BC Fillies & Mares Sprint – (Grade l)

Purse $1,000.00 – For Fillies And Mares Three Years Old And Upward – 7 Furlongs – Dirt
Keeneland – October 31, 2026

Mb Stables’ Sitting Bulls Champ sat the perfect trip behind the pace and spurted clear down the stretch to capture the 20th running of the BC Fillies & Mares Sprint! After a winless campaign last year, this five-year-old mare quickly turned things around with this being her sixth victory in 2026. Incredible. This was also her first Grade One win through 32 career starts. Sitting Bulls Champ’s lifetime earnings jumped to $1,588.83—clearly she has taken a liking to the ⅞’s distance. The all-time owner leaderboard was crowded at the top heading into the BC Fillies & Mares Sprint with Mb Stables and four others boasting two victories apiece. That tie has now been broken as Mb Stables becomes the race’s first three-time winning owner! The daughter of Sitting Bull stopped the clock for the seven furlongs in 1:21.54, which is the second fastest time in the past twelve years. Bred in Florida by El Primero Rodeo, Sitting Bulls Champ has nine starts on the year with six wins, one second, and one third. She clearly found a new distance she loves and will look to continue finding the winner’s circle heading into her six-year-old campaign. Congratulations to the connections!

Winner: Sitting Bulls Champ – (Mb Stables, L. Saez) Broke sharply from the gate and briefly showed the way before settling into third behind Honey and Reflex Action. Sitting Bulls Champ stayed within striking distance through the turn while racing about a length off the lead. She began to make her move passing the 5/16 pole, but encountered some traffic at the top of the stretch. This mare found daylight and moved past Reflex Action approaching the final furlong. Once in front, she opened up a clear advantage as the early leaders began to weaken. The late runners gained some ground near the finish, however Sitting Bulls Champ had enough left to maintain a one-length comfortable margin to the wire. Well done!

Second Place: Acapulco Gray – (Maxmillion Farm, A. Jimenez) Acapulco Gray settled back in tenth early and was about seven lengths off the pace heading into the far turn. Jockey Albin Jimenez got her into a comfortable rhythm hoping the pacesetters would burn each other out. She began reducing the deficit approaching the quarter pole, but still had several rivals to pass entering the stretch. A strong late rally had Acapulco Gray weaving through the pack as the early leaders weakened. That momentum continued through the closing strides to edge Exciting for second. Sitting Bulls Champ was already beyond reach, however this California-bred finished strongly to earn runner-up honors. This was a great effort!

Third Place: Exciting – (Maxmillion Farm, S X. Bridgmohan) Exciting settled in midpack from the rail draw and raced just over three lengths behind the early leaders. She saved ground along the inside through the turn before launching a strong late bid approaching the stretch. That steady rally carried this daughter of Blaze Ahead past tiring rivals and into the battle for the minor placings as Sitting Bulls Champ pulled clear. Acapulco Gray finished slightly stronger to the inside to claim second in the final few jumps. Exciting continued willingly to secure third after making steady progress through the field. I have to say this was a relatively good trip for being drawn on the rail in a fourteen-horse field. Not bad at all.

Fourth Place: Gigafemme – (Big Guns Stables, M E. Smith) This filly raced in ninth through the opening stages, which was a little further back than how she normally runs. The deficit reached more than six lengths before her rally began to develop on the outside at the quarter pole. Gigafemme unfortunately had to go eight-wide into the stretch, but provided clear racing room as the homebred for Big Guns Stables started picking off rivals. She sustained that momentum through the final furlong and closed on the tightly grouped runners chasing Sitting Bulls Champ. The late surge narrowly caught Barossa Valley at the wire for fourth and left Gigafemme just behind the second- and third-place finishers.

– AJM

Categories: BC 2026, Grade I, STAKES ARTICLES, THE BREEDERS CUP