DEL Oaks – GIII
$300.00 – For Fillies Three Years Old
1 1/16 Miles – Dirt
Delaware Park – June 13, 2026

It has been six weeks since Monarchy showed her heels to thirteen other sophomore fillies under the ever watchful weighty stare of the twin spires at Churchill Downs to win the Kentucky Oaks and remain undefeated. She attempted to follow in the footsteps of the super filly who preceded her a year ago, Credit Crime, and take on the boys in last week’s Belmont Stakes but found herself on the outside looking in from the also eligible list. The Belmont Stakes’ loss is the Delaware Oaks’ gain as she shows up a couple of states south a week later to meet a field of her own sex seeking to extend her Oaks winning streak to four following wins in the Sunland Oaks, Santa Anita Oaks and the Kentucky Oaks. She will be joined by six others at the gate including four familiar foes from Kentucky. The forecast for Saturday seems to assure the field they will be greeted by sunshine and a fast track. 

1. Exciting (Maxmillion Farm/S.X. Bridgmohan) Lived up to her name this spring with a near miss second in the G2 Davone Dale and then a big win in the G2 Fantasy at Oaklawn Park. Those efforts gained her entry into the G1 Kentucky Oaks where she put in a dull effort never really getting into the race and seeming to have no excuses. She draws well today and has to be respected as a winner of five of her eight lifetime starts. Expect a better performance. 

2. Three Sixes (Pan Farms/R. Bejarano) Another that has to be respected for past success and consistency having finished on the board in nine of her eleven races. She won the G2 Golden Rod as a two year old and carried fine form into her three year old season winning the Martha Washington in January. She went to Oaklawn for two Oaks preps finishing third in the G3 Honeybee before finishing second to Excting in the G2 Fantasy. Like Exciting she put forth a dull effort in Kentucky finishing eleventh and is seeking to rebound to her previous stellar form. 

3. All Or Nothing (TwinTowersRacing/T. Gaffalione) Was not one of the girls at the party in Kentucky but made it to the dance in Maryland. She made her graded stakes debut in the G2 Black-Eyed Susans in Maryland where she led the field the entire way before fading to fourth very late. That was a very respectable effort and the barn that has caused so much HRP excitement over the Triple Crown season was encouraged enough to wheel her back in another graded effort.  

4. Tranect (Acber Farms/J.R. Velasquez) A very serious filly. She won the lucrative Untappable Stakes as a two year old. After a poor performance in the Breeders Cup she finished off her Juvenile year with a win in the G2 Starlet. She then came out gangbusters as a three year old winning the G2 Alexandra Stakes but then threw in a headscratcher when she finished a badly fading ninth in her final Oaks prep as the favorite. The public obviously didn’t trust her off of that race as she was let go at 27-1 in Kentucky where she ran a very sharp and threatening fourth only a half length off of the winner. If she brings her Kentucky Oaks form to Delaware with a much smaller field to navigate Espinoza on Monarchy would be advised to keep her in his sights. Threat. 

5. Shedaresthedevil (D J C Racing Stables/S. Elliott) Very lightly raced D J C Racing Stables homebred filly who has won two of five career starts. She broke her maiden in a Ny-bred MSW in March and then followed that up with a stakes win in the statebred NY Stallion Series – Fourstar. With that stakes win in her pocket she made her graded stakes debut sprinting in the G3 Miss PS where she finished a solid fourth. May not be the most experienced or yet have the deepest resume but has shown talent and speed in the morning. 

6. Monarchy (Mo Mentum Farm/V. Espinoza) Have had the pleasure of covering her through her last couple of races and she has done nothing but impress. She romped and looked like a monster when she wired the field in the G2 Santa Anita Oaks. She then had to show true grit winning the G1 KY Oaks having to battle the entire length of the stretch to get to the front and then hold off the closers. That was not an easy win but it showed she doesn’t need to have things all her own way and that she will fight for a win. Her record speaks for itself. Six wins in six starts, three graded stakes wins in a row, Kentucky Oaks champ… the one to beat.

7. Neon Damascus (Mb Stables/J. Lezcano) Made it to the Kentucky Oaks following a win in the G2 FG Oaks but then ran twelfth in the big race. When you see that twelfth place was only three lengths behind the winner you realize just how competitive and tight that race was. (Three lengths back also applies to fellow Oaks “disappointments” in this race Exciting and Three Sixes). A smaller field to come through will help if she chooses to run from off the pace as per her usual style and she has every right to rebound.

Even though the bullseye on her back grows bigger with each win I have to once again make Monarchy my pick. Until they beat her she has to be the choice. I will stay with those returning from Kentucky for the rest of the placings with Monarchy being followed home by Tranect, Exciting and Three Sixes. 

Categories: Grade III, STAKES ARTICLES