Separationofpowers withstood a bump from Mia Mischief – and perhaps a whip across her face as well _ to win the Grade 1, $500,000 Test Stakes by a neck over a stubborn Mia Mischief. It was 3 1-2 legnths back to Alter Moon in third.

Separationofpowers finished fourth after stumbling badly at the break in the Grade 3 Victory Ride Stakes last month at Belmont Park, but made a good run to finish fourth.

Today, she broke better under Jose Ortiz, raced in midpack then made a four-wide move to join the pace-setting Mia Mischief, who had wrested the lead from Classy Act and Minit to Stardom early.

When it looked like Separationofpowers was going to blow by Mia Mischief in midstretch, Mia Mischief hung tough. The two bumped and it did appear as though Ricardo Santana’s whip inadvertently struck Separationofpowers in the nose.

It didn’t matter as Separationofpowers outlasted Mia Mischief to the wire.

Separationofpowers ($6.60) covered the seven furlongs in 1:22.78 over a fast track.

Separationofpowers, who won the Grade 1 Frizette at Belmont as a 2-year-old, is owned by Klaravich Stables and trained by Chad Brown. For Brown, who also trained third-place finisher Alter Moon, it was his second stakes win of the afternoon having already taken the $100,000 De La Rose with Uni.

He is about to send out Backyard Heaven in the Grade 1 Whitney.