Undefeated Downtown Mischief takes Cicada S. in stakes debut

Leading General Sire of 2023 Into Mischief got his 12^th stakes winner of the year Saturday at Aqueduct when Downtown Mischief scored a 1 ½-length win in the $100,000 Cicada S. at Aqueduct.

With Saturday’s win, the 3-year-old filly is a perfect 3-for-3, previously collecting a 7 ¾-length debut maiden win on Jan. 14 and then an allowance win on Feb. 17, both also at Aqueduct.

When Hot Little Thing broke poorly, Downtown Mischief found herself near the front right out of the gate. She settled nicely though, as Hot Little Thing rushed up to the front after a quarter mile. Around the turn, Downtown Mischief had a narrow lead before she widened the margin coming into the stretch. Downtown Mischief extended her lead to two lengths and Tappin Josie made a late bid, but could get no closer than the final margin.

“I told Jose [Lezcano, aboard Downtown Mischief] that I thought the little filly on the inside of us had tremendous speed. She looked fast in the paddock. I was also a little concerned about the four horse on the outside, but Jose had ridden her before and he said she’s not that fast. I said, ‘OK, you’re going to be sitting second to the two.’ And he said, ‘That’s probably where we’ll be, sitting right outside.’ It totally went upside down. The two doesn’t break and then she comes rushing up through, but Jose is such a pro and he never loses his cool. When he needed to hold his ground, he did, and I think that makes a difference.”

Downtown Mischief, a Lady Sheila Stable homebred, has earned $133,100 in her three wins. The first foal out of Downtown Mama, she is a half-sister to Santa Ynez S. (G2) winner Alpha Kitten.