Pleasure Luck blossoming just in time

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – With six wins from 22 starters, trainer Mark Hennig has enjoyed a productive Aqueduct winter meet. He hopes his good luck continues Friday.

Hennig sends out Pleasure Luck, a 7 1/2-length maiden winner here Dec. 19, against winners for the first time in Friday’s first-level New York-bred allowance feature for 3-year-old fillies at Aqueduct.

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Pleasure Luck, a daughter of Carpe Diem, debuted last June and finished third, three lengths behind winner Make Mischief, in a five-furlong race at Belmont. Shortly thereafter, Pleasure Luck was diagnosed with an ankle chip that was surgically removed.

Hennig said he was “pumped up” how well Pleasure Luck was doing leading to her return. She did not disappoint, sitting couple of lengths off a modest pace and closing strongly to win going away, earning a solid 73 Beyer Speed Figure.

“She was doing well before she ran the first time, and, obviously, she came out of it with the issue,” Hennig said. “She came back really strong, doing well. We were optimistic going into that last one.”

Hennig said he flirted with the idea of running Pleasant Luck in the Franklin Square Stakes on Jan. 16, “but this seemed like the more patient approach.”

“She’s got plenty of races going forward if she develops into that kind of horse,” he said.

Pleasure Luck will break from post 6 under Jose Lezcano in the eight-horse field Friday.

Make Mischief returns to New York-bred company after finishing last in the Grade 2 Chandelier Stakes on Sept. 26 at Santa Anita. Make Mischief began her career with a debut maiden win at Belmont before finishing second in three consecutive stakes, two graded, at Saratoga.

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Mark Casse trained Make Mischief last year, and the filly was training at Casse’s training center in Ocala, Fla., this winter. She was sent to trainer Chris Englehart, who will saddle her for owner Gary Barber on Friday.

“Even though she won and ran second in stakes, I always felt there was more there,” Casse said Wednesday. “She always trained really well and is training well again. She’s a little different than most Into Mischiefs. She’s really tall and lanky.”

Manny Franco will ride Make Mischief from post 3.

Trainer Todd Pletcher has entered both Shanes Pretty Lady and Mendham in this race. Shanes Pretty Lady was second to Frost Me in this condition on Jan. 8, earning a career-best 70 Beyer. It was her first start on Lasix.

Mendham won a 1 1/16-mile maiden turf race on Dec. 11. She returns to dirt, a surface on which she was twice beaten double-digit-lengths. She also is getting Lasix for the first time Friday. Mendham is coupled with Iova, trained by Horacio DePaz, because both are owned by Barry Schwartz. Iova won first out in a maiden $40,000 claiming race on Jan. 9, a race from which Bustinmygroove came out of to win for maiden $25,000 last Saturday.

Chasing Cara and Caramocha are a coupled entry for trainer Mitch Friedman and owner Richard Greeley. Out First completes the field.