Million dollar Into Mischief colt claims Grade 1 Florida Derby with Kentucky in his sights

Tappan Street became the 23rd individual Grade 1 winner for leading sire Into Mischief when he won the Florida Derby at Gulfstream Park, earning himself a slot in the Kentucky Derby on the first weekend in May.

The bay colt made his move under Luis Saez heading into the far turn and took the lead entering the stretch before charging to a one-and-a-quarter-length victory in the one-and-one-eighth mile race for three-year-olds. 

Bred in Kentucky by Blue Heaven Farm, Tappan Street started for the first time since finishing second in the Grade 3 Holy Bull Stakes at Gulfstream on February 1.

"When you give 'em nearly, I guess, what, eight weeks between starts, there's always a concern. 'Does he know enough?'" said trainer Brad Cox, whose colt broke from post nine. 

"But he's a very smart horse, he's intelligent. I felt he would break very, very well today, just the way he has been training. And he did. I think that put him in the race and really put him in a great position." 

Elliott Walden of part-owners Winstar Farm said he was not overly concerned at seeing Bill Mott-trained Sovereignty appearing behind Tappan Street in the lane.

"I thought we were traveling better," Walden said. "But Sovereignty's a very good horse. He's going to be a tough foe at a mile and a quarter. We had eight weeks, he had four weeks. We're on even ground now, it'll be a good race [in the Kentucky Derby]."

Tappan Street was purchased as a yearling for $1,000,000 at the 2023 edition of Fasig-Tipton's The Saratoga Sale by China Horse Club, Siena Farm, and Maverick Racing. 

Walden said he wanted to name the colt after Siena Farm's owner Anthony Manganaro, who died in August 2023, just two weeks after the colt was purchased. Because the name had been taken, though, the connections chose to name the colt after the street on which Manganaro grew up.

"Into Mischief's been really good to us," Walden said. "He's a big, strong colt, great physique. The kind of horse that we envisioned being able to win races like this."

With the victory, Tappan Street now sits third on the Road to the Kentucky Derby leaderboard with 110 points,

Tappan Street is the second Florida Derby winner for six-time leading sire Into Mischief, who stands at Spendthrift Farm near Lexington for an advertised fee of $250,000. In addition to Tappan Street and Sovereignty, Into Mischief is also represented on the Road to the Kentucky Derby by Citizen Bull and Barnes.

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