South Ocean Stakes

Purse $150.00 – For Fillies Two Years Old Foaled In ON

7 Furlongs – Dirt

Woodbine – October 18, 2026

No one was able to catch Rekindled Grace and jockey Rafael Hernandez on the front end as they went wire-to-wire in the 18th edition of the South Ocean Stakes! This daughter of People Pleaser went off as the post-time favorite and added the first stakes win to her résumé. She has never finished off the board in her four career starts—increasing this Ontario-bred’s lifetime earnings to $154.00. Owner Mb Stables joins Arindel atop the race’s all-time owner leaderboard with this victory, adding a second win to the one earned with another homebred back in 2019. Both wins have come courtesy of the stable’s own breeding program. Not to mention, Mb Stables ended up running first and second in here. Well done! Rekindled Grace covered the seven furlongs in a sharp 1:22.34, just four hundredths of a second off the stakes record established last year. Connections will have a lot to think about heading towards the end of the year on whether to keep this filly sprinting or stretch her out to two turns. She definitely looks promising. Congratulations to Mb Stables!

Winner: Rekindled Grace – (Mb Stables, R M. Hernandez) Rekindled Grace broke sharply from post six and wasted little time putting her early speed to use, taking command with Jolly Ginger keeping close company through the opening stages. She gradually shook free of that rival and led the field through an opening quarter in 22.94. Continuing to dictate the pace through a half-mile in 46.31, this filly extended her advantage to nearly two lengths as Killer Performance moved into second. Rekindled Grace maintained a clear lead around the turn and entered the stretch with the others left to catch her. Killer Performance steadily chipped away at the deficit through the final furlong, but the Mb homebred still had enough in reserve to score by just under a length!

Second Place: Killer Performance – (Mb Stables, P. Moran) This filly broke well from the gate and settled a couple of lengths behind the early leaders, racing to the inside as Rekindled Grace took command. Killer Performance sat down on the rail in third through the opening quarter, staying within striking distance while Jolly Ginger occupied second. Moving past that rival as the field approached the turn, she emerged as the closest pursuer of the pacesetter. Rekindled Grace still held a clear advantage, but Killer Performance continued to give chase while the others began to fall farther behind. The daughter of Killer Instinct gradually narrowed the gap through the stretch but could not quite get there at the wire. She settled for second while finishing comfortably clear of the third-place runner.

Third Place: Patch Games – (The Sidley Stud, R W. Walcott) Patch Games settled back in fourth shortly after the break, allowing the leading trio to move ahead while keeping a comfortable three lengths over the runners behind her. She maintained that position through the opening quarter and half-mile, sitting roughly four lengths off the pace as Rekindled Grace continued to lead the way. With the top two beginning to separate themselves, Patch Games gradually closed on Jolly Ginger around the turn. She advanced along that rival’s inside and moved into third as they straightened for home. Although the leading pair remained out of reach, this filly continued on willingly through the stretch and held third safely through the final furlong. There’s still plenty of room to improve.

Fourth Place: Jolly Ginger – (The Sidley Stud, S. Civaci) Showed good early speed from post five and quickly established herself as the closest pursuer of Rekindled Grace. She tracked the pacesetter through the opening quarter, sitting about a length behind while racing just outside Killer Performance. That rival moved past her before the half-mile, leaving this filly in third as the leading pair began to pull away. She remained within a few lengths around the turn but could not match their progress and soon had Patch Games advancing to her inside. Jolly Ginger surrendered third entering the stretch and was unable to respond as that rival drew clear. The Sidley Stud homebred continued through the final furlong without finding another gear, though she maintained enough to secure fourth.

– AJM

Categories: STAKES ARTICLES, Ungraded