OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Two heads away from being undefeated, Everso Mischievous looks to close out a solid 3-year-old campaign with his fourth straight victory when he heads a field of 12 entered in Saturday’s Grade 2, $500,000 Cigar Mile Handicap at Aqueduct. The addition of blinkers and the natural maturity of a young horse has helped Everso Mischievous develop from a beaten odds-on favorite on debut here nine months ago into a multiple stakes winner who has won his last three starts, including the Grade 2 Forty Niner Stakes here Oct. 28. “He’s just a 3-year-old who is still figuring it out, but he is figuring it out,” trainer Brad Cox said of Everso Mischievous. “Early on, he was one that was waiting on horses. He did that the first time he ran at Aqueduct. He’s one that’s still learning to run away from his competition, but as long as he keeps his head in front we’ll be happy.” After Everso Mischievous lost two of his first three starts, Cox added blinkers to his equipment. He won a first-level allowance at Saratoga in August, the Harrods Creek at Churchill in September, and the Forty Niner. “The blinkers have propelled him forward,” Cox said. “He’ll have to work out a trip from the inside, but he’s doing very well.” Everso Mischievous worked out a trip from post 2 under Cristian Torres in the Forty Niner, and he’ll break from that same post in this 12-horse field on Saturday. Dr Ardito and Accretive, both trained by Chad Brown, were a nose apart, second and third, in the Forty Niner. Dr Ardito, a 5-year-old New York-bred gelding by Liam’s Map, has enjoyed most of his success in restricted company. He is 5 for 7 at Aqueduct and will likely sit back and make one run under Manny Franco. Accretive, second to Gunite in last year’s Grade 2 Amsterdam, was a solid second to Cody’s Wish in the Grade 2 Vosburgh and then third, beaten just a half-length, in the Forty Niner. A poor break may have cost him in the Forty Niner. “He ran well despite missing the break,” Brown said. “If he broke better, he probably would have been right there.” :: Bet the races with a $200 First Deposit Match + FREE All Access PPs! Join DRF Bets. Brown’s third entrant in the Cigar Mile is Cascais, who is only 1 for 3 and coming off a second to next-out winner Signator in an allowance that was his first start off an 11-month layoff. “I think he’s going to move forward,” Brown said. “A forward move off those numbers would put him in the mix.” Jose Ortiz rides Cascais from post 4. Three horses who participated in this year’s Breeders’ Cup are part of the Cigar Mile field, including Senor Buscador, seventh in the Classic, and Hoist the Gold and Three Technique, sixth and eighth, respectively, in the Sprint. Senor Buscador found himself too far back in the Classic, and ultimately ended up seventh, 5 1/4 lengths behind White Abarrio. His connections are hoping the cutback to a one-turn mile will result in a better trip for him. The last time he ran a one-turn mile, Senor Buscador won the Grade 3 Ack Ack at Churchill Downs in 2022. “He laid close that day, that was very easy for him,” trainer Todd Fincher said. Senor Buscador will break from post 3 under Junior Alvarado. Three Technique finished third in the 2022 Ack Ack. Earlier this year, he won the Grade 2 John Nerud Stakes at Belmont. He came out of that race with a bacterial infection that forced trainer Jason Cook to adjust his schedule. After a third in the Ack Ack and an eighth in the Sprint, Cook believes his horse is primed for a top effort Saturday. “If I didn’t think he had a big shot I would have turned him out,” said Cook, who, along with his horse, arrived in New York early Thursday morning. “Monday, I watched him [train] and he’s going as good as he went all year.” Hoist the Gold finished sixth in the Sprint after winning the Grade 2 Phoenix at Keeneland. Trainer Dallas Stewart said jockey John Velazquez told him Hoist the Gold resented getting dirt in his face in the Sprint. “Once he got free of the dirt, he galloped out in front of everybody,” Stewart said. Velazquez “recommended we run him in this race. He thought he’d like it, better chance of getting in a position in the clear.” Velazquez rides Hoist the Gold from post 11. Coastal Mission, a West Virginia-bred who has won 11 of 16 starts, will step into graded company for the first time. Castle Chaos comes off a fast-figured allowance win going a mile here Nov. 2. Pipeline would need his form from a year ago to be competitive in what will be his first start for trainer Cherie DeVaux. High Oak was entered, but is not definite to run. The Cigar Mile goes as the last of 10 races on a card that begins at 11:50 a.m. and includes the Grade 2, $250,000 Remsen for 2-year-olds; the Grade 2, $250,000 Demoiselle for 2-year-old fillies; and the Grade 3, $200,000 Go for Wand for older females. Saturday's card features a carryover of $35,164 in the pick six after the bet went unhit Friday. :: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.