Mr. Misunderstood

After making his first two starts on the main track, Mr. Misunderstood earned his first career victory when racing on the grass for the first time. After another defeat on the main track, Mr. Misunderstood went back to the turf and won a pair of races at Fair Grounds in December 2017 and January 2017. After winning on a sloppy track by nine lengths in a race that was washed off the grass, Mr. Misunderstood finished seventh in the Illinois Derby. From there, he settled in as a grass specialist.

Mr. Misunderstood won the Super Derby Prelude Stakes and the Super Derby in back-to-back starts in August and September at Louisiana Downs. He then shipped to Churchill Downs and won the Jefferson Cup Stakes before earning his first graded stakes victory with a dominant win in the Grade 3 Commonwealth Turf Stakes under the twin spires, which was his seventh win in as many starts on grass.

Mr. Misunderstood bumped that turf record to eight-for-eight in his next start, winning a stakes race at Fair Grounds to close out 2017. He returned in the Fair Grounds Handicap in February 2018, finishing second to end the perfect streak, and then finished fourth and sixth in two more graded stakes on turf. Brad Cox returned his gelding to Churchill Downs for the Grade 2 Wise Dan Stakes on June 16, and Mr. Misunderstood regained his excellent turf form with a sharp win over Inspector Lynley.

Mr. Misunderstood followed with a 1 1/4-length win in the Kentucky Downs Preview Tourist Mile Stakes at Ellis Park before running third at Kentucky Downs in September in the Tourist Mile Stakes. After an unplaced finish in the Grade 1 Shadwell Turf Mile Stakes at Keeneland, Mr. Misunderstood returned to his favorite turf course for the Grade 3 River City Handicap at Churchill on Nov. 17 and outfinished stablemate Big Changes to post his third graded stakes victory at the Louisville track.

Mr. Misunderstood was given seven months off following his River City victory and returned in a July allowance race at Churchill Downs in which he ran third. He finished in the top three in a pair of stakes over his next three starts before rediscovering his winning for in the 2019 River City Handicap Nov. 16 at Churchill. He stalked the pace from midpack, split horses in the stretch, and reeled in Collum Road in the final sixteenth of a mile to prevail.