TTA Oaks
Purse $102.000 – For Fillies Three Years Old Foaled In TX
1 Mile 70 Yards – Dirt
Sam Houston Race Park – March 21, 2026
It’s all about Texas pride as State-Bred three-year-old fillies face off Saturday in the 4th Texas Thoroughbred Association Oaks at Sam Houston Race Park. With only one runner in the field having earned more than $30.000, this race offers a key early opportunity for fillies to establish themselves before tackling tougher stakes competition in the future. Luz International is well represented with three runners here and returns as a past winner of the TTA Oaks, having taken the 2024 edition with Kinfolk. With several lightly raced three-year-olds looking to make their mark, let’s take a closer look at each of them.
- Grey Tart – (Panionios Racing, J L. Alvarez) Just a $3.000 private purchase as a two-year-old, Grey Tart enters this race in strong form. Her best effort came last out in The Suncoast Stakes, where she briefly took command passing the quarter pole before being out finished in the stretch to finish fifth. Not only was it her first time routing, but it also came in a Kentucky Oaks points race against a packed field of ten. Earlier this year, the daughter of Kula Mule sprinted against State-Breds and ran an even third. She looms as the biggest threat to turn the tables on the Luz International entrants.
- Choosin Texas – (T Boy Racing, F. Wethey Jr.) Began her career sprinting on the dirt in the maiden claiming ranks before trying the turf. In her first start, she found herself six lengths off the pace and failed to make up enough ground in the stretch. The surface switch proved beneficial, as connections brought Choosin Texas back in a state-bred maiden special weight on the grass, where she showed a lot of improvement and just missed by a head. Last time out, she was sent off as the heavy favorite in a short field and delivered, powering clear to win by a length. Saturday will be a much tougher test moving back to the dirt.
- Abilene – (Luz International, B. Pena) Abilene won her debut early in the two-year-old season before making the jump into stakes company. She added Lasix for her next two starts, showing early speed in both before fading late. She took another step forward in September, rallying from off the pace to win an allowance by a length. Her only start this year came in the Two Altazano Stakes over an off track, a race that’s best taken with a grain of salt. Abilene also catches a big break at the draw, moving off the rail after starting from the inside in each of her last four races. With four prior stakes appearances, she brings the most experience at this level.
- A Stones Throw – (Luz International, A. Triana Jr.) This filly will be the long shot in this field after coming out of claiming races and will be trying two turns. After breaking her maiden at Emerald Downs, connections decided to try her on the grass. It was unsuccessful as she didn’t run at all in either of her starts. It looks like new tactics were tried after that, as Luz International put her back on the dirt in an N2L and ran an even sixth. A Stones Throw’s most recent effort was third place in a State-Bred claiming race, where she led for a very short time in the stretch. This is going to be a tough spot.
- Keimars Mistress – (Luz International, D L. Parker) The highest earner in the field with $119.600 in purse money and will most likely be the morning-line favorite. This daughter of Astronokai has won four of six starts, including a pair of state-bred stakes victories. She was especially impressive breaking her maiden at Hastings, drawing off to win by five lengths. Keimars Mistress followed that up with back-to-back stakes wins earlier this year in the Darbys Daughter and Lass Stakes. Her most recent effort, a fifth-place finish over an off track, is best viewed as a toss. Undefeated around two turns and already a two-time stakes winner, she will be my top pick.
– AJM
Categories: STAKES ARTICLES, Ungraded