08/19/2026 Barn Notes

Compiled by Robert Yates

Allowance winners from the 2025-2026 Oaklawn meeting added three more stakes victories last weekend, including a graded score for the track’s all-time leading trainer.

Stradale, in his second start on turf, held off Oaklawn stakes winner Oscar’s Hope by a neck to capture the $225,000 G3-Mahony Stakes for 3-year-old sprinters Sunday at Saratoga.

Jose Ortiz rode Stradale ($16.20) for Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen and owner Kaleem Shah. Stradale opened 2026 with a first-level allowance victory March 5 at Oaklawn before finishing second, beaten a neck, in its $150,000 Bachelor Stakes May 1. Both races were six furlongs.

A son of the Asmussen-trained Yaupon, one of the country’s leading sires, Stradale was exiting a fourth-place finish in his grass debut, the G3-Quick Call Stakes July 19 at Saratoga.

Oscar’s Hope, then with now-retired trainer Tom Amoss, won the $150,000 Ozark Stakes for 3-year-old sprinters Feb. 16 at Oaklawn. Oscar’s Hope was making his turf debut in the Mahony.

Stradale’s winning time over a firm surface was 1:03.34. Stradale’s first stakes victory, and third in 10 starts overall, raised his earnings to $388,300.

Oaklawn winners Stars and Stripes and Parchment Party finished 1-2, respectively, in the $200,000 Birdstone Stakes Thursday at Saratoga for Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott.

Stars and Stripes won the Birdstone, a 1 ¾-mile event for 3-year-olds and up, by a nose under Luis Saez, Oaklawn’s co-seventh-leading jockey last season. Parchment Party, the 6-5 favorite, won last year’s Birdstone and the $200,000 Temperence Hill Stakes for older horses at 1 ½ miles March 28 at Oaklawn.

Stars and Stripes ($6.86) won a 1 1/8-mile allowance race March 8 at Oaklawn and the G3-Ben Ali Stakes at 1 3/16 miles April 18 at Keeneland in his next start.

Oaklawn winners Kerry's Kiss and Indy Bay finished 1-2, respectively, in the seven-furlong $100,000 Sheer Drama Handicap for fillies and mares Saturday at Gulfstream Park. Both horses are trained by Florida-based Saffie Joseph Jr., who won nikne of 22 starts, including five stakes at the 2025-2026 Oaklawn meeting.

Kerry's Kiss ($4.80) is two-for-two for Joseph since being privately purchased following a front-running 1 1/16-mile allowance victory April 18 at Oaklawn. Kerry’s Kiss beat Indy Bay by 2 ¾ lengths in the Musical Romance Handicap June 27 at Gulfstream Park and by 1 ½ front-running lengths in the Sheer Drama. Indy Bay, after being privately purchased and transferred to Joseph, was an allowance winner in April 2025 at Oaklawn. She later won two stakes in 2025, including the G2-Charles Town Oaks.

Other 2025-2026 Oaklawn allowance winners to notch significant victories after the meeting ended May 2 include: Forged Steel (G2-Hollywood Gold Cup) for Joseph, Stronghold (G3-Triple Bend Stakes) for trainer Phil D’Amato, Nu What’s New (G3-Hanshin Stakes) for trainer Jimmy DiVito and J J Grey

(Iowa Derby) for trainer Kenny McPeek.

Finish Lines

Favored millionaire Oaklawn stakes winner Zeitlos ($4.76) won the 5 ½-furlong $200,000 Smarty And Fancy Stakes for fillies and mares on the turf Friday at Saratoga. … Millionaire Oaklawn stakes winner Bishops Bay ($5) won the $150,000 G3-Philip H. Iselin Stakes at 1 1/16 miles Saturday at Monmouth Park. … Oaklawn “ratings handicap” and maiden winner Pink Ruby ($15) won the $125,000 All Brandy Stakes Saturday at Colonial Downs. The 1 1/16-mile turf race was for fillies and mares, 3 and up, that were bred in Virginia or Maryland and/or Virginia or Maryland sired. … Victoriam Racing purchased half-interest in millionaire 3-year-old Oaklawn stakes winner Silent Tactic for $1.5 million through a digital flash sale conducted by Fasig-Tipton. Bidding closed Friday. Silent Tactic was the only horse to go through Oaklawn’s four-race Kentucky Derby qualifying series in 2026. He ran second in the $250,000 Smarty Jones Stakes Jan. 3, won the $1 million G3-Southwest Stakes Feb. 6, finished second in the $1 million G2-Rebel Stakes March 1 and was second in the $1.5 million G1-Arkansas Derby March 28 for owner John C. Oxley and dual Hall of Fame trainer Mark Casse. Casse, Oaklawn’s third-leading trainer last season, is pointing Silent Tactic for the $1.25 million G1-Travers Stakes Aug. 29 at Saratoga.