Kentucky Oaks – G1
$1.500.000 – For Fillies Three Years Old
1 1/8 Miles – Dirt
Churchill Downs – May 1, 2026

It was not easy, but it wasn’t supposed to be, it was the Kentucky Oaks! Not easy but in the end the result was the same. Monarchy enters. Monarchy wins. The homebred Mo Mentum daughter of second season stallion History ran her record to a perfect six wins in six starts when she hit the wire first in front of thirteen other fillies who, to date, represent the best of their crop.

Winner: Monarchy (Mo Mentum Farm/V. Espinoza) History/Fastidious (Freddo Cappuccino) She broke well from her cushy post and was immediately engaged and challenged up front by Dreambits and Pineapple Puff who were rushed out of posts twelve and thirteen respectively. She didn’t engage the front two in an all out speed duel down the backstretch but she laid on their flanks and didn’t give them any quarter. As Pineapple Puff edged ahead at the top of the stretch Monarchy was a length behind and faced the dual challenge of chasing down a stubborn foe ahead of her and holding off the charge of the closers who had been biding their time while letting the leaders do the early work. With a furlong to go she had barely closed on the leader and Tranect was coming fast outside while Do Not Disturb was flying on the rail. Honestly, it was not looking great for Monarchy. In the last furlong Wicked Angelina joined the fray closing fastest of all and Be Royal also showed up on the scene late but Monarchy dug in and gutted it out to hit the wire first and stay perfect.

Second: Pineapple Puff (Nakamura Stables/I. Castillo) Huff N Puff/Pineapple Cup (Red Cup) Put her in the gutsy column along with the winner. She had the worst of it among the three early pacesetters having drawn furthest of them and being widest of the trio around both turns. She was not easy to get by in the stretch and lost by what I would call a long neck. Winning effort that fell just short. 

Third: Wicked Angelina (The Sidley Stud/M. Franco) Techfluence Heat/Sexy Angelina (Dial It In) I said in the preview that she was a very good filly and she ran a terrific race. Took her time and settled after breaking from post ten. Had a very wide trip throughout and that loss of ground comes with a price. This is the second time that she has fallen a half a length short of Monarchy so a rivalry might be starting to brew. 

Fourth: Tranect (Acber Farms/P. Lopez) Whisky A Go Go/Neon Heat (Neon Wolf) Stalked a few lengths off of the three leaders throughout and swung wide into the stretch and appeared dangerous for a moment. Closed well but never found the gear to get her to the top two and was caught for third late while just edging Do Not Disturb who closed along the rail for the final check. Good effort to turnaround her uncharacteristically poor run in her last prep. 

This was the first Kentucky Oaks win for Mo Mentum Farm as an owner and second as a breeder having bred the great Naples who won this race in 2021. It was the first win in this race for Jockey V. Espinoza. With the win, Monarchy adds a her first G1 victory to her two previous graded stakes wins. The $900.00 winner’s share of the purse brings her career earnings to a total of $1.304.25. She is the first stakes winner for both her sire and dam. Congratulations are definitely in order and well-earned for this impressive three-year-old and her connections.

Categories: Grade I, STAKES ARTICLES