Racing fans will get their first marquee matchup of the Kentucky Derby prep season Saturday when undefeated graded stakes winner and 'TDN Rising Star' Maxmius Mischief (Into Mischief) squares off with impressive stakes-winning fellow 'Rising Star' Mihos (Cairo Prince) in the $350,000 GII Fasig-Tipton Holy Bull S. at Gulfstream Park.
Maximus Mischief, a $340,000 Fasig-Tipton Midlantic purchase by Cash is King and LC Racing, went untested in two Parx outings to begin his career, cruising by 8 3/4 lengths under wraps on debut Sept. 29 and airing by a half-dozen in a first-level allowance Oct. 20 to earn his 'Rising Star' badge. Given a stiffer test stretching out to nine furlongs in the GII Remsen S. Dec. 1 at Aqueduct, the Butch Reid pupil took advantage of a modest pace and kept finding to prevail by 2 1/4 lengths.
Given a brief respite while pointing for this 1 1/16-mile event, Maximus Mischief has signaled his readiness to return with pair of sharp breezes, including a sizzling five-furlong move in :58 flat (1/57) here Jan. 19, followed by a more leisurely half-mile maintenance spin in :50 flat (3/7) nine days later.
“He's a handful of horse,” Reid told the Gulfstream notes team. “He's a big, strong colt, but he's never about being nervous or unsure. He's got a lot of confidence in himself, so he doesn't worry about all the extraneous stuff. We do that more than he does. It's just a matter of making sure he gets enough exercise to keep him mentally where we want him.”
Maximus Mischief picks up Jose Ortiz after traveling beneath Frankie Pennington in his first three starts, which is notable if only because Ortiz piloted Centennial Farms' Mihos to a good-looking score in the local Mucho Macho Man S. last out Jan. 5. Trained by Jimmy Jerkens, the $320,000 Keeneland September buy covered all the ground while five wide on the turn, but kept coming down the lane to secure a neck decision. Prior to that, the bay was third on debut behind subsequent GIII Nashua S. hero Vekoma (Candy Ride {Arg}) Sept. 23 at Belmont before graduating in 'Rising Star' fashion Nov. 24 at Aqueduct. John Velazquez will ride with Ortiz departing for the favorite.
Federal Case (Gemologist), who Velazquez rode last time, is a wild card for trainer Todd Pletcher. A first-out winner for the WinStar, China Horse Club and SF Racing powerhouse and trainer Rodolphe Brisset Oct. 19 at Keeneland, the bay was offered at Keeneland November and brought a session-topping $650,000 from Robert and Lawana Low. Debuting for the new connections here Dec. 23, he chased the pace and appeared rebuffed in deep stretch before surging to prevail by a neck. Returning with three sharp breezes at Palm Beach Downs, featuring a half-mile work in :48 1/5 (1/9) Jan. 28, Federal Case will have Javier Castellano in the irons.
Castellano gets off of Epic Racing's Epic Dreamer (Orb), who rates an outside chance under Irad Ortiz, Jr. Second in the aforementioned Vekoma race in his unveiling, the $185,000 OBS April pickup scored a facile maiden tally Oct. 26 at Belmont before disappointing when sixth as the 6-5 favorite in the Springboard Mile S. Dec. 16 at Remington. He sports a five-panel bullet in :58 3/5 (1/13) Jan. 4 at Palm Meadows in preparation for this sophomore bow.
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