The Iroquois ($200.00 Purse)
BEL- For Fillies and Mares Three Years Old and Upward Foaled in NY
Six and a Half Furlongs on the Dirt
October 24, 2026

There were surely some who looked at Queen Mia in this race and wondered why she wasn’t running two races earlier in the FM Turf Sprint Championship. She had been running on the turf ever since arriving with Big Jd Racing about a year ago, but the trainer looked to break away from the usual, and that would prove to be the right call. Eighteen of her prior 22 starts were on the grass, but today she would be on the main track and whatever Big Jd Racing saw in order to make this move, it paid off with this wire to wire win by a length at odds of 12/1. Leading the way for her on the track was jockey S Elliott, and it is the first Iroquois win for both the trainer and the rider. She was among our picks, but fourth in a field of six, so that’s not saying much. The winning race time was 1:15.58, and when comparing it to races run only at BEL and at six and a half furlongs, it is the second quickest in the race’s history. Let’s take a look at it!

(1/4 Mile- :22.66)- Happy to feel the dirt underneath her, our eventual winner from Big Jd Racing, Queen Mia, goes right to the front and pulls out to a single length advantage. Behind her, Spb Racing’s Tricky Temper and the D J C Racing Stables- trained Diana run evenly for the second position. Neon Terra runs fourth while riding the rail for First Flight Stable, and it’s a length from her to the “No” trailers, No Ones Comparing (Mb Stables) and No Denying It (TwinTowersRacing).

(½ Mile- :45.74, Top of Stretch, 1.8F To Go)- Queen Mia is particularly strong in the turn, as she expertly handles it, pulling away from the rest of the field and looking to put the competition to bed by the time they entered the stretch. At that point, she was up by about two and a half. Tricky Temper continues to be second, half a length ahead of Diana, but has not been able to mount a challenge. Neon Terra stays on the rail, and look to have a nice opening to come through at the top of the stretch if she is able to capitalize on it. No Ones Comparing inches away from No Denying It, though she had a lot of ground to make up.

(Finish- 1:15.58)- Queen Mia won this race in the turn with how much she pulled ahead of the rest of the field, and she would hold serve in the stretch, running gracefully to the wire where she is officially scored as winning by a length but it was much closer to two lengths. Tricky Temper pulled away from everyone but the queen to be second, and it’s a length to Neon Terra, who holds off the outside push of No Ones Comparing in a photo for show. Diana was flat in the stretch, and No Denying It never got rolling.

About The Winner- Queen Mia, trained by Big Jd Racing and ridden to victory by S Elliott, is a four year old filly by Mamushi and is out of Queen Snipe Party. She was bred here in New York by Red Fox Farms as a yearling, and was acquired by the trainer via Mo Mentum Farm for a $10.50 claim last November. Congratulations to the connections! The win is her sixth in 23 starts, and her first stake win. Four of her those wins have happened after Big Jd Racing acquired her. Her career earnings are now $359.51.

— NS

Categories: STAKES ARTICLES, Ungraded