Pretty Mischievous certainly has an impressive racing pedigree and a noteworthy start to her career, embodying the kind of talent and resilience that makes horse racing so exhilarating. Bred in the lush landscapes of Kentucky, she’s the spirited second foal of the illustrious Godolphin’s Pretty City Dancer, mingled with the prowess of Tapit, one of the most influential stallions in North America. Her lineage speaks volumes, with Tapit being known for producing top-class racehorses and Pretty City Dancer having her own acclaim. This blend of genetics has clearly imparted Pretty Mischievous with the physicality and spirit needed for racing success. Plus, with the meticulous guidance of Brendan Walsh, she was polished to racing excellence. Her inaugural season in 2022 as a sprightly two-year-old played out like a symphony of speed and elegance, shimmering with promise, marred only by a single brush with defeat during her third outing in the prestigious 1 1/16-mile Grade 2 Golden Rod Stakes at the iconic Churchill Downs on the brisk autumn day of November 26.
As she gracefully transitioned into her 3-year-old saga, her crowning moment was the Kentucky Oaks at Churchill Downs on May 5, 2023. Pretty Mischievous, poised, and calculated, she bided her time in fourth before making her bold move, sweeping through the stretch to claim her triumph, outpacing the tenacious Gambling Girl and clocking an impressive 1:49.77 over the 1 1/8 miles. However, her legacy was far from complete, as she returned merely five weeks later on June 9, dominating at the Acorn Stakes, graciously hosted by Great Jones Distilling Co., on Belmont Park’s hallowed grounds. Pretty Mischievous outmaneuvered the frontrunner Munnys Gold in the early stretch, stood her ground against Dorth Vader’s challenge and clinched victory by a head.
Her journey continued to the Test Stakes at Saratoga on the balmy day of August 5, 2023. Destiny once again waved its wand, turning Maple Leaf Mel’s misfortune into a lucky break for Pretty Mischievous, transforming a near miss into a stroke of luck as Maple Leaf Mel, the one about to cross the finish line, faltered at the final hurdle just shy of triumph. In that electrifying moment, Pretty Mischievous, with the cunning of a seasoned gambler, seized her chance and was officially declared the victor by a head.
Pretty Mischievous triumphs are because of her character on the track. She’s no frontrunner who burns out too quickly; instead, she’s the brilliant tactician, the clever shadow just off the pace, conserving her vim and vigor for that perfect, heart-stopping moment to surge ahead and seize victory with a burst that leaves us all spellbound. Her trainer paints a portrait of a filly that’s not just physically agile but mentally sharp, a dream to behold.
Horse Profile
- Foaled: March 30, 2020
- Bred: Kentucky, US
- Sex: Filly
- Debuted: 2022
- Retired: N/A
- Death: N/A
- Color and Markings: Bay
- Sire: Into Mischief
- Dam: Pretty City Dancer
- Owner: Godolphin
- Breeder: Godolphin
- Trainer: Brendan P. Walsh
- Primary/ Regular Jockeys: Tyler Gaffalione
Characteristics
- Pretty Mischievous seems like a remarkable filly with a strategic approach to her races, embodying the classic “pressing” running style. This technique, where she keeps close to the pace and waits just behind the leaders, shows her tactical intelligence and her physical capability to deliver a powerful finish.
- Her trainer, Walsh, a sage of the turf, speaks volumes of her adaptability and ease of handling. It’s like she’s born for the racetrack, understanding her rider’s cues with the finesse of a seasoned pro. He also added that he can’t help but rave about her natural speed. It’s a gift, really, the kind that separates the contenders from the pretenders. Her adaptability and ease of handling, as highlighted by her trainer, suggest that she’s a dream for any jockey, capable of adjusting to the race’s dynamics and responding effectively to her rider’s commands.
- Gaffalione’s confidence in her is particularly telling. A jockey’s trust in their horse is paramount, and it seems Pretty Mischievous provides him with a sense of reliability and strength, which is crucial in high-stakes races. His description of her as “big, strong, fast” underscores her physical attributes essential for a horse with her racing style. The pressing tactic requires not just speed but also stamina to maintain a striking position, and the burst of acceleration is needed to overtake the leader when the moment is right.
Major Won Races
- Rachel Alexandra Stakes (2023)
- Kentucky Oaks (2023)
- Acorn Stakes (2023)
- Test Stakes (2023)
Rankings
- She ranked 10th in earnings in 2023.
Pretty Mischievous Connections
- Jockey: Tyler Gaffalione
- He ranked 2nd in earnings and 3rd in wins in 2023.
- He ranked 4th in earnings and 5th wins in 2022.
- Trainer: Brendan P. Walsh
- Pretty Mischievous victory with jockey Tyler Gaffalione on the Longines Kentucky Oaks at Churchill Downs brought trainer Brendan Walsh and Godolphin Racing their first Kentucky Oaks victory.
- Walsh set a new personal best in purse earnings with over $8.6 million while winning three Grade 1 races with Pretty Mischievous in 2022.
