Into Mischief poised for another solid juvenile season

Into Mischief hasn’t fooled around while building his stud career, climbing the North American stallion ranks to become a perennial leading juvenile sire by a number of measures, a commercial success, and now, the most popular stallion by book size on the continent. His latest juveniles are eagerly anticipated as sale season begins.

Spendthrift Farm’s Into Mischief not only led the juvenile sire list by earnings, the traditional measure, in 2018 – he also dominated on Daily Racing Form’s exclusive stallion metrics, the Beyer Sire Performance Standings, powered by Darley. Into Mischief was represented by eight juveniles to record Beyer Speed Figures of 80 or higher, a benchmark number in the category, and three recorded a 90 or higher, giving him the top spot in both those categories. The stallion’s 2-year-olds last season included Grade 2 Remsen Stakes winner Maximus Mischief, who won his three starts by a combined 17 lengths; Instagrand, who won his two outings, including the Grade 2 Best Pal Stakes, by a combined 20 1/4 lengths; and Sombeyay, who won the Grade 3 Sanford Stakes and finished second in the Tremont Stakes.

As Into Mischief has found continued success on the racetrack, his commercial popularity has skyrocketed. Into Mischief, whose fee has climbed to $150,000 for 2019, was the most active stallion in North American in 2018, covering 245 mares, according to The Jockey Club’s Report of Mares Bred. Into Mischief was represented by his first seven-figure yearling at last fall’s Keeneland September yearling sale, as Larry Best, who campaigns Instagrand, paid $1.2 million for a colt by the stallion.

“Into Mischief has been very good to me,” said Best, who purchased Instagrand for $1.2 million to co-top last year’s Fasig-Tipton Gulfstream 2-year-olds in training sale. “I love the power of them.”

Into Mischief will look to again stand out at the select Fasig-Tipton Gulfstream sale, with 15 representatives in the catalog. Those include a filly out of Grade 1 winner Meadow Breeze, dam of Grade 1-placed Royal Copy. Meadow Breeze is a half-sister to several stakes horses, including Grade 1 winner and successful young sire Overanalyze. Into Mischief’s entrants for the Gulfstream sale also include a colt whose second dam is champion and graded stakes producer Perfect Sting, a colt whose dam is a half-sister to Group 1 winner Kinsale King, and a colt whose dam is a half-sister to millionaire Upstart.

Earlier in the month, Into Mischief will have 14 representatives at the Ocala Breeders’ Sales Co.’s March sale of 2-year-olds in training, including a full sister to his multiple Grade 1-placed Rowayton, a $320,000 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga selected yearling purchase by Best. The OBS group also includes a colt whose dam is a winning full sister to Overanalyze; a half brother to stakes winner Dashing Debby; a filly out of a stakes-placed sister to multiple Grade 1 winner Colonel John; a colt whose dam is a half sister to Kentucky Oaks winner Pike Place Dancer as well as Grade 2 winner and sire Petionville; and a filly whose dam is half sister to six stakes winners, including Grade 2-winning millionaire Ironicus.