Mia Mischief springs an upset in Churchill Downs' Humana Distaff

Ridden confidently Saturday by jockey Ricardo Santana Jr., Mia Mischief became a Grade 1 winner of Churchill Downs’ $500,000 Humana Distaff, beginning stakes action on the Kentucky Derby undercard.

The daughter of Into Mischief, who won the Eight Belles (G2) on this same weekend last year, pressed pace-setting Amy’s Challenge before going by on the outside in the stretch.

The final time for the Steve Asmussen-trained 4-year-old was 1:21.78 for seven furlongs.

"She relaxed really well today and stuck to the plan today," Santana Jr. "We have a little patience with her and on the turn for home she gave me a really nice kick and we got the job done today."

Fractions were 22.70, 45.02 and 1:04.98.

“It's not her favorite track," said jockey Mike Smith, who rode Marley's Freedom, also the beaten Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Sprint favorite back here in November. "She doesn't get ahold of it very well. Maybe we were just wishful thinking today. Same track. Same mare.

"She ran well, but that's just because she's classy. She doesn't like it, though." 

Mia Mischief, off at 11-1, was making her third start since running ninth in the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint. She opened her season with an allowance optional claiming win at Oaklawn Park before running second in the listed Carousel Stakes there last month.

"She's a filly that, last time. we had a little trouble with her and missed a few workouts with her," Santana Jr. said. "Steve did a good job. She was training really well of late, and maybe people don't know about that. But she's a really good filly."

Overall for the connections of Heiligbrodt, Heider Family Stables and Madaket Stables, she’s now 6-6-0 in 14 starts.