The Eatontown Stakes – (Grade lll)

Purse $150.00 – For Fillies And Mares Three Years Old And Upward

 1 1/16 Miles – Turf

Monmouth Park – June 13, 2026

The 19th running of The Eatontown Stakes gives us a good look at rising and proven older fillies and mares. We have allowance winners to grade one winners entered this year, making the handicapping aspect that much harder. This stakes race has always been a grade three event since its inception in 2006, and it has also never changed in distance. Unlike many stakes races, no owner has managed to win The Eatontown Stakes more than once, a testament to the race’s competitive nature. A standout performance by Maxmillion Farms’ Angel Shark in 2019 produced the track record for the 1 1/16-mile distance, a mark that still stands today. The daughter of City Of Angels came from off the pace to score in her graded stakes debut, stopping the clock in 1:39.88. This year, the weather looks to be sunny with no chance of rain! It’s definitely going to be another exciting running of The Eatontown Stakes, so buckle up as we go through in depth for each runner.

1. I Earned It Baby – (Bigchief Stables, P L. Cotto Jr.) Figures to be one of the early pacesetters as this mare has done her best running close to the pace. If you cross out her race going 1¼ miles three starts back, I Earned It Baby really hasn’t done much wrong. She won the Megahertz at Santa Anita earlier in the year, which was her first graded stakes victory. The daughter of Creepy Palace tried to go back-to-back last time out in The Beaugay and just missed by a neck. I Earned It Baby had a two-length lead turning for home but unfortunately lost the lead in the final strides. Due to this mare’s recent form, there’s no question she’s in here with a shot. One to watch.

2. Fierce Competitor – (Mb Stables, Sa. Camacho) Comes in here with back-to-back wins against allowance company. This Ontario-bred won the Del Mar Oaks last year and stamped herself as a grade one winner. Connections tried stretching her out in distance after that win and found out that Fierce Competitor has some distance limitations. Her last two wins came at one mile in wire-to-wire fashion. The daughter of People Pleaser was the favorite last month in an N4X, making every pole a winning one as the heavy favorite. There’s no question this is a step up, but Fierce Competitor fits if she can find that grade one form. Other horses look more competitive in this spot.

3. Cheryl Fury – (The Sidley Stud, F. Jara) Talk about a model of consistency. This filly has eleven career starts and was only off the board in her debut! Cheryl Fury has run some good numbers on both surfaces, but the grass is where she runs best. Her last six races have been on the green stuff, and has yet to run worse than second. This California-bred had a breakthrough win last time out against state-bred company in the Valentine Stakes. Jockey Kazushi Kimura had Cheryl Fury in a perfect striking position off the pace and came with a big run to win by an easy length. Her sustained success should not be overlooked—a perfect off the pace setup is likely to happen here.

4. Lucy Heat – (The Sidley Stud, S. Marin) The second entrant for The Sidley Stud and is also the most lightly raced horse in the field. This daughter of Techfluence Heat has four lifetime races with three victories. Connections have campaigned Lucy Heat extremely well—from breaking her maiden to stepping up into allowance company. Once she crossed off those boxes, her owner took a shot in The Turf Distaff at Tampa Bay Downs. Lucy Heat was the heavy favorite and had no problems delivering an impressive performance. The West Virginia-bred found herself running against stakes company last time out to finish fifth. It’s difficult to look past her chances in this spot.

5. Painville – (Mo Mentum Farm, J. Bravo) The 2023-2024 HRP Turf Female of the Year. Despite being eight years old, Painville remains a force at the highest level and continues to earn competitive speed ratings. In nine outings last year, she finished second four times and third twice. She came agonizingly close to victory at both Saratoga and Kentucky Downs, falling a neck short on each occasion, before concluding her season in the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf. Now in 2026, Painville has had three starts in graded company with two thirds. While she continues to compete well, this mare has not broken through for a victory since November 2024.

6. Turbo Button – (Alydar Stables, J. Barbosa) Was a $34.33 auction purchase late last year as a maiden. Connections definitely saw something in this filly to pick her up winless and quickly put her in the winner’s circle a month after switching barns. While the majority of Turbo Button’s races are around one turn, she has some competitive numbers routing. Her last start was an eye-catching in an N4X at Monmouth Park—winning by an easy length. Jockey Joe Bravo had this New York-bred off the pace by a few lengths and came with a big run down the stretch. This is going to be a class test, but she may be ready. I’m still going in another direction to more attractive horses.

7. Anoushka Titan – (Maxmillion Farm, l. Castillo) This daughter looks to give her owner a second win in this stakes race to put him atop the standings. She is a multiple stakes winner who is in good form. Anoushka Titan won The Endeavour BC at Tampa earlier this year and put up a 96 speed figure. She came close to winning two graded stakes at Santa Anita, but ended up being outkicked in late stretch. The daughter of Anoush Command comes out of the CD Distaff Turf Mile, where connections looked to have changed tactics. She tried coming off the pace more than usual and finished fifth. If there is a speed duel up front, look for Anoushka Titan to be coming late.

– AJM

Categories: Grade III, STAKES ARTICLES