Versatility an asset for Mia Mischief in Eight Belles

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – In her first five races, Mia Mischief was effective on the front end. In her most recent start, she proved dominant coming from off the pace.

Mia Mischief’s versatility should prove useful when she makes her graded stakes debut in Friday’s Grade 2, $200,000 Eight Belles Stakes at Churchill Downs. The Eight Belles, restricted to 3-year-old fillies, is run at seven furlongs and is the first of six stakes run on Friday’s 13-race Kentucky Oaks card.

Mia Mischief, trained by Steve Asmussen for William and Corinne Heiligbrodt, has alternated wins and losses in her six starts. That trend doesn’t bode well for her Friday considering she is coming off an 8 1/4-length romp in the Purple Martin Stakes at Oaklawn Park on March 24.

That day, she sat fourth early under Ricardo Santana Jr. before making a bid to the lead at the three-eighths pole and drawing clear in the lane.

“It was nice to see her show a new dimension,” Asmussen said. “It proves you don’t have to do any one thing with her, but I’m not going to take anything away from her.”

Mia Mischief breaks from post 3 under Santana.

Where Mia Mischief is placed early could depend on what tactics are employed on Amy’s Challenge. That filly couldn’t carry her speed successfully around two turns in the Honeybee or Fantasy at Oaklawn, but she is now cutting back to one turn, a configuration at which she is 3 for 3.

Trainer Mac Robertson said he doesn’t want to see Amy’s Challenge on the lead, but she drew the rail and may have to be sent away from the gate early by Gary Stevens.

“I’d like her to be three to four lengths off the pace,” Robertson said. “It’ll help her punch.”

Gas Station Sushi came off an eight-month layoff to win the Grade 3 Beaumont at Keeneland, a race where she encountered traffic trouble around the turn. She was off for so long owing to a chip that was surgically removed from an ankle. She won the Beaumont less than 100 percent fit, trainer Richard Baltas said.

“She had a troubled trip last time out and still got the job done, so that says something,” Baltas said. “She’s come out of the race good, she’s training good, and she should be tough.”

Corey Nakatani rides Gas Station Sushi from post 6 in the seven-horse field.

“Nakatani says this is the best filly he’s ever been on.” Baltas said. “He’s always bragging about her.”

It was 10 years ago that Eight Belles finished second to Big Brown in the Kentucky Derby but collapsed galloping out and was euthanized due to injury. Larry Jones, the trainer of Eight Belles, will try to win this race with Hold Her Tight, a recent allowance winner at Keeneland. Hold Her Tight breaks from the outside post.

“Month to month she’s improving,” Jones said. “There appears to be a lot of speed in the race, which would set up her closing kick. We like the post position we got, being on the outside of everybody, now hopefully we can do well.”

Criminal Mischief, Salt Bae, and Talk Veuve to Me complete the field.