Coppola fires fast to win $140,000 Janus S.

Into Mischief’s Coppola wrapped up a terrific 2024 with a gate-to-wire victory in the $140,000 Janus S. on Dec. 21 at Gulfstream Park.

The 5-year-old bay won four stakes over the course of the year, starting in February in the Gulfstream Park Turf Sprint. He took the Silks Run S. the following month over the same turf course and also won the William Garrett H. at Horseshoe Indianapolis over the summer.

Faced with breaking from the outside in the field of 11 in Saturday’s five-furlong race, Coppola broke very swiftly and took the lead. He sped through fractions of :21.24 and :43.26, then had plenty left in the stretch to hold off Arzak by three-quarters of a length.

“Breaking from the outside post, we obviously had to be aggressive,” said winning rider Tyler Gaffalione. “I didn’t know if we could clear everybody. But the way he broke, I just let him do his thing and try to stay out of his way. I was able to put my hands down going into the turn, he took a nice deep breath, kind of cruised around there on his own — around the turn — and when I called on him reaching the eighth pole, he found another gear.”

Coppola, owned by Hammer Time Stable LLC and Sport of Kings Racing Partners, LLC, is now 9-1-3 in 27 starts and has earned $760,046. The winner was bred in Kentucky by Fifth Avenue Bloodstock.