Maximus Mischief Motors Away in G2 Remsen

SOUTH OZONE PARK, NY – Cash is King and LC Racing’s Maximus Mischief took control off the first turn, held it well along the backside, then motored away in the stretch to win Saturday’s Grade 2, $250,000 Remsen Stakes at Aqueduct.

Breaking well from post 6 under Frankie Pennington as the 7/5 second betting choice, Maximus Mischief ran along the outside of Gladiator King through a slow opening 1/4-mile in :25.12 before poking his head in front and setting continued fractions of :50.67 and 1:14.60. Beginning to separate himself from new challenger Tax in the far turn, Maximus Mischief dug in and kept running hard through to the wire. The Robert Reid, Jr., trainee crossed with a 2 1/4-length advantage in a final time of 1:51.34 for the 9-furlong event over the fast main track.

“Running short, he was always so sharp and keen, but Butch Reid did an awesome job getting him ready for this race,” Pennington said. “He broke well. Going into the first turn, he relaxed right back to me and put his ears up, and I knew he was going to be good today. He’s the kind of horse that will do it easy by himself, but as soon as he feels the pressure, he becomes an even better horse. When he feels that fight coming, that’s what he likes.”

The even-money favorite Network Effect failed to find the proper pace needed for his closing kick and settled for second by a 1/2-length over Tax. Bourbon War was the best of the rest, taking fourth by 10 1/4 lengths over Jungle Warrior. Gladiator King and Chinomado completed the order of finish.

The Remsen is part of the Road to the 2019 Kentucky Derby prep race season. Maximus Mischief earned 10 points for the win, with Network Effect receiving 4 for second, Tax 2 for third, and Bourbon 1 for fourth.

Maximus Mischief’s win was his third in as many starts, though it was his first away from his home base at Parx. The son of Into Mischief has earned $192,100 thus far for his connections.

“He came through in fine colors as far as I’m concerned,” said Reid, who won his first graded stakes since Poseidon’s Warrior in the 2012 edition of the Grade 1 Alfred G. Vanderbilt Handicap. “I was really concerned that it was a deep racetrack at Aqueduct. Parx is pretty deep, and maybe that’s helped him a little bit. They’ve been running slow times down here. I watched the beginning of the card and I was hoping it was a little faster than that, but to go from 7/8 to a mile and 1/8, especially the way he did it, is a pretty good accomplishment.”

Maximus Mischief returned $4.80 to win, $2.70 to place, and $2.50 to show. Network Effect brought back $2.30 to place and $2.10 to show, while Tax paid $3.80 to show.