Honest Mischief colt wires stakes debut in NYSSS. (Susie Raisher)
NYRA Press Office
OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Blue Devil Racing Stable and Jerold Zaro’s Friend Ofthe Devil made an impressive stakes debut when wiring Saturday’s $150,000 Spectacular Bid division of the New York Stallion Stakes Series, a six-furlong outer turf sprint for eligible New York-sired sophomores, at Belmont at the Big A.
Trained by Carlos Martin, the Honest Mischief bay went off a heavy favorite, entering from a pacesetting sophomore debut score versus elders in a local six-furlong New York-bred allowance on April 25 under returning rider Christopher Elliott.
“What a nice horse – an exciting horse to have in the barn, no doubt,” said Martin. “He doesn’t look like he’s going 43 and four [for the half-mile], he looks like he’s going 47 and four. He’s just got that natural speed and you don’t want to take that away from him.”
Friend Ofthe Devil exited post 4 alertly but it was his Martin-trained stablemate Dancing Bear jumping quickest of all from the outermost post 5. Friend Ofthe Devil claimed the lead after a few strides, leading Dancing Bear and River of Time into the turn through an opening quarter-mile in 21.98 seconds over the firm turf.
“Leaving there, he did hit the gate – he broke out a little bit, but after that he relaxed nice and was doing it easy,” said Elliott. “He’s a very classy horse. He’s a horse you can’t really take too much of a hold of because he’ll lug out.”
Friend Ofthe Devil held a comfortable advantage over Dancing Bear and River of Time in the turn, with I’m Due and Strobe Light trying to keep up through a half-mile in 43.92. At the top of the lane, Elliott took a confident peek back and let Friend Ofthe Devil out a notch once straightened for home.
Jockey Junior Alvarado tipped River of Time out to the two-path as Dancing Bear faded in the stretch, but he could only give chase as Friend Ofthe Devil drew off to a four-length victory in a final time of 1:07.41.
“He finished up really good. He did it nice and easy and he just keeps getting better and better. You have to let him do his thing, but he’s a talented young horse and I’m excited that I had the opportunity to ride him,” said Elliott, who earned his first New York Racing Association, Inc. (NYRA)-stakes victory and second all-time, adding to a win in the Regret aboard Reclusive last July at Monmouth Park.
I’m Due got up for third three lengths back of River of Time, with Dancing Bear and Strobe Light completing the order of finish. Sunshine Dancer, Soontobeking, and main track-only entrant Ducky Medwick were scratched.
Marc Holliday, of Blue Devil Racing Stable and Chairman of NYRA’s Board of Directors, tipped his cap to winning sire Honest Mischief, who also sired Mischief Lady, a pacesetting winner of last Saturday’s off-the-turf NYSSS Cupecoy’s Joy division for sophomore fillies.
“NYRA has spent so much time and effort to support this program. We want to have the best races, and we also want to have our New York-bred and New York-sired horses well represented,” said Holliday. “Honest Mischief has been a really honest sire, and he has some very nice horses out there – Friend Ofthe Devil is one of them. It’s a little extra satisfaction when you get into the winner’s circle with a horse like that.”
Holliday’s Blue Devil Racing Stable won overseas as well on Saturday with the Joseph O’Brien-trained Denim And Diamonds graduating by 11 lengths under jockey Ronan Whelan at Limerick.
“Denim and Diamonds is a 3-year-old filly who ran a beautiful race and won by 11 lengths which, in Ireland, that’s tough because the fields are pretty deep out there. She put it all together today in her first time on turf [after three starts on the Dundalk all-weather],” said Holliday.
Friend Ofthe Devil gets his first stakes win after winning the NYSS Spectacular Bid Division for Christopher Elliott and @TrainerCMartin pic.twitter.com/jwrNBDS6Ub
— NYRA () (@TheNYRA) June 21, 2025
Martin said he may stretch Friend Ofthe Devil out to one mile in the $150,000 NYSSS Cab Calloway on August 14 at Saratoga Race Course, named for the legendary jazz singer and bandleader.
“He handled everything so professionally. He looked great and I’m excited about maybe giving him an opportunity with a little more distance staying in the Stallion Series in the Cab Calloway,” said Martin. “Hopefully, if we can get him to cooperate and relax a little, a mile might be within his scope. He was an old family friend, Cab Calloway.”
Great hat, better smile! Friend Ofthe Devil, by @sequelnewyork's Honest Mischief, rolled home in the Spectacular Bid division of the NYSSS. Least, Farview, & Tugel bred Blue Devil, Zaro, @TrainerCMartin, & Christopher Elliot's talented #NYbred. Full recap: https://t.co/4QzzM5T8ou pic.twitter.com/SEp0hroUc8
— NYTB (@nytbreeders) June 21, 2025
Friend Ofthe Devil is now 3-for-3 sprinting six furlongs over the Big A turf, improving his career record to 6-3-0-0 while banking $82,500 in victory and returning $2.60 for a $2 win bet.
Bred in the Empire State by Laurel Least, Farview Farm and Robert M. Tugel DVM, Friend Ofthe Devil, a $145,000 purchase at the 2023 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Preferred New York-bred Yearling Sale, is out of the Bodemeister mare Fabuleux. His second dam is stakes-winner Sluice – the third dam of reigning Grade 1 Kentucky Derby-winner and recent Grade 1 Belmont Stakes presented by NYRA Bets-victor Sovereignty. His third dam is multiple Grade 1-winner Lakeway.
Live racing resumes Sunday at Belmont at the Big A with a nine-race program that features the $125,000 Wilton in Race 7. First post is 1:10 p.m. Eastern.
