Victoria Stakes

Purse $125.00 – For Two Year Olds

5½ Furlongs – Dirt

Woodbine – July 12, 2026

Despite encountering traffic down the stretch, Sim Racer found daylight late and surged home to win the 19th Victoria Stakes. The son of Mr Forgotten is now a perfect two for two on the dirt in three career starts. Connections took a gamble after his last start in the Royal Palm Juvenile, adding blinkers and gelding Sim Racer. The final time for the five and a half furlongs was 1:03.56, though it likely would have been faster had jockey Sahin Civaci found a clear running lane sooner in the stretch. His earnings took a big jump after this victory and now sit at $119.00. It was a milestone victory for both owner Blazin D and jockey Sahin Civaci, who each captured their first Victoria Stakes. This was really an impressive effort, not to mention that this Pennsylvania-bred went off as the post-time favorite. This is going to be a very productive gelding as the summer unfolds. Blazin D will have options to keep Sim Racer sprinting or maybe even try two turns. Congratulations to the connections on an eye-catching victory.

Winner: Sim Racer – (Blazin D, S. Civaci) Breaking from the gate, he didn’t show much speed and ended up tucking in behind horses early. Jockey Sahin Civaci tried to save as much ground as possible and secured a spot down on the rail. This was right at the ⅜ pole about a length or two off the leaders. Sim Racer started to inch up on the pacesetters passing the 5/16 pole, but didn’t really have anywhere to go. The top of the stretch got a little shaky because you can see Sahin Civaci trying to make up his mind on squeezing through between horses in the middle or taking the rail. A lane finally opened up with under a furlong to go and this gelding absolutely rocketed clear to win by just under a length. Well done!

Second Place: Showman – (Mb Stables, P. Moran) Experience was on this gelding’s side, as he entered this race as the only horse in the field with two wins under his belt. Showman and Sim Racer had almost identical trips all the way around the racetrack. The son of Bold Ruler broke just ok and settled two-wide in fifth down the backstretch. He started to mount his bid with the eventual winner rounding the far turn just a few lengths back. The difference was at the top of the stretch when jockey Pietro Moran decided to move out four-wide, giving Showman a clear running lane. He kicked on extremely well, but was ultimately outclosed by Sim Racer late. This seems like a horse who will get better with more distance.

Third Place: Boutte – (Royalty Stables, D. Moran) What an effort this New York-bred put together coming off his maiden win. Boutte broke like a shot from the inside and immediately took the early lead. His opening fractions were 22.42 and 45.67. Jockey David Moran got this colt to settle well down the backstretch and around the far turn with three horses to his outside. He kept a one-nose advantage all the way until the top of the stretch, where Count Crapula started closing to his outside. Boutte continued to fight on gallantly and didn’t give up. Showman and Sim Racer closed super quick in the final sixteenth and this colt had to settle for third. I really liked how this guy fought on in the stretch. Upside here.

– AJM

Categories: STAKES ARTICLES, Ungraded