Pocahontas (Grade 3)- $300.000 Purse
CD- For Fillies Two Years Old
One Mile on the Dirt
September 13, 2025
This Saturday has plenty of great graded action for two-year-olds and the spotlight will be on them at CD. In the Pocahontas, the fillies will be running a mile in hopes of getting the top share of the $300.000 purse. This race has been run every year since 2003, and has seen fillies like The Reaper and Toleration, among others, get the win. On two occasions, the Pocahontas winner went on to win the BC Juvenile Fillies, with The Reaper’s 2014 win being the first time it happened, and then Feral Impact did the same six years later. Winning this race last year was Escapist, for Williams9, but as of now, it is the last time she has won. None of the three fillies that ran in this, and the BC would cash a check in the BC, and if you’re wondering, none of them ended up in the KYO. The gate was initially full, but we’ve had an early scratch to leave us with eleven going to post this year. Here’s a look at them:
1- Darkest Hour (Fractious, ridden by A R Rodriguez)- Looked good on debut here in June, running third. Fractious was therefore not concerned with her running her in a maiden race again and entered her right into the Grade 3 Sorrento Stakes at DMR last month. She’d get that victory, doing so by a length. To even strengthen her case, I think she’ll like going a full mile here. Remember this name!
2- Sasha (Alydar Stables, ridden by S Doyle)- After winning her first two races, each in overnights, Sasha was entered into the Grade 2 Adirondack at SAR. That did not go well, as she failed to beat anyone in the field. Trainer is not concerned with that and puts her into this race for another try at graded competition. Needs to show she’s better than her effort last month.
3- Mapping Mandy (Mb Stables, ridden by U Rispoli)- The first of three in the race for Mb Stables, and this filly will be looking to prove herself as she hits the track for the first time in two and a half months. Won on debut, then struggled mightily in the slop at RUI in June. Been on the shelf since that allowance and has longer work times that show promise.
4- Result (Williams9, ridden by F H Da Silva)- Last time out, Result ran in the CTBA Stakes for CA-Breds and would end up in the middle of the field. She’s won one of three overall and looks to have a bit of an adds change for this race, so that could make a difference. Result would love to give her trainer back-to-back wins in this race.
5- Thematic Element (Team 7 Illusions, ridden by Ar Bocachica)- Two weeks ago, this filly made her debut at BTP and humiliated the rest of the field with an impressive wire to wire victory. About half of that field were also first timers, but there is no question about who was the best. Quick turnaround to show how good she could be.
6- Ukraine Be Free (La Canada Racehorses, ridden by E Jaramillo)- After breaking her maiden at PRX in May, Ukraine Be Free was entered into the $100.000 Sorority Stakes at MTH, which is a run at a mile. Not only did she win that race, she did so by a commanding two lengths, pulling away at the end. Looks to show the rest of these that there is more where that came from.
7- Purify (Bigchief Stables, ridden by M E Smith)- In early April, Purify earned the victory at SA. That’s the last time we have seen this filly out there, but now it is finally time to see what she can do against not just winners but others who have actually been in a race before. Her seven furlong works seem solid, but you have to wonder if she could be a little rusty here.
8- Crushed It (TwinTowersRacing, ridden by J Rosario)- In her first three races, Crushed It ran third, and that includes a race here at CD in late June. It would be after that where she ultimately broke her maiden, doing so at MTH with a wire-to-wire performance. Now, she’ll get a good test for her first race against winners.
9- Be Royal (Mb Stables, ridden by A Fresu)- Took on Ukraine Be Free in the Sorority Stakes, and did run second in the race, but was two lengths behind the rival she sees again here. For Be Royal, it was her third start, and she entered that off of a win at SAR against NY-Breds. Work times may have improved a tad, and she’ll be ready for her rematch.
10- Unfinished Symphony- Scratched
11- Logical (Mb Stables, ridden by L Saez)- She is a maiden, but if Darkest Hour can do it, why can’t she? They’re a little different, though, in that Logical has had four chances at MSW’s, and that includes last month at PID, at a mile. Ran third in that, and only earned a 83 SRF. She’s hit the board in every race and seems like she’ll get there eventually. Mb is confident that “eventually” is now.
12- Pointed Out (D J C Racing Stables, ridden by F Pennington)- After she won in late April, she was entered into the $150.000 Astoria and finished in the middle of the field. D J C was not impressed with that and dropped her into a $50.000 claimer. No one put in a claim, she then won the race, and the trainer’s confidence in her has been restored.
Prediction: 1-6-8-9
— NS
Categories: Grade III, STAKES ARTICLES