Kentucky Oaks prep: Pretty Mischievous scores in Untapable
Pretty Mischievous settled in the pocket and then split foes to take over and win the $100,000 Untapable Stakes by 3 1/4 lengths and earn 10 points toward qualifying for the 2023 Kentucky Oaks (G1).
A Godolphin homebred, Pretty Mischievous clocked one mile and 70 yards over a fast track at 1:41.98 under Brian Hernandez Jr., who rode the winner for trainer Brendan Walsh.
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“She won sprinting early, but (we) always thought that she would stretch out,” assistant trainer Paul Madden said. “She ran very well at Churchill (in the Grade 2 Golden Rod) against a really good filly (Hoosier Philly). Brendan wasn't sure about running in here, but she had a really good workout two weeks back, and he said it's time to run.”
Odds-on favorite Vahva stumbled out of the gate and was relegated to last, more than six lengths behind the pacesetting long shot All About Me, who rushed out and took the lead over the field of nine through early fractions of 24.26 and 48.31 seconds while taking pressure from Hayunevano.
Pretty Mischievous settled in nicely along the rail and made a bold move to split the two leaders at the half-mile pole. Hayunevano kept on with Pretty Mischievous through the turn, but it was a sweeping move by The Alys Look that posed the biggest threat to the eventual winner. She ranged up on the outside but failed to make a serious bid for the lead. Pretty Mischievous opened up and continued to add distance between them.
Vahva battled with Hayunevano and edged her way into a distant third.
“She was the best filly today,” Hernandez said. “Going around the turn we were tucked in, but when she saw daylight, she dragged me between horses. She basically did it all on her own, and I just had to be a good passenger.”
The victory was worth $60,000 and improved Pretty Mischievous's record to 4: 3-0-1 with earnings of $241,310.
Combined with the three points she earned coming in third in the Golden Rod (G3), Pretty Mischievous is in third place in the Oaks standings with 13 qualifying points.
Pretty Mischievous, the 8-5 second choice, returned $5.40, $3.20, and $2.20. Behind The Alys Look earned four Oaks, Vahva three, Hayunevano two and Hang the Moon one for finishing second through fifth. Just like Magic, Cotton Candy Annie, Two Minute Drill and All About Me completed the order of finish.
The Walsh barn won two other races Monday, including the Joseph “Spanky” Broussard Memorial with Moon Swag and a maiden special-weight rout with promising 2-year-old colt Banishing, also a Godolphin homebred.