Tropical Park Oaks ($125.000 Purse)
GP- For Fillies Three Years Old
One Mile and One Sixteenth on the Turf
December 13, 2025

Down at GP this Saturday, we will have the 18th running of the Tropical Park Oaks, a $125.000 ungraded stake on the turf. The race debuted on the schedule in 2005, though has not been held in every year. At first, the stake was held at CRC, and after running for a record low $65.000 in 2011, it disappeared for a couple years before being seen here at GP in 2014. The $125.000 that is offered for the race is a high point, one that first attained in 2023. Last year, When Doves Cry scored the win for Big Jd Racing, and she has become a regular in graded races as a four-year-old with generally consistent finishes for a while, but only one win on the year. Here’s a look at the six that run this time around:

1- Vavoon (TwinTowersRacing, ridden by E Jaramillo)- Broke her maiden in her eighth career start up at FE this year in August, and followed that up nicely with a nice optional claimer win at SA. The trainer was hoping that she would continue that momentum in the Grade 2 Mother Goose, but the filly fell completely flat. This field won’t be as tough, but she needs it to be seven lengths not as tough.

2- Wiggins (Royalty Stables, ridden by T Gaffalione)- Makes her stake debut after running off three consecutive wins at high level tracks, two of which were in starter allowances. She has a nose for the finish line, with five victories in nine starts, making this a much-deserved opportunity to show what she can do at this level, and I look for her to put in a strong effort. However, an opposite point can also be made, with her last victory being in a three horse field and not necessarily having the most impressive SRF’s in those wins.

3- Snow Pea (First Flight Stable, ridden by J Bravo)- Didn’t take well to the mud in her last race, being defeated by four lengths in an allowance. She has made one stake appearance, which was on the grass at WO but was a non-factor in that one as well. If you put those starts to the side, she’s a more consistent horse and she did work nicely here at the start of the month. For her sake, hopefully that translates into improvement on race day.

4- Bullet Dash (Spb Racing, ridden by M J Husbands)- Claimed by the trainer for $40.000 in September, with the Spb Racing getting the three way shake in their favor. Bullet Dash not too long before that had run second in Grade 3 Mamzelle. Since arriving with her new trainer, the filly was fourth in an optional claimer at AQU before scoring a nice win last time out in the $150.000 CC Tiara. Should be a contender.

5- United Abominations (Patterson Stables, ridden by I Ortiz Jr)- Did the trainer accidentally enter the wrong horse into the race? This is a maiden in three starts, with her only pay track race happening at BTP. Last time she has run was in July, and clearly, she has been improving behind the scenes to justify her placement here. Works at ELP in August were nice, but I wish I could see a similar work more recently. Otherwise, I will have to see it first before picking her.

6- Travers (D J C Racing Stables, ridden by E J Zayas)- Travers is the one to beat in this field, but that does not mean she can’t be beaten. In nine starts, she has four wins while being third on three other occasions. None of the wins are in the stakes that she has attempted but are solid victories. I like her last race where she was third in the Grade 2 Sands Point at AQU two months ago and feel that if she can build on that just a little bit, she can take this field. Seems due for a stake win, so maybe it’s time now. She’s named Travers, so she can’t keep coming up short in stakes.

Prediction: 6-4-2-1

— NS

Categories: STAKES ARTICLES, Ungraded