Honest Mischief filly Mischief Lady scores in NYSS Cupecoy’s Joy

Paddock Proud LLC’s Mischief Lady returned from almost five months away and collected her first stakes victory with a front-end score in Saturday’s $145,000 Cupecoy’s Joy division of the New York Stallion Series Stakes at Aqueduct.

Bet down to 7-5 in the off-the-turf restricted stakes, Mischief Lady took the lead early under Ricardo Santana Jr. and stayed there throughout to win by 2 1/2 lengths over Boston’s Phinest. Trained by Eddie Barker, Mischief Lady won in 1:09.65 over the sloppy and sealed main track. Storm Changer finished third, with Disco Star and Royal Event completing the field.

Barker liked his filly’s chances based on her recent training and when the race came off the grass.

“Mark Casse’s horse (Disco Star) was probably the most talented on grass, but I think if it was on dirt, or slop, it would even up,” he said. “This filly has been training awesome. We gave her the time, and she grew like a monster. I’m glad she came back the way she did.”

Santana, who rode Mischief Lady for the first time, agreed.

“I made the move on the turn for home, I asked, and she gave me a second kick,” Santana said. “She was much the best today. … I watched her replays, and she was really quick. I think the track today was going to help her more. Even coming from a layoff, she broke really sharp, and she was really comfortable on the lead. I was really happy with her.”

The Cupecoy’s Joy marked the third stakes appearance for Mischief Lady, a $57,000 purchase out of last year’s OBS March sale. Both of those starts came as a 2-year-old – a second as a maiden in the Lady Finger Stakes in September at Finger Lakes and a sixth in the Fifth Avenue division of the NYSS in December at Aqueduct. Mischief Lady came into Saturday’s effort off a front-running win in a 6 ½-furlong allowance-optional in mid-January at Aqueduct.

Mischief Lady improved to 3-for-6 in the Cupecoy’s Joy and boosted her bankroll to $188,372.

Bred by Chester and Mary Broman, Mischief Lady is the first foal out of the unraced Friend Or Foe mare Miss Buff. She’s a full sister to New York-bred champion, 17-time winner and $1,403,536-earner Mr. Buff. Named New York-bred champion older dirt male in 2019 and 2020, Mr. Buff won 11 stakes including back-to-back editions of the Empire Classic Handicap on Empire Showcase Day in 2019 and 2020.

Miss Buff is also the dam of the 2-year-old New York-bred Unified filly named R U Bluffing and bred by the Bromans and a New York-bred colt by Vekoma born April 6 and bred by Cheryl Prudhomme and Dr. Michael Gallivan. Miss Buff sold for $21,000 to Sebastian Bernard at the 2023 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga fall mixed sale.

Mischief Lady also became the third stakes winner for Honest Mischief, New York’s leading freshman sire in 2024 who stands for $7,500 at Sequel Stallions New York in Hudson. A 9-year-old son of Into Mischief out of the Grade 1-winning Seattle Slew mare Honest Lady, Honest Mischief also sired 2024 New York-bred champion Sacrosanct and stakes winner Stone Smuggler.

Honest Mischief topped last year’s New York freshman sire list with more than $1.6 million in progeny earnings and came into Saturday ranked sixth on the Empire State’s general sire list with progeny earnings of more than $633,000.

 

Source URL: https://www.nytbreeders.org/news/2025/06/14/honest-mischief-filly-mischief-lady-scores-in-nyss-cupecoys-joy/

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