The Gazelle – (Grade lll) [KYO]

Purse $200.000 – For Fillies Three Years Old

1 1/8 Miles – Dirt

Aqueduct – April 4, 2026

With the Kentucky Oaks fast approaching, the 24th running of The Gazelle Stakes at Aqueduct stands as one of the final proving grounds for three-year-old fillies. Saturday’s race not only offers 50 qualifying points but also provides contenders with a chance to make a lasting impression before stepping onto one of racing’s biggest stages for females. This race has seen its share of unique moments over the years, including three dead-heat finishes, while Mb Stables leads all owners with six victories in the Gazelle. The stakes record was set in 2011, when Blow Me To The Moon delivered a dominant front-running performance, stopping the clock in 1:48.28. All that’s left to decide is which filly will earn her spot in the starting gate on the first Friday in May. Let’s take a closer look at this year’s field:

1. Woman On The Moon – (Arindel, J. Lezcano) This daughter of Solar System showed plenty of early speed at the start of her two-year-old season, recording two wire-to-wire victories. After breaking her maiden and clearing a first-level allowance condition, she stepped up into graded stakes company. However, as the distances increased, Woman On The Moon was forced to adjust her running style. The lightbulb came back on in the Princess Elizabeth Stakes, settling off the pace and delivered a winning run by a length. Most recently, she finished a closing fourth in the Honeybee, where she had to navigate traffic in the stretch. Expect a similar trip here as she looks to weave through runners in the lane.

2. Firewall – (Mb Stables, M J. Sanchez) One of three entrants and the only graded stakes winner for Mb Stables in here. Firewall began her career with a maiden victory on the turf at Del Mar. Connections then took a shot in the Demoiselle in search of Oaks points, and she delivered with a wire-to-wire score over a muddy track. Last time out, she returned in the Santa Ysabel at Santa Anita, finishing an even fourth in a full field of twelve. Currently sitting 24th on the Oaks points leaderboard, a win here is likely required to secure a spot in the starting gate for the first Friday in May. Her speed figures have improved with each start, which is encouraging, but Firewall will need to show another dimension against this group.

3. Real Tactics – (Mb Stables, A. Cedillo) Won her first two starts before stepping into State Bred stakes company in New York. She found things a bit tougher and hit the board just once over a three-race stretch. Real Tactic’s breakthrough performance came in the Busanda at Aqueduct, where she drew off to win by a length as the favorite. The daughter of Tactical spent the winter at Fair Grounds, making two starts highlighted by a third-place finish in the Fair Grounds Oaks. In that effort, she endured a relatively wide trip turning for home but still finished on well. With a slightly better trip, the instructions connections employed that day could make her a serious factor here.

4. First To Fear – (Mb Stables, K. Carmouche) The only maiden in the field, she enters with just one start to her name. First To Fear debuted at Turf Paradise in a two-turn Maiden Special Weight and drew the outside post. Despite racing five wide into the first turn, she settled into a comfortable rhythm down the backstretch before launching her move near the 5/16 pole. She closed strongly through the lane, making up significant ground to finish second. It should be noted that Lasix and Bute are being removed for this race. This is an ambitious placement, no doubt, but Mb Stables appears to see plenty of upside in his filly to take a shot against proven winners.

5. Idlingawaythehours – (Riggins Racing, A, Beschizza) A $450.000 private acquisition following her two-year-old campaign, she immediately turned heads after breaking her maiden at Del Mar. Sitting near the back early, she unleashed a powerful late run, closing eight lengths in the stretch to win by two. Connections capitalized on that effort by stepping her into the Oak Leaf Stakes, where Idlingawaythehours again settled well off the pace before finishing a solid second. Now as a three-year-old, she’s posted a fourth and eleventh-place finishes. She’s certainly capable of crashing the party late, but her most recent start is difficult to evaluate after she faded down the lane. Shadow Roll is also being removed.

