Mischief Joke gives trainer Mike Maker a stakes double Sunday at Aqueduct in the Rego Park. Susie Raisher/NYRA Photo.

A return to more aggressive tactics early in the race paved the way for Mischief Joke to land his first stakes victory in Sunday’s $97,000 Rego Park at Aqueduct.

Fifth and third in his prior two stakes tries after a more forward maiden-breaking victory in September during the Belmont at the Big A meeting, Mischief Joke took command early and rolled to a 1-length victory in the rescheduled Rego Park under Dylan Davis. The 3-year-old son of Practical Joke made quick work of his four rivals in the Rego Park, originally scheduled for January 21 but run a week later after frigid weather canceled racing in New York last weekend.

Davis rode Mischief Joke last time out, a close runner-up finish in an allowance-optional December 15 at Aqueduct, and learned about the colt.

“Last time, I broke him well and once I got him to the outside he kept running – so he was more of a steady moving type,” Davis said. “Today, I just wanted to break well so he could get into his stride. After that, I found myself on the lead which I was happy with. I would have taken second or third.”

Mischief Joke, the 9-5 second choice in the field of five, wound up on the lead after Trevor McCarthy and Detective Tom conceded the early advantage over the sloppy and sealed track.

Mischief Joke led Detective Tom by a length through the opening quarter-mile in :23.47 with 4-5 favorite Antonio of Venice another length back in third. The top three stayed in those positions through the half in :47.54

Davis kept Mischief Joke well off the rail turning for home and they spurted away to a 2 1/2-length lead in midstretch.

“Turning for home, I just wanted to get his stride going because I knew I had a lot of horse to finish up with based off his last effort,” Davis said.

Mischief Joke held sway in the lane, despite drifting out, as Antonio of Venice rallied for the place spot. Detective Tom finished 5 lengths back in third, with the filly Thirteen Red Flags and Always a Warrior completing the field. The final time was 1:19.76.

“It looked like [Antonio of Venice] didn’t have the best of breaks and [Detective Tom] was struggling a little bit there a sixteenth after the gate,” Davis said. “After that, he [Mischief Joke] just took control. He got happy up there and I punched him a little early before they could get to him and he kept on going.”

Owned by Paradise Farms Corp., Parkland Thoroughbreds, Barry Fowler and Angelo Carlesimo, Mischief Joke gave trainer Mike Maker a stakes double on the card. Maker sent out Buck Butler’s homebred Rotknee to victory in the $100,000 Say Florida Sandy Sunday at the Big A.

Mischief Joke improved to 2-for-10 with seven placings and earnings of $204,595 with the Rego Park victory.

Bred by Pine Ridge Stables LTD and foaled at Waldorf Farm in North Chatham, Mischief Joke is out of the unraced Distorted Humor mare Shesabitdistorted.

Shesabitdistorted is a full sister to graded stakes winner and Grade 1-placed Sharp Humor, champion New York-bred 2-year-old male in 2005 and champion New York-bred 3-year-old male in 2006. She’s the dam of six winners including the Rego Park winner. That group includes the New York-bred It’s Mo Joke.

Mischief Joke sold for $6,500 to Erick Torres as a short yearling at the 2022 Keeneland January horses of all ages sale. He started his career in Kentucky for Torres and owner Twin Oaks LLC, finishing second in a 4 1/2-furlong maiden race at Keeneland Race Course, before being purchased privately by his current connections.

After finishing second in three straight maiden races in June, July and August on the NYRA circuit, Mischief Joke was offered but not sold on a bid of $150,000 during the Fasig-Tipton August digital sale. He won about a month later, winning a 6 1/2-furlong maiden by 4 1/4 lengths after never being more than a half-length behind.

Rotknee splashes to his latest victory in the NY-bred ranks in Sunday’s $100,000 Say Florida Sandy Stakes. Susie Raisher/NYRA Photo.

When Rotknee’s name appears in the entries for a New York-bred race – particularly a stakes – it’s safe to expect a victory from Buck Butler’s homebred son of Runhappy.

Rotknee returned to the state-bred ranks Sunday and won again, improving to 7-for-8 at the level with a victory in the $100,000 Say Florida Sandy Stakes. The 5-year-old won his fifth New York-bred stakes in the 7-furlong Say Florida Sandy, taking over in the stretch en route to a 4-length victory over Aggregation.

“He’s a champ,” Butler said of Rotknee, who won in 1:27.19 on the sloppy track under Jose Lezcano. “He’s been a lot of fun and loves being in with his New York friends.”

The friends might not be so keen on Rotknee, who won the Damon Runyon Stakes, Mike Lee Stakes and Ontario County Stakes as a 3-year-old and the Hudson Stakes at 4 before his latest victory. Trained by Mike Maker, Rotknee came into the Say Florida Sandy off a third in the Grade 3 Fall Highweight Handicap and a second in the Gravesend Stakes, both at Aqueduct and against open company.

Rotknee also improved to 3-for-3 going 7 furlongs, although the added distance after back-to-back tries going 6 furlongs concerned Lezcano.

“I worried a little bit today about the seven-eighths, a little more distance for a three-quarters horse,” he said. “But today, he was relaxed the whole way and when I asked him, he was gone. The track helped with it being a sealed track to carry him through to the wire.”

