Mahaamel (Into Mischief) Becomes 23rd TDN Rising Star
Shadwell Stable’s Mahaamel (Into Mischief) became the 23rd ‘TDN Rising Star’ for his super sire and second to exit an Apr. 24 track-and-trip heat as he posted a popular front-running victory at Belmont Friday. The $700,000 KEESEP yearling was a close second here on debut to regally bred $1.5-million purchase First Captain (Curlin), who came back to take an allowance last Saturday and get the ‘Rising Star‘ nod himself. Donning blinkers for this, he was favored at 4-5 while taking on some pricey and well-bred foes. Ridden clear from a pesky longshot early, the bay posted splits of :22.68 and :45.89 with $500,000 Askin for a Baskin (Distorted Humor) ranging up to challenge heading for home. He spurted clear at the head of the lane, and leveled off well from there to score by 3 1/4 lengths. Askin for a Baskin held off well-bred firster Cody’s Wish (Curlin–Dance Card) for second. The winner stopped the clock in 1:22.46 in the mud.
Mahaamel is the second foal out of accomplished New York-bred Hot Stones (Bustin Stones), who took the GIII Bed o’ Roses H. over this same track and trip in 2014. Her prior foal Hot Mist (Tonalist) was a debut winner for West Point Thoroughbreds and Christophe Clement at Tampa Bay Downs last May but has not been seen since. Hot Stones’s 2-year-old filly Rome’s Burning (Classic Empire) was third on debut for Wesley Ward in a $50,000 maiden claimer at Churchill about an hour before Mahaamel’s victory. She was not claimed. Hot Stones has not yet produced another live foal.
Mahaamel: Graduate of the Camden Training Center
Mahaamel is a graduate of the Camden Training Center, broken by Kahkola Racing, and is owned by Shadwell Stables. The Camden Training Center’s outstanding facilities and exceptional trainers make it the ideal environment for breaking and training young horses. The breathtaking 400-acre facility has the ideal climate for raising healthy young horses—and is deliberately positioned away from the commotion associated with a racetrack facility. The year-round healthy ground conditions, variety of training options, and multiple tracks and trails make for the ideal training environment.
As Bob Witham said: “The Camden weather is perfect for horses; they need a change of seasons, a chance to grow their winter coat…The ground is fabulous for horses’ feet, so we can go a long time without putting shoes on. The ambiance is perfect too. If you can’t get a horse fit here, you can’t do it anywhere. Truth is, the whole place is perfect. You can’t beat it.” And American Hall of Fame thoroughbred horse trainer Shug McGaughey adds: ”I always tell people, there is no better place to break yearlings than Camden SC”.
