Into Mischief takes lead in sire standings

Into Mischief, powered by Grade 1 Test Stakes winner Covfefe, took over the top spot on the general sire list for the first time in his career over the weekend. Through Sunday, the Spendthrift Farm stallion has earnings of $10,316,277. Quality Road, who began the season with City of Light’s victory in the rich Pegasus World Cup Invitational, sits second at $9,636,174, with perennial leading sire Tapit also closing in on the top two at $9,526,970.

Covfefe dazzled when winning the Grade 3 Miss Preakness Stakes by 8 1/2 lengths in May, setting a Pimlico track record of 1:07.70 for the six furlongs while earning a Beyer Speed Figure of 107. She then finished third against older horses in the Roxelana Stakes at Churchill Downs. The winner, Mia Mischief, is another daughter of Into Mischief who previously won the Grade 1 Humana Distaff Stakes at Churchill Downs.

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Covfefe then earned her Grade 1 in the Test, outdueling Kentucky Oaks winner Serengeti Empress to earn a 98 Beyer. That keyed a solid weekend for her sire, who also had Sombeyay finish second in the Grade 2 National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame Stakes on Friday at Saratoga and Theory Into Practice win the Louisiana Cup Turf Classic on Saturday at Louisiana Downs.

Into Mischief’s other top performers this season include multiple graded stakes winner Owendale, who was third in the Preakness Stakes, and Comical and Kiss the Girl, who went one-two in the Grade 3 Schuylerville Stakes on opening day at Saratoga. Comical and Kiss the Girl have helped Into Mischief also sit atop the juvenile earnings list, with $691,281 compared to freshman sire Constitution’s $494,487. In addition to his Grade 3 winner in the category, Into Mischief is the sire of juveniles Figure of Speech, Risky Mischief, and Shoplifted, all maiden special weight winners at Saratoga, and impressive Del Mar maiden winner Immediate Impact.

Into Mischief is the reigning leader among juvenile sires, leading that list in 2018 while finishing fourth on the general sire list, his top finish to date. Meanwhile, his son Goldencents, who stands alongside him at Spendthrift Farm, was among the leading freshman sires of 2018, finishing second by earnings and first by individual winners. Goldencents, the sire of millionaire multiple graded stakes winner Mr. Money and Louisiana Derby winner By My Standards this season, leads all second-crop sires by earnings, looking like a worthy heir for his sire.