Call On Mischief carried the Phoenix Thoroughbreds colours to victory for a second time as she put in an impressive hold-up display at Fair Grounds.
Trained by Mike Stidham and ridden, with ice in his veins, by Brian Hernandez Junior the Into Mischief filly got back to winning ways after showing tremendous late speed to grab the glory in the five and a half furlong Allowance Optional Claiming contest.
Breaking in midfield from the gates Hernandez Junior was happy to let the leaders go off and set the fractions. Slightly under restraint, he held his mount in the back half of the field as they approached the turn. Still unmoved and more than ten lengths off the pace turning from home Hernandez just allowed his strong travelling partner a little more rein to close the gap slightly up the rail. By this time Little Dell had made a dash for home and opened up some daylight back to the pack. Still sitting ‘chilly’ Hernandez Junior asked Call On Mischief to go and she responded with a taking turn of hoof. Smoothly closing the gap the filly came upsides the leader with half a furlong to go before sweeping past to win by an eased down two lengths.
It was the second time the Keenland graduate had found herself in the winners’ circle with her record showing a victory on debut at Monmouth.