Barraza the newest stakes winner for Into Mischief
January 22, 2022
A change in running style gave Barraza his first stakes win in Saturday’s Clocker’s Corner S. at Santa Anita Park.
The 4-year-old Into Mischief colt came from well off the pace in his Jan. 2 allowance win, but shot right to the front out of the gate Saturday to hold the lead by a head after a quarter-mile in :21.96 on the downhill turf course. Shaking off the early challenge, Barraza was two lengths in front at the head of the stretch and kept that lead the rest of the way, winning by 2 ¼-lengths in 1:07.30 for the 6 ½-furlongs on the firm turf.
“This horse is like a 14-year-old boy playing high school football and he scores a touchdown and he can’t wait to do it again,” said trainer Vladimir Cerin. “That’s how this horse is. We don’t work him in company anymore, because he wants to beat everybody in the gallops, the workouts, everything.”
Barraza was bred by Spendthrift Farm and is the first foal to race out of Halo Dolly, who earned over $1 million and won 10 stakes, including the Yellow Ribbon H. (G2) and Wilshire H. (G3).
Owned by Holly and David Wilson, Barraza is 4-1-2 and has earned $197,700.