Into Mischief (USA)
March 28, 2005 – Living
Harlan’s Holiday (USA) x Leslie's Lady (USA), by Tricky Creek (USA)
Family 23-b
March 28, 2005 – Living
Harlan’s Holiday (USA) x Leslie's Lady (USA), by Tricky Creek (USA)
Family 23-b
At first glance, Into Mischief was an unlikely candidate to join Tapit as the one of the two most dominant American sires of the early 21st century. Although he showed brilliant talent in winning a loaded edition of the CashCall Futurity (USA-G1) in 2007, he struggled with physical problems as a 3-year-old and retired with only that single graded win on his resume. His pedigree was considered modest at the time of his retirement, and he entered stud at Spendthrift Farm as part of the farm’s new “Share the Upside” program, in which breeders could gain a lifetime breeding right in the stallion by breeding a mare to him on a stands and nurses basis in each of the stallion’s first two years at stud. Even with that incentive, Into Mischief sired only 42 named foals in his first crop, and his next three crops averaged 34 foals each. But in 2012 three things happened that boosted Into Mischief’s appeal: his sire, Harlan’s Holiday, earned a title as American champion juvenile sire, his half sister Beholder was the year’s American champion 2-year-old filly, and his first-crop foals showed enough on the track to rank him third among the American freshman sires of 2012 according to The Blood-Horse. Into Mischief served 210 mares in 2013, resulting in 163 live foals, and since then he has gone from strength to strength. A five-time leader of the American general sire list, he has also established himself as a great sire of juveniles.
Race record
6 starts, 3 wins, 3 seconds, 0 thirds, US$597,080
2007:
2008:
Assessments
Rated at 120 pounds on the Experimental Free Handicap for American juvenile colts and geldings of 2007, 7 pounds below champion War Pass but tied for second overall with Dixie Chatter and Pyro.
As an individual
A deep-bodied, strongly-made bay horse, Into Mischief is short-coupled with a strong, straight hind leg. He stands 16.1 hands. According to Spendthrift Farm general manager Ned Toffey, he has a good mind.
As a stallion
Into Mischief typically throws a good-sized horse with a strong, well-made body and a good attitude toward racing and training.
Sire rankings
Per Arion Pedigrees (www.arion.co.nz):
Per The Blood-Horse:
Notable progeny
Atone (USA), Audible (USA), Authentic (USA), Citizen Bull (USA), Conquest Enforcer (CAN), Covfefe (USA), Dayoutoftheoffice (USA), Doppelganger (USA), Gamine (USA), Gina Romantica (USA), Goldencents (USA), Laurel River (USA), Leslie's Rose (USA), Life Is Good (USA), Mandaloun (USA), Mia Mischief (USA), Mischevious Alex (USA), Miss Mischief (USA), Newgate (USA), Played Hard (USA), Practical Joke (USA), Pretty Mischievous (USA), Timberlake (USA), Wonder Wheel (USA)
Notable progeny of daughters
Alva Starr (USA), White Abarrio (USA)
Connections
Foaled in Kentucky, Into Mischief was bred by James T. Hines Jr., who sold the colt for US$80,000 at the 2006 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky yearling sale. The colt was resold for US$180,000 to B. Wayne Hughes at the 2007 Ocala Breeders’ Sales March sale of 2-year-olds in training. He was trained by Richard Mandella. Into Mischief entered stud in 2009 in Kentucky at Hughes’s Spendthrift Farm.
Pedigree notes
Into Mischief is inbred 4x5 to 1960 American champion 2-year-old male and 1970 American champion sire Hail to Reason. He is also inbred 5x5 to the great international sire Northern Dancer, the 1964 Canadian Horse of the Year and American champion 3-year-old male. Sired by multiple Grade 1 winner Harlan’s Holiday, he is a half brother to three-time American champion Beholder (by Henny Hughes), dam of 2023 FanDuel Racing Del Mar Debutante Stakes (USA-G1) winner Tamara (by Bolt d'Oro) and 2023 Senorita Stakes (USA-G3) winner Teena Ella (by War Front). Into Mischief is also a half brother to 2017 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf (USA-G1) winner Mendelssohn (by Scat Daddy); to Daisy Mason (by Orientate), dam of stakes winner Harry's Holiday (by Harlan's Holiday); and to Leslie's Harmony (by Curlin), dam of Saudi Arabian stakes winner Scotland Yard (by Quality Road).
Into Mischief's dam Leslie's Lady won the listed Hoosier Debutante Stakes as a 2-year-old and was named the Kentucky Broodmare of the Year in 2016. She is a half sister to Colee Bear (by Wild Rush), dam of restricted stakes winner Fast Resource (by Bob and John). The next dam in Beholder's tail-female line, Crystal Lady (by Stop the Music) is a half sister to multiple restricted stakes winner Malcoha (by Afleet) and to open stakes winner Melanyhasthepapers (by Game Plan) as well as to stakes-placed One Last Colony (by Pleasant Colony), dam of listed stakes winner One Colony.
Crystal Lady, in turn, is out of stakes-placed One Last Bird (by One for All), a full sister to stakes producer Bravo All and a half sister to 1991 Californian Stakes (USA-G1) winner Roanoke (by Pleasant Colony) and stakes-placed Last Cause (by Caucasus), third dam of 2012 American champion 3-year-old male I'll Have Another. The female line traces back to the Cornish Prince mare Patelin, a modern foundation mare whose other descendants include 1991 American champion 2-year-old filly Pleasant Stage.
Fun facts
Photo credit
Portrait photo taken by Jessica Morgan at Spendthrift Farm in 2011. Used by permission.
