt a horse on her side and she come back running.”
Asmussen said that his major target for Mia Mischief this summer will be the Grade 1, $500,000 Test Stakes at Saratoga on Aug. 4, with a race or two before then.
Talk Veuve to Me was coming out of an 11 1/4-length maiden victory at Fair Grounds on March 25. Rodolphe Brisset, her trainer and part-owner, was pleased with the effort.
“She tried hard,” Brisset said. “She got a little tired the last sixteenth, maybe. It’s only her second race this year. I think she has a bright future and she got beat by a very, very nice filly. The main question now I have to figure out is if she wants to go longer or not.”