Everso Mischievous looks for his second New York gradedscore in Saturday’s Grade 2, $200,000 John A. Nerud Stakes, a seven-furlong sprint for five older horses at Belmont at the Big A.
Part of the undercard to support the Belmont Derby (G1) and Belmont Oaks (G1) invitationals, the Nerud will be run as the eighth race at 4:11 p.m. EDT. The Dwyer (G3) is the first stakes on the 11-race card. Run as the second race, the Dwyer is scheduled to go at 1:04 p.m. EDT.
Click here for Belmont at the Big A entries and results.
Owned by Qatar Racing and trained by two-time Eclipse Award winner Brad Cox, Everso Mischievous enters off a victorious, 4-year-old debut in a one-mile, optional claimer May 31 at Churchill Downs. The Into Mischief bay made his third straight start at one mile, and he successfully returned from a layoff dating to an 11th in the Cigar Mile Handicap (G2) at Aqueduct on Dec. 2.
Everso Mischievous entered his Cigar Mile try, which cameover muddy and sealed going vs. elders, on a three-race win streak, includingthe one-mile Forty Niner (G2) at Aqueduct and a pair of seven-furlong scores inthe Harrods Creek in September at Churchill Downs and an allowance in August atSaratoga.
Out of the graded-stakes-winning Medaglia d’Oro mare Ever SoClever, Everso Mischievous initially went for $600,000 at the 2021 KeenelandSeptember yearling sale before going for $85,000 at the 2022 Keeneland Novemberhorses-of-racing-age sale.
Tyler Gaffalione will be aboard from post 1 carrying afield-high 122 pounds, four pounds more than each of his four rivals.
Mullikin, in post 5 with Flavien Prat, will try to make thegrade after starting his year 2-for-2 with a six-furlong allowance score inApril at Keeneland and a seven-furlong, optional-claiming victory in June atChurchill Downs. Each effort earned career-best 98 Beyer Speed Figures,according to Daily Racing Form.
Owned by Siena Farm and WinStar Farm and trained by RodolpheBrisset, the 4-year-old Violence dark bay has finished in the top two in 6 of 7lifetime outings, all dirt sprints, only missing when he was a troubled fourthto cap his sophom*ore campaign in an allowance in July at Ellis Park.
“We did right by the horse last year. He totally needed alittle break after his last race, where he acted up in the gate and fell flaton his face, got rushed up to the lead, it just felt like everything wentwrong.” Brisset said. “We gave him time, and it did very well for himphysically. He’s been telling us we did the right thing.”
Brisset said the gate has always been a bit troublesome forMullikin, who missed by a nose on debut in February 2023 at Oaklawn after aslow start that caused him to travel five lengths back in eighth positionearly.
“His only small weakness is the gate. We have learned fromit and been working on it. We don’t really know why, because in the morning heis very nice in the gate,” Brisset said. “In the afternoon he wants to throwhis head around a little bit. We have adapted, and it looks like it has beenworking.”
Mullikin completed his final preparations for the Nerud witha sharp, half-mile breeze in 48.0 seconds Sunday at Keeneland.
“It was a typical work for him,” Brisset said. “We were notlooking for anything too fancy, but he did it on his own and on the bridle, andit looked like he galloped out pretty strongly, too.”
Mullikin, a $500,000 purchase at the 2021 KeenelandSeptember yearling sale, is out of the graded-stakes-placed Congrats mareTulira’s Star, who is a half-sister to graded-stakes winner Mountain General.
LC Racing’s Pennsylvania homebred Ninetyprcentmaddie, in post2, has finished second in four consecutive efforts but will look to breakthrough on Saturday with José Lezcano returning to ride. Trained by Butch Reid,the 4-year-old Weigelia gelding’s most recent runner-up finishes came vs.graded company in New York in the True North (G2) last out June 8 at Saratogaand the Runhappy (G3) in May at Aqueduct.
Although entered in the six-furlong Alapocas Run on Saturdayat Delaware Park, Reid said Ninetyprcentmaddie is likely to run in New Yorkafter considering the advice of Lezcano, who was aboard for a rallying secondto Baby Yoda in the True North.
“I think it is a good spot. Seven-eighths is perfect forhim, but really this is José Lezcano’s idea. He thinks he learned somethingabout him last time after riding him in that race,” Reid said. “He suggestedthat we go ahead and take a shot. That is what we are going to do.”
Reid said Lezcano felt like Ninetyprcentmaddie did not getgoing until he was away from the rail and into clear air after breaking fromthe inside post.
“He kind of stayed down on the fence, and he wouldn’t getrunning for him. Once he finally wheeled him out and got him to switch leads,he finished up nicely,” Reid said. “Lezcano thinks he’s got a good idea of him,and I never want to discourage good ideas.”
Before the Runhappy, Ninetyprcentmaddie placed in theseven-furlong, state-bred Page McKenney Handicap in April at Parx Racing,earning a career-best 90 Beyer. His subsequent graded-stakes attempts on theNYRA circuit earned that same number.
