Separationofpowers out-duels Mia Mischief to win Test Stakes
A Grade 1 winner at age 2, Separationofpowers came back to equal the feat as a sophomore on Saturday after wearing a game Mia Mischief down in the stretch of the Grade 1, $500,000 Test Stakes at Saratoga.
In what was her second start of the season, the Chad Brown-trained daughter of Candy Ride sat mid-pack and looked to go clearly by the field. But Mia Mischief, who sat on the pace throughout, provided a stiff challenge in the lane.
The final margin was just a neck with Kelly’s Humor well back for third.
"It was a thrilling stretch run," Brown said. "I feel so fortunate she came out on top. She showed her heart and determination. I'm just so proud of my filly, how she showed so much heart to come out on top there."
"I tried to keep her clean -- have a clean trip in the turn," added jockey Jose Ortiz. "I went a little bit wider than I wanted to, but I didn't get in trouble because she had a good shot. I just rode her like the best horse and I'm glad everything worked out."
Separationofpowers, campaigned by Klaravich Stables, opened her 3-year-old season with a fourth-place effort in Belmont Park’s Victory Ride (G3) in July. Going back to her juvenile season, the filly won Belmont’s Fritzette (G1) before fourth in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile fillies.
Separationofpowers missed any chance to continue on the Kentucky Oaks trail when she came out of the Breeders' Cup with an ankle chip requiring surgery. Back to full speed, her final time Saturday was 1:22.78 for seven furlongs.
"Last time, we just wanted to get her started," Brown said. "...To bring her back to her race at Belmont and to have her stumble so bad out of the gate, she came back a little banged up. She grabbed her quarter, had a bunch of scratches all over her.
"I actually wasn't sure I'd make the Test with her. Then she came around a couple of weeks later, started breezing again, got to feel her health again, and we came back with a beautiful clean break and a good run."
Cathedral Reader scratched to leave a field of eight going on a fast main track.