The Hutcheson Stakes
$100.000 For Three Year Olds
6 Furlongs – Dirt
Gulfstream Park – March 14, 2026

While the eyes of the HRP world are understandably focused on the three-year-olds trying to make their way to Churchill Downs in early May there are still other races and other divisions for the sophomore set that matter. Six three-year-olds will knock heads at Gulfstream Park on Saturday going six furlongs trying to become the twenty-fourth winner of The Hutcheson stakes in the twenty-third running of the race. There was one dead heat in 2020 when the judges could not separate Fracas from Last Scout at the wire. There is a 65% chance of rain on Saturday so weather could come into play.

1. Megabyte (Maletto/L. Salles) TC nominated gelding cuts back to six furlongs after a twelfth-place finish in the 1-mile RP Springboard. He has won three of his nine starts all at sprint distances, so this seems to be where he is more comfortable right now. He has finished off the board in both of his stakes attempts and has never yet competed on an off track. 

2. Immunity System (Williams9/Jo Ruiz) Another TC nominated gelding cutting back to a sprint after three straight route attempts and giving the KD trail a shot. He has not placed in his three stakes attempts and was off the board in his one-off track start which was his last one when he finished eighth in the G3 Holy Bull at this track. 

3. Grim (South Shore Stables/J. Bravo) Has one win from three career starts and that was his maiden win sprinting at DED. His last race was his first stakes start and his first route attempt. He finished a well beaten seventh in that affair. He cuts back and seeks to find his way at a shorter distance. Has never raced on a wet surface.

4. Attacker (Riggins Racing/D. Davis) He has two wins from four starts. All of his races have been at smaller tracks, and he seeks to move up the circuit ladder and make his stakes debut. His three-year-old season started off with a win so that is positive. Racing on a wet track would be another first for him.

5. Cosmic Energy (Mb Stables/E.J. Zayas) TC nominated and undefeated in his one lifetime start. He is another who is seeking to move up to a tougher circuit and make his stakes debut. Like most of the field he has also not raced on anything but a fast track in his fledgling career. 

6. Magenta (Alydar Stables/J. Rosario) Homebred colt has won one of three races in his career. He is a son of G1 Ashland winner Purple Charger who looked promising in a second start win before faltering in his stakes debut finishing tenth in the Swale at this track in January. Bad news for his backers is that race was on a good track and with rain in the forecast for Saturday you might think twice. 

Most in the field are lightly raced and unproven. There are no stakes winners. There is no real wet track form should the rains come. This race is wide open and a great opportunity for any of the six to become a stakes winner, but I think you have to go for Megabyte on the rail who has two straight wins sprinting before his last race routing. The most accomplished in the field. Throw the undefeated Cosmic Energy underneath and use the blueblood Magenta underneath to complete the trifecta.

Categories: STAKES ARTICLES, Ungraded