“I actually think his last race was better than the numberthey gave him,” Reid said regarding the string of 90s. “I think that even ifthe Beyers don’t agree with me, he has improved with every start, and we gavehim a lot of them. I mean that was almost three back-to-back races.”
Godolphin’s graded-stakes-winning Kentucky homebredPrevalence in post 3, with Irad Ortiz Jr. looks to improve off a second lastout to Super Chow in the Maryland Sprint (G3) on May 18 at Pimlico. Trained byBrendan Walsh, the 6-year-old Medaglia d’Oro gelding finished second in thesame event last year to cap his past campaign.
Prevalence will travel to the Big A for the first time sincehis sophom*ore season, when he was sixth in the Wood Memorial (G2) in April2021. The following year he won the seven-furlong Commonwealth (G3) in April atKeeneland.
Graded-stakes-placed Coastal Mission, in post 4 with ArnaldoBocachica riding for trainer Jeff Runco, rounds out the field. The WestVirginia-bred Great Notion gray earned a 100 Beyer in winning the Frank Y.Whiteley in April at Laurel Park ahead of a fourth in the Maryland Sprint and asecond in the Salvator Mile (G3) last out June 15 at Monmouth Park.
2024 John A. Nerud G2
| Post | Silks | Horse / Sire | Rating | Trainer / Jockey | Last Start / Next Start | HRN |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  | Everso Mischievous Into Mischief | 5.84 | Brad H. Cox Tyler Gaffalione | 1st, CD AOC (05/31/2024-R7) 2024 John A. Nerud G2 | Entered |
| Last Race Next Race | 1st, CD AOC (05/31/2024-R7) 2024 John A. Nerud G2 | |||||
| 2 |  | Ninetyprcentmaddie Weigelia | 5.87 | Robert E. Reid Jr. Jose Lezcano | 2nd, 2024 True North G2 2024 John A. Nerud G2 | Entered |
| Last Race Next Race | 2nd, 2024 True North G2 2024 John A. Nerud G2 | |||||
| 3 |  | Prevalence Medaglia d'Oro | 6.36 | Brendan P. Walsh Irad Ortiz, Jr. | 2nd, 2024 Maryland Sprint Stakes G3 2024 John A. Nerud G2 | Entered |
| Last Race Next Race | 2nd, 2024 Maryland Sprint Stakes G3 2024 John A. Nerud G2 | |||||
| 4 |  | Coastal Mission Great Notion | 5.09 | Jeff C. Runco Arnaldo Bocachica | 2nd, 2024 Salvator Mile G3 2024 John A. Nerud G2 | Entered |
| Last Race Next Race | 2nd, 2024 Salvator Mile G3 2024 John A. Nerud G2 | |||||
| 5 |  | Mullikin Violence | 0.00 | Rodolphe Brisset Flavien Prat | 1st, CD AOC (06/08/2024-R9) 2024 John A. Nerud G2 | Entered |
| Last Race Next Race | 1st, CD AOC (06/08/2024-R9) 2024 John A. Nerud G2 | |||||
Race Video
Grade 3 winners get rematch in Dwyer
Tampa Bay Derby (G3) winner Domestic Product and Holy Bull (G3)victor Hades are set for a rematch in Saturday’s $200,000 Dwyer (G3), aone-mile test for four sophom*ores, at Belmont at the Big A.
Klaravich Stables’ Kentucky homebred Domestic Productfinished second to Hades in the 1 1/16-mile Holy Bull in February at GulfstreamPark ahead of his first graded-stakes triumph in the Tampa Bay Derby (G3) whenpouncing from off the pace to win by a neck over No More Time in March. He wenton to post a troubled, off-the-board finish in the Kentucky Derby, where he waspinched at the start and lost a shoe.
Trained by four-time Eclipse Award-winner Chad Brown, thePractical Joke dark bay rebounded last out with a runner-up effort in the 11/16-mile listed Pegasus with a prominent trip June 15 at Monmouth Park.
Domestic Product was involved in an early pace battlebetween five runners in the six-horse field and was within a half-length of pacesettingTuscan Sky at the three-quarter-mile call, but he lost touch with his rival inthe latter stages and settled for second 6 3/4 lengths back. He finished 4 1/4lengths ahead of familiar foe Hades in third.
Out of the unraced Paynter mare Goods and Services, DomesticProduct is from the family of multiple turf-stakes winner Cherokee Queen. Hewill break from post 3 on Saturday with 124 pounds including Flavien Prat.
D.J. Stable and Robert Cotran’s Hades, in post 2 with 124pounds including Paco López, enters from a third-place finish last out in thePegasus and is looking for his first trip to the winner’s circle since his 9-1upset of the Holy Bull in February.
Trainer Joe Orseno said he had not expected such a forwardbattle in the Pegasus.
