Promising Into Mischief Colt Poulsen Updates Pedigree at Tokyo

The promising Poulsen (Into Mischief) snapped a baby two-race losing streak in the Seiryu Stakes (allowance) over the Tokyo one-turn mile on May 10, accounting for the talented filly Promised Gene (Jpn) (Nadal) in a tight finish.

The colt, bought back as a weanling at Keeneland November and pinhooked for $925,000 at OBS April after fetching $350,000 at Fasig-Tipton Saratoga, made the most of three appearances at two, scoring on two occasions, and was not beaten far when fourth in his two tries this season, including a 1400-meter test at Hanshin on Apr. 6.

Trying a mile for the first time as the distant second choice in the wagering at 47-10 behind Promised Gene–a running-on second to GI Kentucky Derby participant Luxor Cafe (American Pharoah) in the Listed Hyacinth Stakes over the course and distance in February–Poulsen broke very alertly beneath Christophe Lemaire and made the running through comfortable sectionals. Still going evenly on the turn, he was shaken up entering the final furlong and proved a neck better than Promised Gene. The 2-5 favorite was slowly into stride, as she was in the Hyacinth, but finished up strongly to miss narrowly before galloping out past the winner. Poulsen is the third straight winner of this often-productive event by a U.S.-based stallion, following on from Yuttitham (Jpn) (Justify) in 2023 and Sonic Star (Into Mischief) last year.

Co-breeder Hunter Valley Farm purchased 2017 GI Frizette Stakes and 2018 GI Test Stakes heroine Separationofpowers for $2.1 million at the 2019 Fasig-Tipton November Sale and Poulsen is her lone starter. His juvenile full-sister, who was bought back for $500,000 at last year's Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Sale, is set to be offered as hip 375 at the same auction house's Midlantic 2-Year-Olds In Training Sale at Timonium next week through Scanlon Training & Sales, which also sold Poulsen at OBS April last spring. Separationofpowers produced a filly by Not This Time this past Feb. 28 and is currently in foal to Nyquist.

10th-Tokyo, Seiryu Stakes (Allowance), ¥34,540,000 ($233,076), 3yo, 1600m, 1:35.6, my.
POULSEN (c, 3, Into Mischief–Separationofpowers {MGISW, $964,000}, by Candy Ride {Arg}) Sales history: $535,000 RNA Wlg '22 KEENOV; $350,000 Ylg '23 FTSAUG; $925,000 2yo '24 OBSAPR. Lifetime Record: 6-3-1-0, $306,243.
O-Naohiro Sakaguchi; B-Hunter Valley & Mountmellick Farm LLC (KY); T-Makoto Saito.

WATCH: Poulsen (#7) returns to winning ways