The 9-5 favorite in the field of six just ahead of Aggregation at the same price, Rotknee rated just off the early speed of Disarmed with Andiamo a Firenze mixing it up early though the opening quarter-mile in :23.15. Andiamo a Firenze, claimed for $62,500 last time out by trainer David Duggan, came away with the lead approaching the half in :46.78 with Rotknee keeping close tabs around the far turn.

Rotknee took command near the 5/16ths pole and rolled into the stretch at least five paths off the rail. He opened up 3 lengths in midstretch, passed 6 furlongs in 1:12.90 and stayed well clear late as Aggregation got up for second by a neck over Andiamo a Firenze with General Banker another neck back in fourth. Disarmed and Ocean’s Reserve completed the field.

Foaled at Keane Stud in Amenia, Rotknee is the second foal and one of two stakes winners out of the winning Speightstown mare In Spite of Mama.

In Spite of Mama is also the dam of the 3-year-old Audible filly My Mane Squeeze, the winner of three of five starts after her recent score in the Franklin Square Stakes at Aqueduct for Butler and Maker. An earner of $238,960, she also won the Maid of the Mist Stakes on the same Empire Showcase Day card where Rotknee won the Hudson.

In Spite of Mama’s first foal, the 6-year-old New York-bred Into Mischief colt Lookin for Trouble, was a winner and multiple stakes-placed for Butler and Maker. He earned $170,220. In Spite of Mama is also the dam of the 4-year-old New York-bred Bolt d’Oro colt Mama’s Gold, a four-time winner in 14 starts with earnings of $168,641; and a New York-bred 2-year-old filly by 2019 Preakness Stakes winner War of Will and a yearling full brother to Rotknee.

In Spite of Mama, a 12-year-old out of the Carson City mare Mama Theresa, went 3-2-2 in 17 starts for Butler and Maker from 2014 to 2016.

Butler bought Mama Theresa for $65,000 at the 2005 OBS April sale of 2-year-olds in training. She won six of 25 starts, placed in two stakes and earned $240,898 for Butler and Timothy Twomey and the late trainer Dominic Galluscio. In Spite of Mama is Mama Theresa’s second foal and a half-sister to four other winners, including stakes winner A Freud of Mama, an earner of $399,818 who also finished third in the Grade 3 Matron Stakes at Belmont Park in 2019 for Butler and Maker.

Rotknee earned $55,000 for his latest victory to boost his earnings to $582,955. He’s won nine of 17 starts overall. As for that lone defeat in the state-bred ranks? That goes all the way back to Rotknee’s debut July 9, 2021, when he finished second by 3 lengths as the favorite in a 5 1/2-furlong maiden race at Belmont Park.

Roanan Goddess rolls to first stakes victory in Saturday’s Xtra Heat at Laurel Park. Maryland Jockey Club Photo.

Mens Grille Racing’s Roanan Goddess improved off her first two tries in stakes company to start her sophomore campaign with a victory in Saturday’s $99,000 Xtra Heat Stakes at Laurel Park.

Sixth in the Smart Halo in November and fourth in the Gin Talking in December – both at Laurel – Roanan Goddess overcame some jostling and tight quarters late in Saturday’s Xtra Heat to win by 2 1/4 lengths over Reconcile. Jeiron Barbosa rode the winner, a 3-year-old daughter of former New York-based sire Leofric, for trainer Hamilton Smith.

Sent off as the 2-1 third choice in the field of five, Roanan Goddess rated third behind the early speed Reconcile and C C Royal through the opening quarter-mile in :22.86 over the muddy and sealed track. Reconcile continued to lead by a length over C C Royal around the far turn and to the half in :46.74, with Roanan Goddess just behind while still on the inside.

Roanan Goddess challenged for the lead near the 3/16ths pole and jostled a bit with Reconcile making her bid. She took over from there and drew off inside the final sixteenth to win going away. Reconcile held second, 2 lengths ahead of C C Royal with 7-5 favorite Heart fourth. The final time was 1:11.82.

Bred by Chad Carter, foaled at Rockridge Stud in Hudson and out of the winning Midnight Lute mare Night Madam, Roanan Goddess sold for $30,000 to C & C Stables at the 2022 Fasig-Tipton Midlantic Eastern fall yearling sale. She later sold to Mens Grille Racing for $60,000 at last year’s Fasig-Tipton Midlantic May sale.

Roanan Goddess is the second foal out of Night Madam, who is also the dam of the eight-time winning New York-bred Alpha mare Madam Alpha. Night Madam is also the dam of a West Virginia-bred 2-year-old full brother to Roanan Goddess named Snowy Night.

Roanan Goddess has raced exclusively in the Mid-Atlantic region, starting her career with a sixth in a turf sprint maiden at Laurel before a victory in a similar 5 ½-furlong maiden race in early September at Colonial Downs. Switched to the dirt after that victory, Roanan Goddess finished second and first in allowance-optional races at Laurel to earn those tries in stakes company to end her juvenile campaign.

The Xtra Heat was worth $60,000 to Roanan Goddess’ connections and the filly improved to 3-1-0 in seven starts with $147,240.