Resilience, Leslie’s Rose lead Into Mischief’s Derby/Oaks contingent
April 30, 2024
G1 winner Leslie’s Rose looks to give Into Mischief back-to-back Kentucky Oaks winners | Nicole Finch photo
Into Mischief, who already has accounted for two Kentucky Derby (G1) and an Oaks (G1) winners, will have a trio of representatives in the 150th renewal of the two classics this year at Churchill Downs.
Resilience will contest the Derby, while Leslie’s Rose and Into Champagne are both in the Oaks.
Resilience, winner of the Wood Memorial in his most recent start, drew post 19 in the 20-horse field, something that did not dampen his trainer Bill Mott’s spirits.
“I’m fine with it,” said Mott of the draw. “For me, I would have preferred to be in the outside half than the inside half. We have a certain amount of speed but not the speed that you would need to get away from the 1 hole or even the 2 hole. So you know, I think I’m happy enough being out there. Part of it is the trip and you have a chance from there to have a clean trip at least through the stretch and hopefully by the time you get to the turn, something works out in your favor, and you can track in a little bit.”
After breaking his maiden on New Year’s Day at Gulfstream Park, the normally-conservative Mott ran Resilience in the Risen Star, where he was fourth over a sloppy racetrack. He was a clear winner of the Wood, securing his Derby spot.
Resilience is owned by Emily Bushnell and Ric Waldman and was bred by Bushnell’s parents Pam and Marty Wygod.
In the 1 1/8-mile Oaks, Into Champagne drew post 10, while Leslie’s Rose was unlucky to draw the outside post in the field of 14.
Leslie’s Rose is the second choice on the morning line after winning the April 5 Ashland S. (G1) at Keeneland, when she handed last year’s champion 2-year-old filly Just F Y I her first defeat. Just F Y I is in post 13 on Friday.
Leslie’s Rose has won three of four starts and earned $467,800. She is owned by Whisper Hill Farm, who paid $1.15 million for the bay filly a the 2022 Keeneland September Yearling sale. She was bred by John D. Gunther and Eurowest Bloodstock Services.
Into Champagne, winner of Gulfstream Park’s Glitter Woman S. in early January, subsequently placed in both the Davona Dale S. (G2) and Gulfstream Park Oaks (G2).
Into Champagne is owned by the partnership of Six Column Stables, Randy Bloch, Jim Gladden, Mike Davis and Michael Steele and was bred in Kentucky by Robert and Lawana Low. The bay filly was a $300,000 buy by her owner at the same Keeneland sale.