Last updated: October 6, 2024
Race record
6 starts, 3 wins, 3 seconds, 0 thirds, US$597,080
2007:
- Won CashCall Futurity (USA-G1, 8.5FA, Hollywood)
- 2nd Hollywood Prevue Stakes (USA-G3, 7FA, Hollywood)
2008:
- Won Damascus Stakes (USA-L, 7FA, Santa Anita)
- 2nd San Vicente Stakes (USA-G3, 7FA, Santa Anita)
- 2nd Malibu Stakes (USA-G1, 7FA, Santa Anita)
Assessments
Rated at 120 pounds on the Experimental Free Handicap for American juvenile colts and geldings of 2007, 7 pounds below champion War Pass but tied for second overall with Dixie Chatter and Pyro.
As an individual
A deep-bodied, strongly-made bay horse, Into Mischief is short-coupled with a strong, straight hind leg. He stands 16.1 hands. According to Spendthrift Farm general manager Ned Toffey, he has a good mind.
As a stallion
Into Mischief typically throws a good-sized horse with a strong, well-made body and a good attitude toward racing and training.
Sire rankings
Per Arion Pedigrees (www.arion.co.nz):
- Led the North American general sire list in 2019-2023; 2nd in 2018; 10th in 2017
- Led the North American juvenile sire list in 2016, 2019, 2020, and 2022.
Per The Blood-Horse:
- Led the American general sire list in 2019-2023; 4th in 2018.
- Led the American juvenile sire list in 2016, 2018, 2019, 2020, and 2022.
- 3rd on the International general sire list in 2022; 5th in 2023.
Notable progeny
Atone (USA), Audible (USA), Authentic (USA), Citizen Bull (USA), Conquest Enforcer (CAN), Covfefe (USA), Dayoutoftheoffice (USA), Doppelganger (USA), Gamine (USA), Gina Romantica (USA), Goldencents (USA), Laurel River (USA), Leslie's Rose (USA), Life Is Good (USA), Mandaloun (USA), Mia Mischief (USA), Mischevious Alex (USA), Miss Mischief (USA), Newgate (USA), Played Hard (USA), Practical Joke (USA), Pretty Mischievous (USA), Timberlake (USA), Wonder Wheel (USA)
Notable progeny of daughters
Alva Starr (USA), White Abarrio (USA)
Connections
Foaled in Kentucky, Into Mischief was bred by James T. Hines Jr., who sold the colt for US$80,000 at the 2006 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky yearling sale. The colt was resold for US$180,000 to B. Wayne Hughes at the 2007 Ocala Breeders’ Sales March sale of 2-year-olds in training. He was trained by Richard Mandella. Into Mischief entered stud in 2009 in Kentucky at Hughes’s Spendthrift Farm.
Pedigree notes
Into Mischief is inbred 4x5 to 1960 American champion 2-year-old male and 1970 American champion sire Hail to Reason. He is also inbred 5x5 to the great international sire Northern Dancer, the 1964 Canadian Horse of the Year and American champion 3-year-old male. Sired by multiple Grade 1 winner Harlan’s Holiday, he is a half brother to three-time American champion Beholder (by Henny Hughes), dam of 2023 FanDuel Racing Del Mar Debutante Stakes (USA-G1) winner Tamara (by Bolt d'Oro) and 2023 Senorita Stakes (USA-G3) winner Teena Ella (by War Front). Into Mischief is also a half brother to 2017 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf (USA-G1) winner Mendelssohn (by Scat Daddy); to Daisy Mason (by Orientate), dam of stakes winner Harry's Holiday (by Harlan's Holiday); and to Leslie's Harmony (by Curlin), dam of Saudi Arabian stakes winner Scotland Yard (by Quality Road).
Into Mischief's dam Leslie's Lady won the listed Hoosier Debutante Stakes as a 2-year-old and was named the Kentucky Broodmare of the Year in 2016. She is a half sister to Colee Bear (by Wild Rush), dam of restricted stakes winner Fast Resource (by Bob and John). The next dam in Beholder's tail-female line, Crystal Lady (by Stop the Music) is a half sister to multiple restricted stakes winner Malcoha (by Afleet) and to open stakes winner Melanyhasthepapers (by Game Plan) as well as to stakes-placed One Last Colony (by Pleasant Colony), dam of listed stakes winner One Colony.
Crystal Lady, in turn, is out of stakes-placed One Last Bird (by One for All), a full sister to stakes producer Bravo All and a half sister to 1991 Californian Stakes (USA-G1) winner Roanoke (by Pleasant Colony) and stakes-placed Last Cause (by Caucasus), third dam of 2012 American champion 3-year-old male I'll Have Another. The female line traces back to the Cornish Prince mare Patelin, a modern foundation mare whose other descendants include 1991 American champion 2-year-old filly Pleasant Stage.
Fun facts
- In the 2007 CashCall Futurity, Into Mischief defeated what turned out to be one of the deepest fields ever assembled in the race. The runner-up was Colonel John, winner of the 2008 Santa Anita Derby (USA-G1) and Travers Stakes (USA-G1); 2008 Blue Grass Stakes (USA-G1) winner Monba was fourth; and four more previous or future graded stakes winners were in the race. Into Mischief’s win in the listed Damascus Stakes in 2008 was also even better than it looked, as he defeated previous or future Grade 1 winners Georgie Boy, Dancing in Silks, and Gayego.
- In 2019, Into Mischief became the first North American sire to be represented by 200 or more winners in a single year.
- In 2020, Into Mischief became the first American sire to surpass US$20 million in progeny earnings in a single season, closing out the year with US$22,104,773 bankrolled by his runners.
- Beginning in 2019, Into Mischief was offered to Quarter Horse breeders for artificial insemination via frozen semen at US$10,000 per "cover."
Photo credit
Portrait photo taken by Jessica Morgan at Spendthrift Farm in 2011. Used by permission.
Last updated: October 6, 2024