Free The Viking unleashed the race’s strongest closing move, advancing from eighth at the first call to seventh, then fifth before powering into the lead to capture the Winter Memories – Grade III at Belmont. The Ajm Stables filly, ridden by Davis D, went off at just over 12-1 and completed the mile over soft turf in 1:38.34.

Race Recap

The $200.000 Winter Memories – Grade III, contested September 27, 2026, brought together nine three-year-old fillies for one mile over soft turf at Belmont after the scratches of River Current and She Is Into It. Free The Viking scored for owner/trainer Ajm Stables with Davis D aboard, defeating Wild Water Wagon, with Miss Comanche third and post-time favorite Good Bottom fourth. Methodical completed the first five.

The race changed considerably after the third call. Franklymydearscarlet had established the initial pace before Methodical took over, but neither remained among the first four at the finish. Free The Viking and Wild Water Wagon, meanwhile, came from the final two positions during the early stages and swept into the top two spots.

The Running — Flow & Calls

First Call: Franklymydearscarlet took the lead, with Methodical second. Gold Lion occupied third, Solar Skel was fourth and Miss Comanche fifth. Good Bottom followed in sixth, Playas Caleta was seventh, Free The Viking eighth and Wild Water Wagon ninth.

At this point, the eventual winner and runner-up occupied the final two positions, while Franklymydearscarlet, Methodical and Gold Lion comprised the first three.

Second Call: Franklymydearscarlet continued to set the pace, and Methodical remained second. Gold Lion held third and Solar Skel stayed fourth. Miss Comanche remained fifth, followed by Good Bottom in sixth.

Free The Viking began her advance, moving from eighth to seventh, while Playas Caleta slipped from seventh to eighth. Wild Water Wagon continued to trail the field in ninth.

Third Call: The complexion of the race began to change. Methodical moved from second into the lead, while Franklymydearscarlet relinquished the top position and dropped to second. Gold Lion remained third, and Miss Comanche improved from fifth to fourth.

Free The Viking continued making progress, advancing from seventh to fifth. Good Bottom remained sixth. Solar Skel dropped from fourth to seventh, Wild Water Wagon improved from ninth to eighth, and Playas Caleta fell to ninth.

That left Free The Viking three positions behind Methodical entering the final stage, while Wild Water Wagon still had seven horses ahead of her.

Final Call: Free The Viking completed her sustained advance with the decisive move of the race, surging from fifth to first. Wild Water Wagon produced an even larger positional rally, charging from eighth to second after having been ninth at each of the first two calls.

Miss Comanche continued her forward progression from fourth to finish third, while Good Bottom advanced from sixth to fourth.

The early leaders went in the opposite direction. Methodical, who had taken command at the third call, dropped to fifth. Franklymydearscarlet, the leader through the opening two calls, finished sixth. Gold Lion had occupied third through each of the first three calls before falling to seventh.

Solar Skel, fourth through the first two calls before dropping to seventh, finished eighth. Playas Caleta, after racing seventh, eighth and ninth, completed the field in ninth.

The decisive feature of the Winter Memories was therefore the late reversal at the front. Free The Viking and Wild Water Wagon were eighth and ninth at the first call and seventh and ninth at the second, yet they ultimately occupied the first two finishing positions.

Each Runner Mentioned

Free The Viking — Progressed from eighth to seventh to fifth before sweeping into first, producing a sustained advance that carried her past the entire field.

Wild Water Wagon — Turned in one of the most dramatic rallies of the race. After sitting ninth through the first two calls and eighth at the third, she charged all the way to second.

Miss Comanche — Raced fifth through the opening two calls, improved to fourth and continued forward to finish third.

Good Bottom — The post-time favorite remained sixth through all three calls before improving to fourth at the finish.

Methodical — Tracked the early leader from second through the first two calls, took command at the third call and then dropped to fifth.

Franklymydearscarlet — Set the pace through the opening two calls, was displaced by Methodical at the third and finished sixth.

Gold Lion — Held third through each of the first three calls before fading to seventh.

Solar Skel — Raced fourth at the first and second calls before dropping to seventh and ultimately finishing eighth.

Playas Caleta — Began seventh, dropped to eighth at the second call and ninth at the third before finishing ninth.

About The Winner

Free The Viking’s victory gave her four wins from 14 lifetime starts, along with one second and five thirds, with lifetime earnings of $256.680. Her turf record stands at 11 starts with four victories, one second and four thirds.

Free The Viking is a three-year-old bay filly by Truce out of Zion Viking, bred by La Canada Racehorses in California and currently owned and trained by Ajm Stables. Her lifetime earnings stand at $256.680.

Track: Soft
Time: :23³  :48  1:13¹  1:38¹

$2 Mutuel Prices:

$1 Exacta: 11 – 8 Paid 127.40
$1 Trifecta: 11 – 8 – 3 Paid 1,416.00

Scratched: River Current, She Is Into It

Categories: Grade III, STAKES ARTICLES