Menard Memorial Stakes ($100.000 Purse)
FG- For Fillies and Mares Four Years Old and Upward
Five and a Half Furlongs on the Turf
January 10, 2026

On Saturday, Lwaxana would become the third horse to win the Menard Memorial Stakes more than once, backing up her win in the prior edition of the race, held in late 2024, by handling the yielding turf. There would ultimately be just five horses that took part, as Pelucha was scratched, likely due to the weather. Lwaxana’s win makes Alydar Stables a two-time winner of the Menard, while jockey I Castillo does so for the first time. Congratulations to them! The race was in a time of 1:06.20. Let’s take a look at it!

(1/4 Mile- :23.47)- No one was particularly hurried out of the gate, and as the field moves down the backstretch, it is Xcel Racing’s Mollys Sweet Nectar holding a half-length advantage over Big Jd Racing’s When Doves Cry. Running with them while on the rail is TwinTowersRacing’s Jinkzy. The eventual winner of the race, Lwaxana, stalks these three for Alydar Stables, and is in the lane right behind Mollys Sweet Nectar on the outside. The Nakamura Stables- trained Sneaky Panther is a length and a half further back.

(Top of Stretch, 2F To Go)- As soon as they begin to work around the turn, When Doves Cry pushes past Mollys Sweet Nectar, and handles the turn quite nicely. Entering the stretch, she’s almost a length in front, and the third place Jinkzy begins to lose ground. We have not seen much from Lwaxana as of yet, but she is only about a length and a half from the front while in fourth with plenty of time to mount a charge. The same cannot be said for Sneaky Panther, who is looking sluggish at the back.

(Finish- 1:06.20)- Into the stretch, When Doves Cry is able to maintain a steady stride and looks to do all she can to hang on. Lwaxana was very gradually cutting into her advantage, but it seemed like she would need to do so at a quicker pace to get up in time. Just past a furlong to go, Lwaxana was asked for more run by I Castillo, and she would respond with a new gear, something that When Doves Cry would have no answer for. Approaching the wire, it was Lwaxana now in front, and she would not need to look back and further as she wins by nearly a length. When Doves Cry is a clear second, a length and a half ahead of Molly Sweet Nectar. Jinkzy dropped out of contention to fourth while Sneaky Panther was never a threat.

About The Winner- Lwaxana, trained by Alydar Stables and ridden to victory by I Castillo, is a six-year-old mare by Sacred Order and is out of the late Tennessee Titan. She was bred in California as a yearling by Alydar Stables, and they have been together throughout. Congratulations to the connections! The win is her sixth in 32 starts, and her fourth stake victory. Her career earnings improve to $617.920.

— NS

Categories: STAKES ARTICLES, Ungraded