Summertime Oaks – (Grade lll)

Purse $100.00 – For Fillies Three Years Old

 1 1/16 Miles – Dirt

Santa Anita Park – June 13, 2026

It’s closing weekend for Santa Anita Park and Saturday features three-year-old fillies routing on the dirt in the 21st Summertime Oaks. This stakes race has served as a spot for fillies who get back to their winning ways after a strenuous spring campaign. Since 2005, the Summertime Oaks has never changed from the 1 1/16 mile distance. There is a big change this year with the purse money being cut in half from $200.00 to $100.00. No owner has left a larger mark on this race than Mb Stables, whose six victories highlight a history of sustained success. The stakes record remains in the hands of Dirty Deeds and Anoushka On Tap, who each delivered standout performances nine years apart. They both ran the 1 1/16 miles in 1:41.73, a time that might have a good chance to be broken this year. It’s definitely a small field for a grade three event, however handicapping it will be no easy task. Let’s go through each filly and see if there are any standouts this year!

1. Ontario Pharmacist – (Williams9, K. Frey) This filly had a productive two-year-old season after winning first time out and winning a grade three. She was a convincing winner of the Oak Leaf Stakes, going wire-to-wire to win by three lengths. Ontario Pharmacist ended her campaign with an eleventh in the Breeders Cup Juvenile Fillies. Her form has still been a bit spotty as a newly turned three-year-old, as she hasn’t hit the board in four starts. Connections decided to add Bute and Blinkers to this filly in her last race, and it didn’t make much of an impact. There’s no question that this daughter of Great State needs the lead, but others in the field are speedy as well. Hard to endorse.

2. Sod Fairy – (Nakamura Stables, E. Maldonado) Comes into this race with five career wins, which is the most in the group. This Ontario-bred rattled off four wins in a row last year. Sod Fairy has only been in the winner’s circle once as a three-year-old in an allowance at Gulfstream Park. The distance was seven furlongs and she sat just off the pace to blow past the field down the lane in a three-length victory. We last saw Sod Fairy in The Miss PS at Laurel Park, and she almost won as the favorite. Jockey Rafael Bejarano had this filly a length in front at the top of the stretch, but ended up giving up ground late to get second place. I think she gets back on track here. My top pick.

3. Real Tactics – (Mb Stables, J J. Hernandez) The daughter of Tactical is trying to give her connections win #7 in the Summertime Oaks. She hasn’t been too impressive as of late, with her last two starts resulting in a sixth and ninth. Real Tactics tried to get on the Kentucky Oaks trial, but failed to get enough points to make the starting gate. The best effort of her career came in The Busanda at Aqueduct as the favorite. It was Real Tactic’s first time going two turns, and she pulled away from the field late to win by two lengths. If this New York-bred can replicate that performance, she fits in perfectly with this group. Definitely capable of springing an upset with the right trip.

4. Balance That Budget – (Rock Creek, V. Del-Cid) A habitual deep closer who is going to depend on some fast fractions up front. Balance That Budget has benefited from the stretch out in distance after running primarily in sprints last year. She finished a strong second in the Silverbulletday Stakes early in the year at Fair Grounds and backed up that effort with a win in the Bourbonette Oaks. This daughter of Political Pressure earned enough points to run in the Kentucky Oaks, so connections took a shot with an outside chance. Balance That Budget ended up finishing last, but the distance may have been too far. The 1 1/16 mile distance on Saturday will be much better.

5. Hot Story – (The Sidley Stud, U. Rispoli) The most lightly raced filly in the field with six career starts. She broke her maiden second time out and was victorious in her next outing running seven furlongs, with the addition of Bute. Connections decided to give her experience going a route of ground and it didn’t go as planned. Hot Story ended up running last in the Mazarine BC Stakes, which was the last start of her two-year-old season. The Sidley Stud made another equipment change two races back–trying Lasix. Even though she closed eight lengths in the stretch, Hot Story crossed the wire seventh. Her last outing resulted in the same way as well. It’s clear that this homebred is a sprinter.

– AJM

Categories: Grade III, STAKES ARTICLES