I may have over-instructed Paco that day, and we talkedabout it since,” Orseno said. “I thought the 4 horse (Willy D’s) would go, butI never expected Chad’s horse to be up there gunning for the lead either. Pacosaid he wanted to take him out of there really bad, but he wanted to listen toinstructions.”
The son of Awesome Slew won his first three outings,graduating on debut in December and following with an eight-length romp of aFlorida-bred allowance on New Year’s Eve before his Holy Bull win. He thenfinished off the board in both the 1 1/8-mile Florida Derby (G1) and the 11/16-mile Lexington (G3).
Orseno added blinkers for Hades’s last two outings but saidhe will remove them for the Dwyer.
“Paco will have free rein to ride it how it comes up. Thehorse is a good horse that we maybe have overthought a lot of things with,” Orsenosaid. “He’ll come from off the pace if it plays out that way. We know now toleave him alone and let him run. In a short field someone can get away fromyou, but we’ll ride it the way it comes up.”
Save the Trees, in post 4 with 118 pounds including IradOrtiz Jr., looks to preserve a perfect 2-for-2 record in his stakes debut for ownersSkychai Racing, Paradise Farms, David Staudacher and Hot Pink Stable and trainerMike Maker.
The Preservationist gelding enters from a successful firsttry against winners in a six-furlong, starter allowance June 9 at ChurchillDowns, overcoming a slow break to pounce from 2 1/4 lengths off the pace tonotch the 2 3/4-length victory. The effort garnered a 79 Beyer.
Save the Trees won on debut in April at Keeneland when hewas in the care of trainer Wayne Mackey. He posted an eye-catching trip whenrallying from 11 lengths back in last place of 10 to fly home late and nab thevictory by three-quarters of a length in a key race that saw runner-up Hold MyBourbon and third-place Run Jalen Run exit to win next out.
“He’s training well,” Paradise Farms’ Peter Proscia said. “Mikethinks he can get the mile, so I’m all aboard, and I hope we do well. We’renumbers guys, and he came up with a big number (74 Beyer) on debut, so we gothim in the sale, and it worked out in our favor. We’re happy.”
Save the Trees’s impressive maiden win was enough to bringthe hammer down at $335,000 at the Keeneland April horses-of-racing-age sale,where he was bought by Maker for the ownership group. Save the Trees, whoinitially sold for $23,000 at the Keeneland September yearling sale, is out ofthe multiple stakes-placed Forestry mare Canopy Lane.
“We had tried to purchase him privately, and the ownerswanted to go to auction,” Proscia said. “It was probably a little more than Iwanted to pay, but we hope he performs well and pays us back. We’re lookingforward to it.”
Save the Trees is cross-entered in Saturday’s listed IowaDerby at Prairie Meadows, but Proscia said the preference is to run in theDwyer.
Kaleem Shah’s stakes-placed Billal completes the field. Startingfrom post 1 with 118 pounds including Júnior Alvarado, he seeks his firststakes victory on the back of a good third against the well-regarded Subrogateon June 8 at Saratoga. The effort produced a field-best 93 Beyer when he was defeatedby 2 1/2 lengths.
Trained by Hall of Famer Bill Mott, Billal kept close watchearly from third and stayed patient up the backstretch of the 6 1/2-furlongoptional claimer before putting in his bid in the turn and giving chase downthe lane. The Street Sense colt has made four starts in stakes company. Hisbest finish was a third in the listed Nashua in November over Saturday’s courseand distance.
A $725,000 purchase at the Keeneland September yearling sale,Billal is out of the Bernardini mare Bambalina, whose dam is multiple graded-stakeswinner and 2000 champion turf mare Forever Together.
2024 Dwyer G3
| Post | Silks | Horse / Sire | Rating | Trainer / Jockey | Last Start / Next Start | HRN |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  | Billal Street Sense | 5.84 | William I. Mott Junior Alvarado | 3rd, SAR AOC (06/08/2024-R3) 2024 Dwyer G3 | Entered |
| Last Race Next Race | 3rd, SAR AOC (06/08/2024-R3) 2024 Dwyer G3 | |||||
| 2 |  | Hades Awesome Slew | 6.46 | Joseph F. Orseno Paco Lopez | 3rd, 2024 Pegasus LS 2024 Dwyer G3 | Entered |
| Last Race Next Race | 3rd, 2024 Pegasus LS 2024 Dwyer G3 | |||||
| 3 |  | Domestic Product Practical Joke | 7.02 | Chad C. Brown Flavien Prat | 2nd, 2024 Pegasus LS 2024 Dwyer G3 | Entered |
| Last Race Next Race | 2nd, 2024 Pegasus LS 2024 Dwyer G3 | |||||
| 4 |  | Save The Trees Preservationist | 0.00 | Michael J. Maker Irad Ortiz, Jr. | 1st, CD STR (06/09/2024-R3) 2024 Iowa Derby LS | Entered |
| Last Race Next Race | 1st, CD STR (06/09/2024-R3) 2024 Iowa Derby LS | |||||
