2025.10.16 Oaklawn Racing Upates

Racing Updates
Compiled by Robert Yates

Thursday, Oct. 16, 2025

Quietside and Simply Joking, the top two finishers in Oaklawn’s biggest race for 3-year-old fillies last spring, are scheduled to meet again in the $400,000 G2-Raven Run Stakes Saturday at Keeneland.

The Raven Run, a seven-furlong event for 3-year-old fillies, is the ninth of 10 races, with probable post time 4:16 p.m. CDT.

Quietside, a homebred for Arkansas lumberman John Ed Anthony’s Shortleaf Stable, and Simply Joking were separated by three-quarters of a length in the 1 1/16-miles $750,000 G2-Fantasy Stakes March 29 at Oaklawn.

Neither has started since finishing sixth and 13th, respectively, in the $1.5 million G1-Kentucky Oaks May 2 at Churchill Downs. The 1 1/8-mile Kentucky Oaks is the country’s biggest race for 3-year-old fillies.

Quietside is the 4-1 second choice in the program for trainer John Ortiz. Jose Ortiz retains the mount on Quietside, who is scheduled to break from post 11 under top weight of 120 pounds. Quietside ($972,200) is poised to surpass $1 million in career earnings Saturday.

Simply Joking (8-1) will be making her first start for Southern California-based trainer Michael McCarthy. Frankie Dettori is named to ride from post 10. Simply Joking will carry 118 pounds.

The Fantasy marked an Oaklawn-record 40th career stakes victory for Anthony. He is Oaklawn’s all-time winningest owner (299 victories). Quietside also won the $500,000 G3-Honeybee Stakes last season at Oaklawn. Quietside hasn’t started in a one-turn race since finishing second in the $300,000 G1-Spinaway Stakes for 2-year-old fillies in August 2024 at Saratoga.

Both the Honeybee ($750,000) and the Fantasy ($1 million) will offer record purses in 2026.

Finish Lines

Oaklawn’s stable area opens Oct. 23, with the track opening for training Oct. 28 in advance of its 2025-2026 meeting. The 64-day split season is scheduled to run Dec. 12 through May 2. … Reigning Horse of the Year and multiple Oaklawn stakes winner Thorpedo Anna was retired to begin a broodmare career in 2026 at co-owner John Sikura’s Hill ‘n’ Dale Farms at Xalapa in Kentucky, trainer Kenny McPeek announced Wednesday. Thorpedo Anna, a 4-year-old daughter of Fast Anna, won 12 of 16 career starts, including Oaklawn’s G2-Fantasy Stakes, G2-Azeri Stakes and G1-Apple Blossom Handicap, and earned $5,440,913. She was a seven-time Grade 1 winner. Among Oaklawn-raced females, only Eclipse Award winners Midnight Bisou ($13,971,520) and Zenyatta ($7,304,580) have earned more money. Midnight Bisou was North America’s champion older dirt female in 2019. Zenyatta was champion older female in 2008, 2009 and 2010 and Horse of the Year in 2010. In addition to Horse of the Year, Thorpedo Anna was a unanimous selection as champion 3-year-old filly of 2024. … Oaklawn-raced Grade 1 winner Gaming is entered in the seven-furlong $350,000 G3-Perryville Stakes for 3-year-olds Saturday at Keeneland. … Oaklawn allowance winner Cupids Crush and Oaklawn-raced Boss Lady Bailey are entered in the 12-furlong $350,000 G3-Dowager Stakes for fillies and mares, 3 and up, on the turf Sunday at Keeneland. … Oaklawn allowance winner Decadent is entered in the $200,000 G2-Sands Point Stakes for 3-year-old fillies at 1 1/8 miles on the turf Saturday at Aqueduct. … Bidding closes at 5 p.m. (CDT) Thursday on multiple Oaklawn stakes winner Haulin Ice, who is entered in Fasig-Tipton’s digital Fall Flash Sale. The 4-year-old filly is the leading accredited Arkansas-bred money winner in history ($958,650). She is being offered as a racing/broodmare prospect.