Pretty Mischievous gets third Grade 1 of the year in Saratoga’s Test S.
August 6, 2023
Pretty Mischievous and Tyler Gaffalione (blue silks) win the Test S. (G1) at Saratoga Mathea Kelley
Into Mischief’s 3-year-old filly won her third Grade 1 race in 2023 in Saturday’s $500,000 Test S. (G1) at Saratoga, but there was no joy in victory following the catastrophic loss of the undefeated Maple Leaf Mel, who broke down just before the wire while in the lead of the seven-furlong race.
Pretty Mischievous won the race by a head over Clearly Unhinged, also a daughter of Into Mischief.
“It’s just cruel what happened,” Pretty Mischievous’ trainer Brendan Walsh said after the race. “I just feel terrible for (Maple Leaf Mel’s trainer) Melanie (Giddings) and that whole team. That must be gut-wrenching. I don’t know what to think right now.”
Walsh and Golphin Stables, owner/breeder of Pretty Mischievous, declined to participate in the winner’s circle photo or trophy presentation out of respect for the fallen filly.
Pretty Mischievous has wins in the Test, Acorn S. (G1) and the Kentucky Oaks (G1) in her last three starts and has earned $1,756,560 with seven wins, and a second and third, in nine lifetime starts.
Into Mischief, the leading sire for the past four seasons, has 65 lifetime graded winners and more than 130 overall black type winners. Pretty Mischievous is one of four Grade 1 winners in 2023 for her sire.