1/3/2026
2 AQU The Jerome [KYD]
$150.000 3YO 1m Dirt 122lbs +penalties 
The Jerome proved to be a very competitive race, which was somewhat expected. When they hit the wire, Big Guns Stables‘ Political Star proved a half length better than post time favorite, Meekshallinherit, earning the all important 10 KYD points and the bulk of the $150.000 purse. This is only his second lifetime win, breaking maiden at DMR, and takes his lifetime earnings to $244.000. Congrats to the connections!
As mentioned, Big Jd Racing’s Meekshallinherit was the favorite and took down the place money, a half length better than a dead head for third between Mb Stables’ Sweet N Spicy and D J C Racing Stables’ Weaponize. The final running time was 1:35.26 for the flat mile, and the main AQU oval was listed as Fast. Only three lengths covered the field of twelve and we did have one scratch as Political Asylum was excluded by his owner.
$2 Mutuel Prices:
| 1 – Political Star | 10.90 | 4.60 | 3.00 |
| 10 – Meekshallinherit | 4.10 | 2.70 | |
| 7 – Sweet N Spicy (DH) | 2.70 | ||
| 9 – Weaponize (DH) | 4.20 |
Winner: Political Star B c 3 Political Pressure – Ethereum Star, by Sinissippi Star
Owner: Big Guns Stable Breeder: Big Gun Stables (NY)
Track: Fast Time: :231 :464 1:104 1:351
$1 Exacta: 1 – 10 Paid 21.20 $1 Trifecta: 1 – 10 – 7 Paid 43.10, 1 – 10 – 9 Paid 92.20
Scratched: Political Asylum
3 AQU The Busanda [KYO]
$150.000 3YOF 1 1/8m Dirt 122lbs +penalties 
It was a bit more of a run-away in The Busanda as Mb Stables‘ Real Tactics almost played with this field, drawing away to win by two (looked like more) lengths and taking Saturday’s The Busanda at AQU. Likewise, she lands the KYO points and the lion’s share of the $150.000 purse, in the process. This was her third life-time victory, her first stakes… after losing three NY-bred stakes. The final running time for the mile and an eighth was 1:48.76, over the Fast AQU main track.
Madame Masque from the Riggins Racing outfit secured the runner-up spot, a neck better than Quiet Heat from The Sidley Stud, then another quarter length to Barcelona Farms’ Kauai Mystery in fourth. Seven lengths covered the field of seven and there were no scratches in this one.
$2 Mutuel Prices:
| 1 – Real Tactics | 6.60 | 3.20 | 2.50 |
| 6 – Madame Masque | 3.40 | 2.60 | |
| 3 – Quiet Heat | 3.70 |
Winner: Real Tactics Bl f 3 Tactical – Raw And Real by Ooh Raw
Owner: Mb Stables Breeder: Mb Stables (NY)
Track: Fast Time: :47 1:113 1:361 1:483
$1 Exacta: 1 – 6 Paid 11.10 $1 Trifecta: 1 – 6 – 3 Paid 74.30
Scratched: None
5 SA Santa Ynez Stakes [KYO]
$150.000 3YOF 7F Dirt 121lbs +penalties 
It took a photo to separate the top three finishers in Saturday’s Santa Ynez Stakes, and when the dust settled, the film was processed and the stewards poured over the pictures, Grecia Tieta from the Waldo outfit took the photo and the win. The gray filly set a disputed pace throughout the seven-furlong test and was game til the end to win by a head. This was her second win from three starts, both of those victories coming in front running style. She now has $89.400 in earnings from that trio of efforts. Congrats to the connections!
Pineapple Puff, trained by Nakamura Stables, pressed the eventual winner throughout but couldn’t get to the winner, and was able to hole the place position by the slimmest of margins over Wimmians9’s Hot Bobbygum. It was another half-length back to Whirlwind Spirit, the Acber Farms conditioned filly, in fourth. Four lengths covered the field of nine, the final running time was 1:22.29 and there were no scratches.
$2 Mutuel Prices:
| 2 – Grecia Tieta | 23.40 | 11.30 | 7.10 |
| 3 – Pineapple Puff | 5.80 | 4.30 | |
| 7 – Hot Bobbygum | 8.70 |
Winner: Grecia Tieta Gr f 3 Wii – State Of Peace, by Great State
Owner: Waldo Breeder: Waldo (Cal)
Track: Fast Time: :224 :461 1:10 1:221
$1 Exacta: 2 – 3 Paid 62.20 $1 Trifecta: 2 – 3 – 7 Paid 1,210.50
Scratched: None
1 OP The Smarty Jones [KYD]
$250.000 3YO 1 1/16m Dirt 121lbs 
The Smarty Jones ended up being a very interesting race… as expected. This track always seems to leave you scratching your head, a bit. The tote was lit-up as Nakamura Stables‘ Art Of Boom went kaboom! taking this KYD prep by three-quarters of a length at nearly 10/1 odds. The final running time for the mile and a sixteenth was 1:41.43, over the Fast OP surface. This was the third win in a row for the bay colt, and he now has lifetime earnings of $232.280. He’s certainly a horse to watch on the TC Trail, and the connections have to be excited about this one!
TwinTowersRacing keeps the longshot idea going with Cherokee Monster taking the runner-up spot, at a surprising 25/1. He is a stakes winner, and those odds seem a bit steep, but never mind that, they will take the KYD points and move on to the next venue. Another three-quarters of a length back, Mb Stables takes the show position by a nose with Flop, then Delta Farms Knockturn Alley in fourth. Seven lengths covered the field of eleven, we had a single scratch with Wally Gator being excluded early, and of note, Warrior Bay was deactivated after the race.
$2 Mutuel Prices:
| 5 – Art Of Boom | 21.40 | 10.80 | 5.60 |
| 2 – Cherokee Monster | 21.00 | 17.80 | |
| 4 – Flop | 3.50 |
Winner: Art Of Boom B c 3 Lack O Lantern – Moving Art by Poet Laureate
Owner: Nakamura Stables Breeder: Woogaloo (NY)
Track: Fast Time: :231 :464 1:104 1:412
$1 Exacta: 5 – 2 Paid 167.20 $1 Trifecta: 5 – 2 – 4 Paid 1,161.90
Scratched: Wally Gator
Categories: STAKES ARTICLES, THE TRIPLE CROWN, Ungraded