Mahony (Grade 3)- $225.00 Purse
SAR- For Three Year Olds
Five and a Half Furlongs on the Turf
August 16, 2026

On Sunday at SAR, we had a field of seven three year olds looking to pick up a Grade 3 win in the running of the Mahony, and it seemed like a pretty balanced field. Therefore, it was not a surprise that only two lengths would separate first from last when they ultimately hit the wire. Scoring the win was Suicide Pact, a gelding who has been very consistent throughout his career but was still looking for his first stake win. Now, he would be able to grab that victory, which is the first for his trainer, Spb Racing, in the Mahony. Jockey J R Velazquez is a two time winner. Congratulations to them! We had Suicide Pact as our second choice. The race was won in a time of 1:02.33, a middle of the road such time for the race. Let’s take a look at it now!

(1/4 Mile- :22.34)- Evil Contained pushes to the lead while in the third lane for Greyhound, and will lead by nearly a length over the two to his inside. That’s where we found our post time favorite from Aer Stables, Credit Criminal and the Night Rider Stables- trained Furious Luka. Behind them, in the stalking position, we have our eventual winner from Spb Racing, Suicide Pact, running side by side with Family Racing’s Trojan Horse. It’s a break of about two to the trailers, Express Run (Alydar Stables) and Sinister Returns (Simmer Down Stable).

(½ Mile- :45.22, Top of Stretch, 1.5F To Go)- The field rounds the turn with the top five in very close proximity to one another. It’s still the same three out in front with very little separating Evil Contained and Furious Luka for the top spot, but Credit Criminal is still right there with them. Suicide Pact stalks them for a little while, but on exit of the turn, J R Velazquez realizes that he cannot continue to do that and will need to move his horse four wide. Once in that spot, he’ll have a clear lane in front of him and only a length to make up. E J Zayas did not make the same decision with Trojan Horse, and will likely hope for a lane to open up between horses. Of the trailers, Express Run and Sinister Returns cut into their deficit but it would take a massive run at this point to have a chance at the win.

(Finish- 1:02.33)- It doesn’t take long for Suicide Pact to be running alongside the initial three frontrunners, and with a furlong to go, it looks like his biggest test will be from Furious Luka, who’s running well still on the rail. Approaching the wire, it’s clearly going to come down between these two, and in the end, it’s Suicide Pact getting the win by a head. Furious Luka barely prevails in a photo for place with Trojan Horse, who may actually have won if Zayas was a little more decisive with taking a lane in the closing moments. There was more than enough room to bring him to the outside of Furious Luka, and the decision to not do that and move to the rail may have been worth the .05 seconds he needed. Sinister Returns moved well late to be fourth over Express Run, and the final two are a disappointing Credit Criminal and Evil Contained.

About The Winner- Suicide Pact, trained by Spb Racing and ridden to victory by J R Velazquez, is a three year old gelding by Truce and is out of Kamikaze Pilot. He was bred as a first quarter two year old in New York by La Canada Racehorses, and was acquired by Spb Racing with a $13.50 claim last September. Congratulations to the connections! The win is his sixth in 14 starts and first stake win. His career earnings are now $298.91.

— NS

Categories: Grade III, STAKES ARTICLES