Mischevious Alex Ascends Ranks in Gotham

SOUTH OZONE PARK, NY – Cash is King and LC Racing’s Mischevious Alex continued his upward ascent through the stakes ranks on Saturday, this time taking the $300,000 Gotham Stakes (G3) at Aqueduct.

Breaking from post 6 as the 3/2 favorite under Kendrick Carmouche, Mischevious Alex vied for the early lead but soon took back slightly to fourth. Just ahead of him, War Stopper posted opening fractions of :23.54 and :47.76 while the field raced in very tight quarters heading into the far turn.

Poking his head in front midway through the turn, Mischevious Alex straightened for home with a slim advantage over Untitled, who had weaved his way up from mid-pack to pose a threat in second. That would be the extent of any threat to the bettors’ choice, however, as Mischevious Alex dug in and refused to let anyone get within 2 lengths of him before he crossed the wire.

Trained by John Servis, Mischevious Alex completed the mile-long event over the fast main track in a final time of 1:38.80.

“John pretty much told me this horse can do anything,” Carmouche said. “He sits pretty good or can go to the lead. He told me the horse is a rocket out the gate, so the best thing that I can do is to take advantage. He left out of there running and I didn’t want to panic. I wasn’t in a rush. I thought I had the best horse in the race, so I wasn’t in a hurry. I was pretty confident in my horse and John. He just told me to ride the way I feel and win the race.”

Untitled’s failed bid for the lead nearly cost him second, as he had to dig in late to beat Attachment Rate across the wire by a head. Montauk Traffic was a 1/2-length in front of Necker Island, who necked out Flap Jack for fifth.

Informative, First Deputy, Sixto, War Stopper, and Celtic Strike completed the order of finish.

The Gotham is part of the Road to the 2020 Kentucky Derby prep race season. Mischevious Alex earned 50 points for the win, with receiving 20 for second, Third 10 for third, and Fourth 5 for fourth.

Mischevious Alex’s win followed similar triumphs in the Parx Juvenile Stakes and the Swale Stakes (G3) and improved his overall record to 7-4-1-1. The 3-year-old son of Into Mischief, purchased for $140,000 last April, has now earned $344,320.

“It was a great day for us,” Servis said. “He handled the next step up really well and gave us a solid effort today. Ever since we put the blinkers on him, everything that we’ve handed him, he has handled very well.”

Mischevious Alex returned $5.50 to win, $3.40 to place, and $2.70 to show. Untitled brought back $5.10 to place and $3.50 to show, while Attachment Rate paid $3.30 to show.