- Brendan Walsh has an innate sense of what horses want and need, and he displayed such talent when he let Pretty Mischievous use blinkers after the filly placed second in the Fair Grounds Oaks. He decided to add blinkers before the Kentucky Oaks to improve focus by limiting the horse’s vision. Afterward, it showed effectiveness as the filly won the Kentucky Oaks.
- He ranked 20th in wins and 9th in earnings in 2023.
- He ranked 15th in earnings and 56th in wins in 2022.
- Owner: Godolphin
- In May 2023, Mischievous won the Longines Kentucky Oaks, the Godolphin’s first win in the most significant U.S. race for 3-year-old fillies.
- They ranked 5th in wins and 1st in earnings in 2022 and 2023.
Racing Career
| Record | Earnings | Fastest Beyer Speed | Highest E Speed Figure |
|---|---|---|---|
10:7-2-1 | $1,944,560 | 92 | 106 |
| WON RACES | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Date | Distance | Race | Grade | Track | Finish | Winning Time | Winning Margin | Jockey |
2022 – Two-year-old season | ||||||||
September 18, 2022 | 6 ½ furlongs | Maiden Special Weight | Churchill Downs | 1 | 1:17.17 | 2 ¼ lengths | Tyler Gaffalione | |
October 30, 2022 | 7 furlongs | Allowance | Churchill Downs | 1 | 1:26.84 | 1 3/4 lengths | Tyler Gaffalione | |
December 26, 2022 | 1 mile & 70 yards | Untapable Stakes | Fair Grounds | 1 | 1:44.03 | 3 ¼ lengths | Brian Hernandez Jr. | |
2023 – Three-year-old season | ||||||||
February 18, 2023 | 1 1/16 miles | Rachel Alexandra Stakes | II | Fair Grounds | 1 | 1:45.34 | 3/4 lengths | Tyler Gaffalione |
May 5, 2023 | 1 ⅛ miles | Kentucky Oaks | I | Churchill Downs | 1 | 1:49.77 | neck | Tyler Gaffalione |
June 9, 2023 | 1 1/16 miles | Acorn Stakes | I | Belmont Park | 1 | 1:43.33 | head | Tyler Gaffalione |
September 23, 2023 | 1 1/16 miles | Cotillion Stakes | I | Parx | 1 | 1:45.69 | ½ length | Tyler Gaffalione |
| LOST RACES | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Date | Distance | Race | Grade | Track | Placement | Time | Lossing Margin | Jockey |
2022 – Two-year-old season | ||||||||
November 26, 2022 | 1 1/16 miles | Golden Rod Stakes | II | Churchill Downs | 3 | 1:43.94 | (5 ¼ lengths) | Tyler Gaffalione |
2023 – Three-year-old season | ||||||||
March 25, 2023 | 1 1/16 miles | Fair Grounds Oaks | II | Fair Grounds | 2 | 1:44.38 | (3 ¼ lengths) | Brian Hernandez Jr. |
August 5, 2023 | 7 furlongs | Test Stakes | I | Saratoga | 1* | 1:23.40 | Head | Tyler Gaffalione |
Legend: | ||||||||
Pedigree
SIRE: Into Mischief
- Into Mischief is the leading American general sire list in 2019-2023 and 4th in 2018. He was also on the top American juvenile sire list in 2016, 2018, 2019, 2020, and 2022. He is also a stakes winner sire of 12 crops of racing age, 1616 foals, 1177 starters, 130 stakes winners, 7 champions, and 862 winners.
- Into Mischief was one of the first foals out of Leslie’s Lady. She is a stakes-winning daughter of Tricky Creek and was named the 2016 Kentucky Broodmare of the Year. She won the listed Hoosier Debutante Stakes as a 2-year-old and a half-sister to Colee Bear (by Wild Rush), dam of restricted stakes winner Fast Resource (by Bob and John).
- Leslie’s Lady’s dam, Crystal Lady (by Stop the Music), is a half-sister to multiple restricted stakes winner Malcoha (by Afleet), open stakes winner Melanyhasthepapers (by Game Plan), and stakes-placed One Last Colony (by Pleasant Colony).
- Crystal Lady’s dam, One Last Bird, is also a stakes-placed. She is a full sister to stakes producer Bravo All and a half-sister to Roanoke by Pleasant Colony (1991 Californian Stakes) and stakes-placed Last Cause (by Caucasus).
- The female line traces back to the Cornish Prince mare Patelin, a modern foundation mare whose descendants include 1991 American champion 2-year-old filly Pleasant Stage.
DAM: Pretty City Dancer
- Pretty City Dancer is the 2016 GI Spinaway Stakes winner and a half-sister to another Grade I winner, Lear’s Princess (Lear Fan).
- Pretty City Dancer is a daughter of Tapit, the king of the Belmont with four winners and the broodmare sire of 13 Grade I winners. Tapit broke a North American sire’s single-season progeny earnings record in three consecutive years (2014-2016). He also broke Danzig’s 24-year-old single-season progeny earnings.
- The second dam, Pretty City, is unraced but a dam of 8 winners, while Pretty Special, the third dam, is a dam of 9 winners.
- The fourth dam, Snobishness, is a winner at 2 and 3 in French, $37,066 (USA), Prix des Chenettes, and 3rd Prix de la Nonette-G3.