Coglianese /NYRA Photo Photo

Separationofpowers edges Mia Mischief by a neck to win G1 Longines Test

by Brian Bohl

Klaravich Stable's Separationofpowers overtook Mia Mischief in deep stretch and edged her rival by a neck in a thrilling finish to capture the 93rd running of the Grade 1, $500,000 Longines Test for 3-year-old fillies on Saturday, Whitney Day, at Saratoga Race Course.

Separationofpowers, making just her second start of the campaign, stayed well off the early speed as Classy Act and Mia Mischief dueled at the front, with the former going a quarter-mile in 22.70 seconds and the latter taking command to go a half-mile in 45.73.

Out of the turn, jockey Jose Ortiz moved Separationofpowers up to challenge Mia Mischief from the outside. The two battled in the stretch, with Ortiz using a right-handed whip to urge his charge as Separationofpowers gained the lead in the final jumps, completing seven furlongs in 1:22.78.

"It was a thrilling stretch run," said winning trainer Chad Brown. "I feel so fortunate she came out on top. She showed her heart and determination. I'm just so proud of my filly, how she showed so much heart to come out on top there. I thought Jose rode such an outstanding race from start to finish. They're a good combination, those two."

Off as the 2-1 favorite, Separationofpowers paid $6.60 on a $2 win bet while winning for the first time since the Grade 1 Frizette on October 8 at Belmont Park. She improved her career earnings to $707,300.

The Test marked a return to the Spa for Separationofpowers, where she won her debut by 11 ¾ lengths last July before running third in the Grade 1 Spinaway at the end of the 2017 meet. After winning the one-mile Frizette, the Candy Ride filly ended her 2-year-old year by finishing fourth in the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies in November at Del Mar.

Following an eight-month break, Separationofpowers brushed the gate at the start of the Grade 3 Victory Ride on July 8 at Belmont, finishing fourth. In her return to Saratoga, she gave Brown his first career victory in the Test.

"Last time, we just wanted to get her started," Brown said. "This filly was injured after her run in the Breeders' Cup last year and had been going under a lot of rehab and patience to bring her back. To bring her back to her race at Belmont and to have her stumble so bad out of the gate, she came back a little banged up. She grabbed her quarter, had a bunch of scratches all over her.

"I actually wasn't sure I'd make the Test with her. Then she came around a couple of weeks later, started breezing again, got to feel her health again, and we came back with a beautiful clean break and a good run."

Brown said Separationofpowers could be stretched back out to go longer, while Ortiz, who has been aboard for all six of her starts, said the clean break helped make the difference.

"Last time, she stumbled real bad. She broke clean today and she had a huge chance to win the race and she did," said Ortiz, who has won the Test back-to-back years after piloting American Gal to victory last year. "I tried to keep her clean, have a clean trip in the turn. I went a little bit wider than I wanted to, but I didn't want to get in trouble because she had a good shot. I just rode her like the best horse and I'm glad everything worked out."

Mia Mischief, the 7-2 second choice, finished 3 ½ lengths ahead of Kelly's Humor for second, marking the eighth time in nine career starts the Into Mischief filly has finished on the board.

"She ran a really good race," said Mia Mischief's Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen. "She got beat by a Grade 1 winner and obviously, we'd like the outcome to be about a neck different, but we're very proud of the filly and we're honored to have her."

Kelly's Humor, trained by Brad Cox, has finished in the money in her last three starts since running eighth in the Grade 1 Kentucky Oaks on May 4, including her second straight third-place effort following the Grade 3 Indiana Oaks on July 14 at Indiana Grand Race Course.

Alter Moon, Brown's other entrant, finished fourth. Norma's Charm, Minit to Stardom, Classy Act and Spectator completed the order of finish. Cathedral Reader was scratched.