Pair of horses who pulled up Friday at Saratoga are recovering

Two horses who were vanned off after races at Saratoga on Friday, Mystifying and Princess Mischief, are recovering from their injuries.

During the running of Friday's seventh race, an allowance-optional claiming race at 1 1/16 miles on the inner turf,  the Shug McGaughey-trained Mystifying was pulled up in the stretch run by jockey Jose Ortiz after sustaining an injury to her left front.

The horse was immediately attended to by on-track veterinarians, who stabilized the injury and transported Mystifying to Rood & Riddle Equine Hospital for further evaluation.

Further examination revealed an injury to the left front tendon. Mystifying has been returned to Shug McGaughey’s barn at Belmont Park to recuperate and is resting comfortably.

Mystifying is a 4-year-old daughter of Curlin out of the stakes-placed Ghostzapper mare Puzzling, a half-sister to Grade 1 winner Dancing Forever. A Phipps Stable homebred, Mystifying won on debut in a dirt sprint at Gulfstream in January of 2024. She also finished second in allowance-level turf routes both at Saratoga in September as well as at Keeneland in April.

Princess Mischief was pulled up in the stretch during the first race Friday at Saratoga, a six-furlong dirt sprint allowance for New York-bred fillies and mares, after sustaining an injury to her left front. On-track veterinarians tended to her immediately and she was transported to Rood & Riddle Equine Hospital for further evaluation.

Per trainer Chris Englehart, further examination revealed an injury to her left scapula. She will remain at Rood & Riddle for the time being but is improving daily and walking comfortably.

Princess Mischief is a 3-year-old filly by Honest Mischief out of the Dixieland Band mare Princess Consort. A maiden winner last November at Aqueduct against fellow New York-bred juvenile fillies, she also hit the board in New York Stallion Stakes races at Aqueduct in December and April.