Eclatant’s Forward Gal S. (G3) win gives Into Mischief a Saturday graded double

Eclatant put herself in the Kentucky Oaks (G1) picture with her rallying victory in Saturday’s $165,000 Forward Gal S. (G3), the first stakes victory of any type for the 3-year-old Into Mischief filly.

Earlier in the day, Into Mischief’s Citizen Bull won the Robert B. Lewis S. (G3), and in the Holy Bull S. (G3), which ran right after the Forward Gal, the Into Mischief duo of Tappan Street and Burning Glory finished second and third respectively.

Eclatant, who was making her first appearance since finishing third in the Nov. 30 Golden Rod S. (G2), got shuffled back early and was seventh after the first quarter-mile. She improved her position around the turn and was three-wide coming into the stretch with a full head of steam. She struck the front inside the furlong marker and pulled away late to win by 1 ¼-lengths in 1:23.61.

“We followed the speed and when we came to the three-eighths (pole) I felt like I had horse, and at the top of the stretch she gave me a good kick,” jockey Luis Saez said. “She was digging and digging and kept coming.”

Owned by her breeder Stonestreet Stables LLC, Eclatant now has 23 qualifying points on the Road to the Kentucky Oaks. Her record is 3-0-1 in four starts, with earnings of $260,560.