Dueling Ground Oaks (Grade 3)- $2,000.000 Purse
KD- For Fillies Three Years Old
One Mile and Five Sixteenths on the Turf
September 10, 2025

Is there anything Credit Crime can’t do? The filly’s fantastic three-year-old season that already saw her win the KYO, run third in the BEL, as well as win two other Grade 1’s added a new accolade on Wednesday. Now, she has won a major turf race, taking the $2,000.000 Dueling Ground Oaks, and putting her year-to-date earnings over $3,100.000. She is trained by Aer Stables, and it is his first win in the Dueling Ground Oaks, and that is also true for I Ortiz Jr, the jockey who has had the honor of being Credit Crime’s regular rider. The winning race time was 2:05.40, which is quicker than last year’s time. Let’s take a look at this race now:

(½ Mile- :47.82)- Out of the gate, Arindel’s Spanish Empire and Royalty Stables’ Blakeney are side by side as the run around the opening turn, with the Mb Stables- trained Kash Bounty showing an interest in running with. This would settle down after a half mile, with Spanish Empire being ahead of Blakeney by about half a length and Kash Bounty settling into a large group of stalkers. Along the inside here, we have Happy Dancer running on the rail for Nakamura Stables while having the race’s eventual winner, the great Credit Crime from Aer Stables, right beside her. Over a couple lanes, but running evenly with them is Fierce Competitor, for Mb Stables, with Charlenes Way (Maxmillion Farm) in the thick of this pack. On the outside, we have Ruths House (TwinTowersRacing) close by, as is Firefish (Team 7 Illusions). After a length and a half, United Knightley (Saratoga Stud) leads the rest of the pack. Behind her, Peignoir (D J C Racing Stables) and Creepy Runner Party (Mb Stables) are side by side, then comes Vandine Road (Spb Racing) and Mean Girl (D J C Racing Stables).

(3/4 Mile- 1:11.82)- The race moves on with not much changing with the field. However, Spanish Empire is looking to inch away a little bit from the rest of the pack and is a full length ahead of second place Blakeney. It’s very congested right behind that one, and Credit Crime is a part of that group, running in the second lane behind Blakeney and perhaps hoping that there could be a lane on the rail opening up for her, but would need Happy Dancer to either push forward or drop back for that to happen. Nine of them are within three and a half lengths, with United Knightley at the front of the trailing pack of five.

(Top of Stretch, 2F To Go)- Midway through the turn, the group of stalkers is ready to swallow up Spanish Empire, as they all move over to prepare a pass of her. At the top of the stretch, Charlenes Way has taken over the top spot and looks to outkick the rest of the field all the way to the wire. Credit Crime would now be in the fourth lane, which would have her to the outside of Blakeney. She had a length to make up but had a clear lane to work with now in the stretch and plenty of time to make it happen. Happy Dancer and Fierce Competitor were also in a good position here, and on the far outside, Ruths House was trying to make it work out there. Further back, Creepy Runner Party had gained ground but still had a lot of horses to pass. Mean Girl also was hitting her best stride.

(Finish- 2:05.40)- With a furlong to go, Charlenes Way had put some daylight between herself and everyone other than Credit Crime. Unfortunately for Maxmillion Farm, Credit Crime is not the one you want to see catching your filly. Soon enough, they were even, and once that happened, it was in the bag for our KYO winner, and Credit Crime would run gamely to the wire to end up winning by a length over Charlenes Way. A length and a half behind that one was Creepy Runner Party, who had a tough time working through traffic early in the stretch. She did her best once she had room, but that’s only enough for third, but getting the nod in a tight three way photo with Happy Dancer, and Mean Girl. Mean Girl was running closer to the grandstand, it may have seemed, with how far outside she was forced to make her bid. It’s close to two lengths from her to Ruths House and Fierce Competitor, with the rest of the order reading United Knightley, Spanish Empire, Firefish, Vandine Road, Blakeney, Kash Bounty, and Peignoir.

About The Winner- Credit Crime, trained by Aer Stables and ridden to victory by I Ortiz Jr, is a three-year-old filly by War Chant and is out of Yuhwa. She was bred in Ontario as a yearling by Aer Stables, and they have been together throughout. Congratulations to the connections! The win is her ninth in 14 starts, her eighth stake win and seventh graded win. Her career earnings are now $4,060.550.

Track: Firm
Time: :47⁴  1:11⁴  1:36  2:05²

$2 Mutuel Prices:

$1 Exacta: 2 – 3 Paid 495.20
$1 Trifecta: 2 – 3 – 12 Paid 782.00

Scratched: None

— NS

Categories: Grade III, STAKES ARTICLES