Bernardo Stakes – (Grade lll)

Purse $100.00 – For Fillies And Mares Three Years Old And Upward

6½ Furlongs – Dirt

Del Mar – August 16, 2026

The Bernardo Stakes returns for the 24th time at Del Mar, giving older females their only dirt sprint stakes opportunity of the summer meet. This race has remained remarkably consistent over the years—never changing its distance, surface, or grade level. We’ve seen many top females come through this race, including Poisonessmonster—the 2003 HRP Horse of the Year and HRP 3yo Female, who won the inaugural running. More recently, Lady Sammyantha won the 2022 edition before earning 2023-2024 HRP Sprinter Female and 2023 HRP Older Female honors. Only time will tell if this year’s running produces the next top female star. No owner has enjoyed more success in the Bernardo Stakes than Mb Stables, who leads all owners with three victories. The stakes record was set in 2024 by Alydar Stables’ Smokin Cara, who stopped the clock for the 6½ furlongs in a speedy 1:14.88. This year’s field looks as competitive as ever with plenty of contenders in the mix. Now it’s time to break down the field!

1. Reflex Action – (The Sidley Stud, A. Fresu) Bought at auction for $200.00 back in December 2024 and added a graded stakes win since. Reflex Action has been running in sprints, as well as some two-turn races since the barn change against some tough fillies and mares. She captured The Pumpkin Pie Stakes and the G2 Inside Information back-to-back at the start of 2026 going seven furlongs. Since then, the daughter of Action Man has yet to hit the board in five straight starts. She’s been consistently facing extremely salty graded company, all coming on the main track. Reflex Action struggles to finish down the stretch, so she’ll need to show more to turn the tables on this field.

2. Sabalenka – (Royalty Stables, U. Rispoli) Homebred daughter of Sinissippi Star who is still seeking her first stakes win. Sabalenka has mostly been running in sprints throughout her career against allowance horses, with the occasional step up into stakes company. She has one victory this year in an N3X at Tampa Bay Downs—making every pole a winning one as the heavy favorite. This Florida-bred upped her game a few starts later and finished third in the G1 Vinery Madison. Last time out, we saw Sabalenka at Parx running at the 1 ⅛-mile distance. She contested the lead early and yielded inside the final furlong to get third. The cutback in distance will definitely be beneficial.

3. Plain Pants Party – (Saratoga Stud, J. Bravo) This mare comes into the Bernardo Stakes as the winningest horse in the field. More impressively, she has not finished off the board in ten straight races. Plain Pants Party was claimed for $15.00 her second time out back in July 2023 from La Canada Racehorses. She’s delivered some impressive performances on both surfaces throughout her 22 lifetime starts. Most recently, this daughter of Indistinguishable is coming off back-to-back wins sprinting in an open allowance and The Regret Stakes. Plain Pants Party captured both of those races coming from off the pace, so the 6½ furlong distance will be perfect. This is going to be my top pick.

4. Sweet Dilemma – (Maxmillion Farm, E. Maldonado) Another versatile mare who has found success on both the dirt and turf. Sweet Dilemma got her first stakes victory on the main track back in March, powering away impressively in the Queen Stakes at Turfway Park. Connections then took advantage of that effort and entered in the Whimsical Stakes going six furlongs. She usually runs her best on or close to the lead, but this time she settled two lengths off the pace. The Kentucky-bred never got anything going down the lane and had to settle for fifth. Sweet Dilemma went back to the grass last time out—failed to make an impression late again to finish ninth. I think she’s primed for a bounce-back effort.

5. Absent Friends – (TwinTowersRacing, K. Kimura) Only has two wins in her seventeen lifetime starts, but Absent Friends looks to be rounding into form. This filly started off her four-year-old campaign in the Wishing Well Stakes and made up a little bit of ground late to close into third. She then took a big jump into Grade One company running on the dirt against some of the top fillies and mares in HRP. Those entries both resulted in off-the-board finishes. Two races back, this Florida-bred ran third in an N3X at Churchill Downs going six furlongs. Absent Friends comes out of The Regret Stakes, where she lost by a head to Plain Pants Party. A repeat of that performance and she definitely fits.

6. Grecia Tieta – (Waldo, J. Rosario) This is the only three-year-old entered this year, so Grecia Tieta gets a four-pound weight break. She’s lightly raced with only six career races since October 2025. The daughter of Wii broke her maiden second time out and went on to capture the Santa Ynez Stakes in her next start. Connections have been running this filly around two turns as of late with a new running style. She has been doing her best running on the lead, but Waldo has now made her come from off the pace. Grecia Tieta comes into the Bernardo Stakes off a third-place effort in the G3 Selene Stakes at Woodbine at odds of 44-1. This is going to be my longshot pick

7. Brusilov Treat – (Iwin Enterprise, V. Espinoza) A speedy five-year-old mare who has done her best running against Louisiana-breds. She was claimed for $18.00 back in November 2024 and is a stakes winner on both the dirt & turf. Brusilov Treat has four starts this year, with three of those coming at the seven furlong distance. The daughter of Brusilov ran second in the Lukas Stakes back in February and got back in the winner’s circle two back in an N3X. Her last start was in an open allowance at Churchill Downs as the favorite in a big ten-horse field. Brusilov Treat was within striking distance, but faded back into eighth in the stretch. A step up is needed to beat these.

8. Scottish Shortbread – (YME Stable, J J. Hernandez) Success has come often for this YME Stable homebred as she has put together six wins from her ten lifetime starts. Scottish Shortbread went on an impressive win streak and cleared her first two allowance conditions before the start of 2026. She ran sixth in the Wayward Lass Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs back in January and wasn’t seen again until May. The daughter of Sinissippi Star then made easy work of an N3X field going 5½ furlongs in a very quick time. Last time out, Scottish Shortbread went into open allowance company as the favorite, kicking away late to score by a quarter of a length. A serious contender.

– AJM

Categories: Grade III, STAKES ARTICLES