6. Dark Peel – (Our Athletes, J. Rosario) Enters the Gazelle off a sharp front-running victory at Fair Grounds, going wire-to-wire in a first-level allowance while setting honest fractions. Prior to that, she did most of her running on the turf, posting competitive efforts at both Parx and Saratoga. She broke her maiden against state-bred company, and that race has proven productive, with two runners returning to win at the stakes level. I don’t mind this entry as this daughter of Our Dark Knight appears to be trending in the right direction. She’ll need a career-best effort, but with sharp recent works and a favorable post, Dark Peel shapes up to be an interesting longshot play.

7. Boardwalk Freak – (Noblepark, J. NavMarin) Bought at auction for $20.001 last year. After losing by a nose in her debut on the turf, Noblepark opted to switch Boardwalk Freak to the dirt—a move that paid off with a ¾-length victory at Fair Grounds after sitting four lengths off the pace. Last time out, she finished third in the Santa Ysabel while stretching out to two turns for the first time. It was a better-than-it-looked effort, as she trailed by eight lengths early and was forced seven wide turning for home before finishing on impressively. This is another filly who will be hoping for a fast pace and a clean trip. If she gets both, don’t be surprised to see her flying late down the stretch.

8. Wicked Angelina – (The Sidley Stud, E. Esquivel) The highest earner with $443.900 in purse money and the only grade one winner in the field. This daughter of Techfluence Heat captured the Del Mar Debutante before closing out her two-year-old season with a fifth-place finish in the Breeders Cup Juvenile Fillies. She began her three-year-old campaign with back-to-back runner-up efforts in the Demoiselle and the Martha Washington Stakes. Wicked Angela arguably delivered her best performance last time out, drawing the rail as the favorite and working out a ground-saving trip before weaving through traffic at the quarter pole to finish second once again. My top pick.

9. Waves Not Oil – (Asgar, M T. Fuentes Jr.) Began her career facing Louisiana state-bred company. Waves Not Oil broke her maiden comfortably by two lengths before stepping up into stakes competition. In her next start, she drew the rail on an off track and faded to last. Connections experimented by adding a shadow roll for the Louisiana Jewel Stakes, and it paid off with a one-length victory. However, her lone start as a three-year-old was a misfire, as she weakened badly in the stretch while trying to carry her speed over a route of ground. This will be a significant test, as she’ll need to prove she can handle both the distance and this level of competition.

10. Hwin – (Spb Racing, R. Gutierrez) Undefeated in four career starts. Hwin won first time out at Belterra Park for Keikowin Racing and was auctioned off six months later to Spb Racing. Since then, she’s been slowly climbing up the ladder with a first-level allowance win along with two state-bred stakes victories. Her best performance was in her last start in The May Stakes, drawing off to win by two lengths. The elephant in the room is that this daughter of Cherokee Hunter has never been around two turns. This is a significant class and distance test, as she steps into open graded stakes company, but I don’t blame the connections for taking a shot with a perfect record.

11. Do Not Disturb – (Panionios Racing, J. Montano) Winner of the Virginia Oaks last time out and sits at #11 in Kentucky Oaks points. She got a great trip that day as the favorite, sitting just behind the early speed and stormed down the stretch to win by a length. Her Sunland Oaks effort was actually quite good as she tried to overcome a bad trip. Do Not Disturb showed a decent closing kick down the stretch but was forced eight wide. Unfortunately, she drew a wide post for this race, and if similar tactics are used again, her best effort will likely depend on a fast pace up front and some racing luck. First, second, or third place is all this filly needs to secure a spot in the Kentucky Oaks.

12. Madame Masque – (Riggins Racing, F. Pennington) The second entrant for Riggins Racing and is seeking a first graded stakes win. This filly ran four times as a two-year-old and never finished off the board. Her best effort came in the Golden Rod at Churchill Downs, where she made up five lengths from eighth place to get third. Madame Masque tried running on the lead earlier this year and got caught in the final stages of the race to finish second. However, her last start was a headscratcher, finishing tenth. She settled midpack for the entire race and made no headway on the leaders in the stretch. Connections will be adding blinkers, which could be the change she needs.

– AJM

Categories: Grade III, STAKES ARTICLES