Covfefe joins Mia Mischief in Churchill Downs' Roxelana Stakes

LNJ Foxwoods’ stellar Miss Preakness (G3) winner Covfefe is set to clash with Bill and Corinne Heiligbrodt, Heider Family Stables and Madaket Stables' Stables Humana Distaff (G1) hero Mia Mischief in Saturday’s 10th running of the $120,000-added Roxelana Overnight Stakes at Churchill Downs. 

The six-furlong Roxelana, named for the crack female sprinter who won seven of 11 starts and earned $264,726 between 2000-03 for trainer William “Blackie” Huffman, is carded as Race 10 of 11 on Saturday’s program with a scheduled post time of 5:26 p.m. ET.

Covfefe smashed Pimlico Race Course’s six-furlong track record in the Miss Preakness with a final time of 1:07.70 as she defeated eight fillies by 8 ½ lengths on May 17. Trained by Brad Cox, Covfefe (4: 3-0-0—$196,200) debuted in September at Churchill Downs with a 9 ¼-length maiden victory under jockey Shaun Bridgmohan. Following a fourth-place effort in the Oct. 7 Frizette (G1), Covfefe returned as a 3-year-old with a gutsy half-length score in a first-level allowance event at Keeneland in early April. 

Bridgmohan has the call on Covfefe, who figures to go on to Saratoga's Test (G1) later this summer. She will break from post position No. 2 as the lone 3-year-old filly in the field of 10 fillies and mares.

Covfefe’s biggest threat is three-time stakes-winning filly Mia Mischief. Trained by Steve Asmussen, Mia Mischief (14: 6-6-0—$883,420) scored an 11-1 upset in the Humana Distaff when she defeated favorite Marley’s Freedom by 1 ¾ lengths on Kentucky Derby Day. The classy daughter of Into Mischief had a stellar 3-year-old campaign with a victory in the Eight Belles (G2) at Churchill Downs and a narrow runner-up effort in the Test. Mia Mischief began her 4-year-old campaign with a three-length score in a conditioned allowance event at Oaklawn and a runner-up effort in the Carousel Stakes prior to her Humana Distaff triumph.

Asmussen’s first-call rider Ricardo Santana Jr. has the call on Mia Mischief, who drew post 10.

Also entered in the Roxelana are the top three finishers, respectively, in the $100,000 Winning Colors (G3) on May 25: Hooties Racing, WSS Racing and 4 G Racing’s Honey Bunny, Dreamchaster Thorobreds' Astrollinthepark and Allied Racing Stable’s Upset Brewing.

Honey Bunny (31: 14-5-4—$417,145), who will be in search of her sixth victory in a row, will be ridden by Tyler Baze from post 3. The 5-year-old mare by Tapizar was claimed 15 months ago for $16,000 by trainer John Ortiz. 

Meanwhile, Astrollinthepark (18: 5-4-2—$276,282) was the two-length victor in last year’s Roxelana. Trained by Larry Jones, Astrollinthepark will be ridden by Gabriel Saez from post 5.

Upset Brewing (23: 3-11-4—$259,320) will seek her first victory at Churchill Downs from post 7 under Edgar Morales. She is 0-for-8 with five seconds and two thirds beneath the Twin Spires.

The field for the Roxelana from the rail out (with jockey and trainer): Awestruck (Julien Leparoux, Rusty Arnold II); Covfefe (Bridgmohan, Cox); Honey Bunny (Baze, Ortiz); Ascot Day (Declan Cannon, Danny Peitz); Astrollinthepark (Saez, Jones); Classy Act (Adam Beschizza, Joe Sharp); Upset Brewing (Morales, Buff Bradley);Salt Bae (Corey Lanerie, Bernie Flint); Annathela (James Graham, Arnold); and Mia Mischief (Santana, Asmussen).