Bourbonette Oaks
$300.000 For Fillies Three Years Old
1 1/16 Miles – Dirt
Turfway Park – March 21, 2026
Nine fillies went to the gate Saturday night at Turfway Park. Four came away with checks from the $300.000 purse and five came away adding to their Kentucky Oaks qualifying points totals. Balance That Budget came away with the winner’s circle photo, the bulk of the cash and the points with the latter being arguably the most important with only five qualifying races left now on the racing calendar.
Winner: Balance That Budget (Rock Creek/P. Husbands) Political Pressure/Raindrops And Roses (Chase My Tail Lights) Had been running close but had not found a way to hit the wire first again since her maiden win. Found the perfect stalking trip. Joined the fight at the top of the stretch and put away the early leader. It looked like she might have a stretch challenge from Bubble Bath on the rail, but she was too strong and the late rally from Cailleach was never a serious threat. Getting stronger at the right time. 50 KY Oaks points for winning puts her in fourth place with a total of 63 points.
Second: Cailleach (Jerry Garcia Racing/F. Geroux) Winter Book/Expressed Prayers (Carson Express) Never seems to run a bad race. Plodded along at the back of the pack and waited patiently to make her move. Swung wide around the turn and closed strongly the last furlong but had been left with too much ground to make up. 25 KY Oaks points for finishing second places her currently in tenth place with a total of 51.
Third: Bubble Bath (Maxmillion Farm/S. Elliott) Demon/Crazy Girl (Worst Case Scenario) Sat in a perfect stalking place just off the flank of the eventual winner ahead of her. Kept her position around the turn and got the rail trip as the pacesetter began to tire and moved out. Was poised to threaten for the win at the top of the stretch but could not find the finishing kick needed to seriously challenge. Picked up 15 KY Oaks qualifying points and currently sits in thirty-fifth place with her 15-point total.
Fourth: Pineapple Puff (Nakamura Stables/A.A. Gallardo) Huff N Puff/Pineapple Cup (Red Cup) Used her early speed to break from the far outside post after the scratch of Cross Stitch. Had to run hard to the first turn to clear the field and take up a rail spot and the early lead. Set the pace to the top of the stretch but began to give a bit from having done all the hard work early. Could not fight for the top spots but was determined enough to hold onto fourth. Gained 10 KY Oaks points for finishing fourth and sits comfortable in third with 65 points.
Fifth: Lucky Delite (The Sidley Stud/Ar. Bocachica) Lucky Brandy/Charleys Delite (Charley Farley) Stalked down the backstretch but could not mount a rally when asked in an even stretch run. Gained 5 KY Oaks qualifying points for her fifth-place finish and is currently seventeenth with a total of 32 points.
Preview Pick: Bunny Connection. Seemed poised to put forth a big effort but didn’t show anything at any stage and finished a dull seventh.
The Bourbonette Oaks win was the first for both the Rock Creek barn and jockey P. Husbands. It was the first stakes win for Balance That Budget who was bred by Allinthegate. She is the fourth stakes winner for her sire Political Pressure and the very first stakes winner produced by her dam Raindrops And Roses. This was the fifth time the Bourbonette has been run at a mile and a sixteenth and the winning time of 1:41.83 shaved two ticks off of last year’s stakes record at that distance. This win brings the three-year-old filly’s career earnings to $283.720.
Categories: STAKES ARTICLES, Ungraded