Ladies Marathon (Grade 3)- $1,500.00 Purse
KD- For Fillies and Mares Three Years Old and Upward
One Mile and Five Sixteenths on the Turf
September 6, 2026

This year’s Ladies Marathon promised a head to head battle between the last two winners of the race as 2024 winner Lady Hilltopper took on the 2025 winner, One Spirit. They would prove to be the class of this field, as well, finishing 1-2 with Lady Hilltopper providing yet another example of what has made her one of the greats, especially within this particular division. The reigning BC Fillies and Mares Turf winner found herself at the back early, but that’s right where she wants them, as she made a late move to get the win! She is trained by Black N Gold Stable, who led her to each of her two wins in this race. With regular rider J R Velazquez up at SAR, S Elliott took advantage of his opportunity and wins this race for the first time. Congratulations to them! The time of the win was 2:04.72, the second quickest in the race’s history, second only to previous winning time in 2024. Let’s take a look at it now!

(½ Mile- :47.15)- Mami was the initially the quickest out of the gate for Alydar Stables, but she would drop back before reaching the half mile point. Then, it looked like Categorical Destiny, trained by Mb Stables, would inherit the top spot at this stage, but she too would be passed as Maxmillion Farm’s Lightning Blackout surges to the lead around the opening turn. She will be the one holding the top spot after half a mile, about a half length over Categorical Destiny. Mami is still third, but she has dropped about three and a half off the lead. Love runs right behind her in fourth for Mo Mentum Farm, and it’s three wide for fifth right behind her. On the outside, Feels Like Summer (Nakamura Stables) holds the upper hand on stablemate One Spirit, who’s on the rail, and Charlenes Way (Maxmillion Farm) between horses. Right behind that group, we have our eventual winner from Black N Gold Stable, Lady Hilltopper, running to the inside of Godrics Hollow (Delta Farms). They are scored as being seven and a half off the lead. Two more to Enough Class To Pass (Our Athletes) and Neon Woof (TwinTowersRacing), with November Storm (Mb Stables) and Urban Lights (TwinTowersRacing) the trailers.

(3/4 Mile- 1:11.01)- After six furlongs, it’s still Lightning Blackout by half a length on Categorical Destiny, with a further three and a length cushion on the rest of the field. From there, we see One Spirit making a push forward to move into the third spot, with a head in front of Mami, who is to her inside. Love and Feels Like Summer run right behind them, and in the middle of the field, Lady Hilltopper and Charlenes Way are side by side a little less than seven off the pace. Godrics Hollow and November Storm are next, then Enough Class To Pass, Neon Woof, and Urban Lights.

(1 Mile- 1:35.34, Top of Stretch- 2F To Go)- Moving around the turn, Lightning Blackout and Categorical Destiny can kiss their big lead goodbye. They still lead at the top of the stretch, but it is destiny that they are both about to see several go on by. The first two do this, to no one’s surprise, are the two who know how to win this race. One Spirit had always been in a good position to pounce when it was time to do so, and she’ll take it three wide. Even more impressive was a power move by Lady Hilltopper in the turn, to now push four wide, and rapidly close in not only on the top two, but on One Spirit as well. She’s now fourth, and within two lengths, and that’s not what the rest of the field wanted to hear with more than enough time remaining. Love, Mami, Feels Like Summer, and Charlenes Way are all in striking range, and both November Storm and Enough Class To Pass look like threats coming from way off the pace. Urban Lights, too, was showing more interest, something that couldn’t be said for Godrics Hollow. Neon Woof could now see them all.

(Finish- 2:04.72)- From her four wide position in the stretch, Lady Hilltopper clearly has much more run then the three that she needed to get by, and she impressively makes quick work of them. With a furlong to go, she was clear by a length and a half, and would only pull further away in those closing moments to go on and win by three (or four if she was .01 quicker) lengths! What a champion! One Spirit is second over a hard charging Enough Class To Pass, who prevails in a five photo for show. The others involved in that, in their order of finish, are Love, Urban Lights, November Storm, and Categorical Destiny. Rounding it out are Lightning Blackout, Charlenes Way, Mami, Feels Like Summer, Godrics Hollow, and Neon Woof.

About The Winner- Lady Hilltopper, trained by Black N Gold Stable and ridden to victory by S Elliott, is a seven year old mare by Pinnacle West and is out of P O A. She was bred by Our Athletes in Kentucky as a third quarter two year old, and was picked up by Black N Gold Stable with a $14.00 claim back in February 2022. Congratulations to the connections! The win is her 21st in 44 starts, and 19th stake win, all of which are graded. Her career earnings are now $6,481.58.

— NS

Categories: Grade III, STAKES ARTICLES