Hirsch Stakes (Grade 1) (BC)- $400.00 Purse
DMR- For Fillies and Mares Three Years Old and Upward
One Mile and One Sixteenth on the Dirt
August 1, 2026

Two years ago, Decimas Queen ruled over the Hirsch Stakes, and she would return this year to try and knock off the most recent filly to win the crown, Present Tense, as well as six others. A win would make her the first two-time winner of the Hirsch, and she came into the race hot. Two starts prior, she won the Grade 3, $500.00 Modesty Stakes, and then last time out ran second in the Grade 1 Phipps. She’d find herself near the back of the field at the start, which is not her typical style, but she would make it work to pick up her seventh career win. Decimas Queen is trained by Maxmillion Farm and was ridden by S X Bridgmohan. It’s the third time that Maxmillion Farm has won the Hirsch, with his without Decimas Queen was in 2021 with the late Empire World. For the jockey, it is his second Hirsch win. Congratulations to them! The time of the win was 1:41.50, which is among the better winning times for the race. Let’s take a look at it now!

(1/4 Mile- :22.98)- The only horse in the field with double digit odds, the Williams9- trained Ontario Pharmacist bursts out to the lead and is up by two after a quarter mile. The rest of the field is not overly concerned with the longshot at this point. Running side by side for second, we have Wasted Away on the inside for Mb Stables with the Night Rider Stables- trained Great Eclipse on the outside. Right behind them is last year’s winner of the Hirsch, Present Tense, in the silks of Mb Stables. A length behind her, Mo Mentum Farm’s Gutter Black is on the rail, with the eventual winner of the race, Maxmillion Farm’s Decimas Queen to her outside, running five lengths off the pace. The trailers are Down On The Beat (Winning Link Stables) and Spring Street (High Voltage).

(½ Mile- :46.87)- Ontario Pharmacist continues to lead as they head down the backstretch, but Wasted Away begins to cut into her lead as she also draws away from Great Eclipse a bit in the process. Present Tense runs in fourth, a length and a half behind those two while being a length ahead of both Gutter Black and Decimas Queen. For Decimas Queen, she’s running in the third lane and is four and a half off the pace. At the back, Down On The Beat and Spring Street have not gotten involved.

(Top of Stretch, 1.6F To Go)- At the top of the turn, Ontario Pharmacist is no longer able to maintain her pace, and finds herself easily passed by both Wasted Away and Great Eclipse. Those two are in very good stride and will hope to hang on to the end. As they reach the top of the stretch, it’s Wasted Away by a length. During the turn, Decimas Queen would hit her best stride, moving into third while running on the outside, and is about two lengths behind the leader. Post time favorite Present Tense is trying to keep up with her while running in the fourth spot. However, Gutter Black, who had been running with them, is lacking response. Ontario Pharmacist has already dropped to sixth, with Down On The Beat also about to go by. Spring Street is by herself now at the back.

(Finish- 1:41.50)- With a furlong to go, Wasted Away does seem to have won the battle with Great Eclipse, and was looking pretty good. Decimas Queen had a length still to make up, but did not seem to be gaining on the leader quickly enough. However, in the final moments of the race, the 2024 Hirsch winner would show tremendous heart battling hard to the wire, and a photo finish was declared. In the end, Decimas Queen gets her Hirsch crown back, prevailing over the one who kept her from winning the 2024 KYO. Great Eclipse will be third, holding off the late running Down On The Beat. The rest of the order will read Present Tense, Gutter Black, Spring Street, and an again outclassed Ontario Pharmacist.

About The Winner- Decimas Queen, trained by Maxmillion Farm and ridden by to victory by S X Bridgmohan, is a five year old mare by Decima and is out of the late Entice The Queen. She was bred by LionKing Stables in Kentucky as a third quarter two year old, and was acquired by Maxmillion Farm for $20.00 while she was still unraced in a September 2023 private sale. Congratulations to the connections! The win is her seventh in 26 starts, her fifth stake win and fourth graded win. Her career earnings are now $2,072.08.

— NS

Categories: Grade I, STAKES ARTICLES