Kennedy Road Stakes (Grade 2)- $175.000 Purse
WO- For Three Year Olds and Upward
Six Furlongs on the Dirt
November 15, 2025

North of the border this Saturday, a field of nine will be heading to the starting gate for WO’s Kennedy Road Stakes, a six-furlong race held on the main track. This is a Grade 2 and has been since it was upgraded in 2014. Unfortunately, the purse has not seen a similar upgrade and has remained between $150.000 and $200.000 since 2008. Last year, John Henry led Indiscretion to the win in this race, and he remains active today and running for similar purses. The trainer brings a new one to the Kennedy Road as he looks for this third such win. Here’s a look at all nine of them that will be running:

1- Apocolyptic (The Next Lohnro, ridden by M Z Buchanan)- Making just the seventh start of his career. Won on debut at TUP in February, then took an allowance at SUN two starts later. Since then, he has been running in open allowances and has been competitive in those races. Last time out, he ran in a $94.000 allowance at AQU and finished fourth. He’ll make his stake debut here and while he does not have the resume as the others, this is his opportunity to prove himself.

2- Big Turkey (Asgar, ridden by P Moran)- Heads to the track for the fifth time on the year, fresh off nearly winning a starter allowance at AQU where he had to settle for second. That’s been a theme to his career, as in 25 races, he’s only won three times, but it won’t stop him from his graded debut here. He’s been in a handful of ungraded races and got one of his three wins in the $30.000 Retirement Stakes at FE.

3- Glee (Night Rider Stables, ridden by E J Wilson)- Just six months ago, Night Rider claimed this one at PRX for a mere $7.500. Glee had a long career in overnights, but that would change with his new trainer. In his second race after the claim, the gelding was sent to the Grade 1 Forego, and would run third, finishing within a length of the winner. He’d be third again after that, this time in the Grade 2 Phoenix. More of the same may be all it takes to beat this company.

4- Only Way Is Up (The Sidley Stud, ridden by P Morales)- There was no rest for this one after he ran in the BC Sprint, as he sent back to the track here two weeks later. After running on the lead, he was passed by several late and finished in the middle of the field. Earlier this year, Only Way Is Up ran on three weeks rest and had no problem with it, winning the Grade 3 Cartier Stakes here in May. I’d have confidence with him with the turnaround, but he’s not as good right now as he was in the spring. The trainer hopes that can change here.

5- Mystic Freak Party (Maxmillion Farm, ridden by O Moreno)- Started his three-year-old season with a win in the Grade 2 San Vicente Stakes at SA, and two starts later he was second in the $400.000 Lafayette in early April. He’s only run three times since and has not been as good. The trainer gave him four months of rest after the $250.000 Maxfield, but there was nothing to party about after an optional claimer in October, and it would not have suggested that he should be running here three weeks later. However, Mystic Freak Party worked nicely at DMR last week, giving hope that he can show that form from early in the year.

6- Wyatt Langmore (John Henry, ridden by L Salles)- Looks to get John Henry back into the winner’s here in what is his 30th career start. John Henry purchased this one from Fractious for $125.000 not too long after a win in the $300.000 Bet On Sunshine and has gotten solid, though not jaw dropping results since then. Most of those races have been overnights, and he ran in the same open allowance that Apocolyptic was in last month. Wyatt Langmore was a non-factor there but he has been inconsistent at times.

7- Elvis Lives Party (Mb Stables, ridden by P Husbands)- The Penal Code gelding has had a great year, with four wins in nine starts while hitting the board in seven of them. Two starts ago, he was strong second in the Bold Venture Stakes here in August, and he seemed poised to follow that up well in the SA Sprint Championships. However, he was only eighth there while only being beaten by a length. Has had some time to rest after that and will look to be the one partying here at the end.

8- Admiral Knight (TwinTowersRacing, ridden by D Moran)- Time will tell if TwinTowersRacing got a steal with this horse, one that he bought for just $5.000, from Maxmillion Farm, in May. Ordinarily, you wouldn’t think Maxmillion would let a good one go for that cheap, and after not showing much in two races this year, we saw the sale. Admiral Knight has made four starts since then with one win but not hitting the board in any of the others. However, his one stake attempt, the Grade 1 Forego, saw him finish sixth but lose by just a length. Is that just a case of a close finish commonly seen in our virtual world, or can this horse duplicate that?

9- Mr Cockypants (La Canada Racehorses, ridden by R M Hernandez)- He’s been a regular in graded competition, and typically puts in a competitive effort. That doesn’t always mean getting a piece of the purse, but other than the SA Derby, he doesn’t lose by more than a length. His season highlight came this spring when he won the Grade 3 Gotham, though he has been sprinting since six furlongs. Should be in the mix again, but while is plenty of capable of winning, there are simply others in here that excite me more.

Prediction: 3-7-4-9

— NS

Categories: Grade II, STAKES ARTICLES