Covfefe becomes fastest 3yo in America with 1:07.70 in Miss Preakness (G3)

Into Mischief’s 3-year-old filly Covfefe turned in a historic performance in Friday’s $150,000 Miss Preakness S. (G3) at Pimlico, drawing off to an 8 ½-length victory in a scintillating 1:07.70 to set a new six-furlong track record at the historic oval.

The time is also believed to be the fastest ever by a 3-year-old filly, and fastest ever by a 3-year-old in a graded stakes race. She earned a 107 Beyer for the performance – easily the fastest by a 3-year-old in 2019.

Covfefe also became the 50^th black type winner for her sire and his 22^nd graded stakes winner. Red-hot Into Mischief has had six stakes winners since the beginning of April, including Grade 1 winner Mia Mischief, and will have two starters in Saturday’s Preakness S. (G1).

Covfefe broke on top from her inside post in the field of nine, and though she was pressured through fractions of :22.24 and :44.43, she was in hand as she drew off from the field in the stretch, without jockey Javier Castellano ever asking for her best.

“Javier did a great job,” said winning trainer Brad Cox, who indicated he would look at Saratoga’s GI Test S. for the filly’s next start. “We weren’t hell-bent on getting to the lead today. We were going to let the speed go if there was a lot of it. Javier did a great job of letting her fall into the race. I’m super pleased with her.”

“I know she’s a good filly and she’s just a super-fast horse,” added Castellano. “It didn’t surprise me the way she performed today. I felt we were going fast but [going in 1:07.70] didn’t go through my mind once.”

Covfefe has won three of four starts and banked $196,200 for LNJ Foxwoods. The winner was a $250,000 buy at the 2017 Keeneland September Yearling sale. Bred by Alexander Groves Thoroughbreds, Covfefe is out of Antics, a half-sister to millionaire and Grade 1 winner Acoma as well as Super Derby (G1) winner and prominent sire Arch.