Mischevious Alex too good in Gotham

Mar 07, 2020 Kellie Reilly/Brisnet.com

Cash Is King and LC Racing’s Mischevious Alex followed up his recent Swale (G3) romp with another emphatic performance in Saturday’s $300,000 Gotham (G3) at Aqueduct. Making his first appearance in a scoring race, the John Servis trainee netted 50 points on the Kentucky Derby (G1) leaderboard.

The 8-5 favorite with jockey Kendrick Carmouche, Mischevious Alex attended the early pace set by War Stopper under pressure from Celtic Striker. While those rivals were soon finished, Mischevious Alex was on cruise control as he struck the front on the far turn. Untitled and Attachment Rate kept on in his wake, but neither could lift his game to challenge the two-length winner.

Mischevious Alex reeled off the one-turn mile in 1:38.80 and advanced his scorecard to 7-4-1-1, $344,230. Third in last summer’s Sapling at Monmouth and seventh when trying turf in the Laurel Futurity, the bay has won three straight since reverting to one turn and adding blinkers. He wired the Nov. 5 Parx Juvenile by 9 3/4 lengths and added the Swale, over the same 7-furlong trip but at Gulfstream, by seven on Feb. 1. 

Untitled, who was fourth in the Swale, did better to take runner-up honors and 20 Derby points. Attachment Rate, just a head away in a grinding third, earned 10 points. Montauk Traffic closed to receive 5 points in fourth. Next came Necker Island, Flap Jack, Informative, First Deputy, Sixto, War Stopper, and Celtic Striker.

Mischevious Alex was kicking off a Derby prep double for sire Into Mischief, who is also responsible for Saturday’s unbeaten San Felipe (G2) winner Authentic. Now the Gotham winner is likely to take the next step on Aqueduct’s trail, the April 4 Wood Memorial (G2).

If Mischevious Alex passes that 1 1/8-mile test, he can bring his well-known connections back to the Triple Crown. Co-owner Cash Is King is best remembered for 2005 Preakness (G1) and Belmont (G1) champion Afleet Alex, while John Servis trained 2004 Derby and Preakness star Smarty Jones. If the name sounds more recently familiar, brother Jason Servis trains current champion Maximum Security.