The cross of two-time leading North American sire Into Mischief with daughters by leading broodmare sire Distorted Humor went from strength to strength May 29 when it was represented by two black-type winners.
Juddmonte Farms' homebred Fulsome became the cross' third graded stakes winner after winning the Matt Winn Stakes (G3) at Churchill Downs by 3 3/4 lengths. The 3-year-old colt out of the multiple winner Flourish earlier last month became the cross' sixth black-type winner overall when he won the May 1 Oaklawn Stakes at Oaklawn Park.
Distorted Humor daughters have now produced the most black-type winners by Spendthrift Farm's Into Mischief than the dams of any other broodmare sires.
The other May 29 stakes winner was Sound Machine, who is a 4-year-old filly out of multiple stakes-producer Ava Pie. Sound Machine won the Musical Romance Stakes at Gulfstream Park by 2 3/4 lengths for owner e Five Racing Thoroughbreds. This was the second stakes win for Sound Machine who won last year's Glitter Woman Stakes at Gulfstream. Earlier this year she was second in the Hurricane Bertie Stakes (G3).
Into Mischief has been a force in North American racing, topping the North American sire standings in 2019 and 2020. The son of Harlan's Holiday in 2020 shattered the single-season progeny earnings record with more than $22.1 million in prize money and was the leading sire by number of winners (189), stakes winners (29), and stakes horses (64).
WinStar's stalwart Distorted Humor became the leading North American broodmare sire in 2017 when Arrogate (by Unbridled's Song) earned more than $13 million after winning the Pegasus World Cup Invitational Stakes (G1) and the Dubai World Cup Sponsored by Emirates Airline (G1). The 28-year-old son of Forty Niner has remained a top-10 broodmare sire since then. As a sire, he topped the BloodHorse's general leading sires list for 2011, the year his son Drosselmeyer won the Breeders' Cup Classic (G1). He was runner-up on the leading sires list in 2005, 2009, and 2010.
As of June 1, the cross of Into Mischief with Distorted Humor mares has produced 46 foals, of which six (13%) are black-type winners and three are graded stakes winners. Ashford Stud's freshman sire Practical Joke is the most accomplished runner produced by this mating, with three grade 1 wins and earnings of $1,795,800. Besides Fulsome, the other graded stakes winner is San Felipe Stakes (G2) winner Life Is Good , who was high-profile early on this year's Road to the Kentucky Derby but got waylaid by an ankle chip. Life Is Good is back in training at Keeneland and according to Destin Heath, farm trainer for WinStar, has just started galloping.
Among the three stakes winners that have not won a graded race, two are graded placed. Sound Machine placed in two graded stakes, getting third in last year's Miss Preakness Stakes (G3) in addition to her second in the Hurricane Bertie. Multiple stakes winner Quebec, out of winner Miss Canada, was also third in the 2018 Robert J. Frankel Stakes (G3T).
Four other horses among the winners were graded placed as well. Identity Politics was second in the Malibu Stakes (G1); Classy Act was second in the Rachel Alexandra Stakes (G2) and Victory Ride Stakes (G3); Dangerfield was third in the Los Alamitos CashCall Futurity (G1); and, Petruchio was third in the Los Alamitos Futurity (G2).
Into Mischief's class of 2019 seems poised to build on the legacy with the dams by Distorted Humor. This year's juveniles include a full brother to Classy Act named Maqamat; a half brother to multiple stakes winner Rose Tree (by Harlan's Holiday) named Amusing Mischief; a full sister to Sound Machine who is named Electro World; and, a half brother to 2020 Toyota Blue Grass Stakes (G2) winner Art Collector who is named Legionnaire.
