Mia Mischief tops speedy group in Victory Ride

ELMONT, N.Y. – Mia Mischief heads a strong group of 3-year-old filly sprinters trying to get to the Grade 1 Test next month at Saratoga by way of Sunday’s Grade 3, $150,000 Victory Ride Stakes at Belmont Park.

The 11 runners for the 6 1/2-furlong Victory Ride have combined to win 29 races, including nine stakes. The Victory Ride includes the return of Grade 1 winner Separationofpowers off an eight-month layoff as well as graded winners Spectator and Take Charge Paula.

Mia Mischief, trained by Steve Asmussen for a partnership headed by William and Corinne Heiligbrodt, has won four races from seven starts, including the Grade 2 Eight Belles on May 4 at Churchill Downs. She won that race in front-running fashion and earned a career-best 97 Beyer Speed Figure.

“It was the race we’ve been waiting for from her, thought she was capable of it,” Asmussen said. “I think she’s trained really well for the Victory Ride. Good race, new track, giving away quite a bit of weight for a 3-year-old filly.”

Mia Mischief is the 123-pound highweight along with Separationofpowers, Spectator, and Take Charge Paula.

Those four are giving 2 to 8 pounds to the rest of the field.

Speed has been Mia Mischief’s major weapon, but she could have plenty of company up front early in the Victory Ride. Mia Mischief breaks from post 5 under Ricardo Santana Jr.

“I like her draw,” Asmussen said. “Ricardo’s done a really good job with her the last couple of races. She’s maturing nicely.”

Last fall, Separationofpowers won the Grade 1 Frizette over this track, beating Caledonia Road, who would turn the tables on her in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies. Separationofpowers has not run since the Breeders’ Cup. She shows eight workouts since mid-May for trainer Chad Brown.

Jose Ortiz rides Separationofpowers from post 3.

Spectator, second to Midnight Bisou in the Grade 1 Santa Anita Oaks in April, was shipped to New York last month by trainer Phil D’Amato for the Grade 1 Acorn, but scratched after spiking a fever. A minority interest in her was purchased by Little Red Feather Racing’s crowdfunding partnership from Rick and Sharon Waller before the Acorn. It was decided to keep her in New York with Michelle Nevin, and she has a solid work tab for her return.

“So far, so good,” said Billy Koch, head of Little Red Feather Racing. “She’s training great, we’re excited, like the post. Obviously a very tough field with a lot of speed.”

Sower, undefeated in three starts, all for Linda Rice, is one of those speed horses. Sower won the Jersey Girl here June 10 impressively, but Rice views this as a much tougher task.

“I thought the Jersey Girl was a pretty big step up, but nothing like this,” Rice said.

Rice also entered D J’s Favorite, but was not certain to run her as of Friday. If D J’s Favorite does run, she will do so with blinkers off, as Rice would like to see her come from off the pace.

Devine Mischief, second in the Jersey Girl, and Classy Act, a recent allowance winner at Churchill, are in from Kentucky for this race.

Trainer Kiaran McLaughlin is hoping to get four-time stakes winner Take Charge Paula back to her winning ways and will remove blinkers from the filly’s equipment.

Dixie Serenade and Norma’s Charm complete the field.