Pretty Mischievous turned tables in Rachel Alexandra
Pretty Mischievous was beaten more than five lengths by Hoosier Philly last November in the Golden Rod Stakes, but Saturday’s Rachel Alexandra turned out far different. Winner of the Untapable Stakes here in December, Pretty Mischievous was held out of the Silverbulletday Stakes last month to point for the Rachel Alexandra and came through with a three-quarter-length win over Florida shipper Miracle.
Pretty Mischievous came out of the race in good shape, said trainer Brendan Walsh, who trains the filly for Godolphin, and is likely to run back in the Fair Grounds Oaks, though the Ashland at Keeneland isn’t immediately ruled out. Pretty Mischievous ran 1 1/16 miles in 1:45.15 and got an 83 Beyer, a career best.
Meanwhile, Hoosier Philly finished third, almost eight lengths behind Miracle, while suffering her first defeat after three easy wins at age 2. Bet down to 2-5 and a mere 11-1 in the most recent Kentucky Derby futures pool, Hoosier Philly stumbled significantly at the start and got stuck in last behind a slow pace. What concerned trainer Tom Amoss was her inability to make up any ground in the homestretch.
“What you have to concern yourself with is the last portion of the race,” Amoss said. “Even with all the trouble, I expected her to punch home. She didn’t. Whether that’s because she hadn’t run since November and our preparation, I don’t know, but moving forward, that’s certainly going to be in my mind.”
Plans for Hoosier Philly are to be determined though she’s a possible starter in the Fair Grounds Oaks.
Muniz next for Two Emmys
Two Emmys got a 99 Beyer Speed Figure winning the Fair Grounds Stakes by 4 1/4 lengths, came out of the race in good shape, and to some degree will follow the same path he took a year ago, according to trainer and part owner Hugh Robertson. Two Emmys won the $300,000 Muniz Memorial last March and likely will be the horse to beat in the 2023 renewal of that race next month.
“He ate up last night and is the same today,” Robertson said Sunday. “He’ll run next month and then get a break.”
Robertson realizes the 2023 older-male turf division looks soft right now. Two Emmys started last June in a minor stakes race at Hawthorne, but Robertson could aim higher this year.
* Lake Lucerne, finally landing a first stakes win in the Albert M. Stall Memorial, has been retired and will be bred this year, trainer Brendan Walsh said. A 6-year-old Godolphin homebred by Dubawi out of Round Pond, Lake Lucerne went 4-1-5 during a 23-start career.
* Evan Sing, who got a career-best 95 Beyer winning the Colonel Power Stakes, will make his next start in the $350,000 Shakertown on April 8 at Keeneland, trainer Al Stall said.
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