2026.02.06 OJC Southwest Stakes (G3) Recap

$1,000,000 Southwest Stakes Stakes (G3) Recap
Compiled by Robert Yates | Photo Credit: Coady Media

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Friday, Feb. 6, 2026

It’s now a Mark Casse trifecta.

Casse, the dual Hall of Fame trainer, recorded his third consecutive victory in a Kentucky Derby qualifying race at Oaklawn when John Oxley’s Silent Tactic roared late to capture Friday’s $1 million Southwest Stakes (G3).

Ridden by Cristian Torres, Silent Tactic finished 3 ¼ lengths ahead of Solider N Diplomat in the 1 1/16-mile race run before an estimated on-track crowd of 24,000. Buetane, in his first start around two turns, finished a head farther back in third, denying Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert his record-extending seventh Southwest victory. It was another nose back to Rancho Santa Fe in fourth.

Silent Tactic marked the fourth victory on the card for Casse, who also won the $300,000 Martha Washington Stakes for 3-year-old fillies with Search Party. Casse won Oaklawn’s fourth and final Kentucky Derby qualifying race last season – the $1.5 million Arkansas Derby (G1) – with Sandman and ran 1-2 in its first of 2026 with Strategic Risk and Silent Tactic, respectively, in the $250,000 Smarty Jones Stakes.

The 1 1/16-Smarty Jones was Silent Tactic’s first start on dirt and he closed to finish 4 ½ lengths behind the Oxley-owned Strategic Risk, who raced just off a glacial pace and sprinted to the wire. Silent Tactic, in the Southwest, was 11th after a half-mile before circling the field and passing nine horses in the final three-sixteenths of a mile to win going away.

Completing the order of finish were Circle Tap, Liberty National, Sleepingonfreedom, 2-1 favorite D’code, Spirit of Royal, Strategic Risk, Baytown Dreamer and Reclamation, who was eased. Litmus Test, the 5-2 program favorite, and Bricklin were scratced reducing the starting field to 12.

D’code, antsy early, was making his stakes and two-turn debut after a dazzling six-furlong debut victory Dec. 14 at Oaklawn. He took the field through splits of :23.52 for the opening quarter-mile, :47.52 for a half-mile and 1:12.81 for six furlongs before tiring in the stretch. The winning time over a fast track was 1:44.85.

Silent Tactic collected 20 Kentucky Derby qualifying points in the Southwest, delayed six days because of winter weather, and has 25 overall.

Silent Tactic, a son of Tacitus, raised his career earnings to $594,422 following his second victory from four starts.

Purchased for $500,000 at the 2025 OBS Spring Sale of Two-Year-Olds in training, Silent Tactic made his first two career starts over a synthetic surface at Woodbine in Canada, where he ran second in the Grey Stakes (G3) at 1 1/16 miles Nov. 2.

Oaklawn’s Kentucky Derby qualifying series continues with the $1 million Rebel Stakes (G2) at 1 1/16 miles March 1 and $1.5 million Arkansas Derby (G1) at 1 1/8 miles March 28.

Racing resumes Saturday at Oaklawn with an 11-race card highlighted by the 4-year-old debut of champion Nitrogen in the $250,000 Bayakoa Stakes (G3) for older fillies and mares. First post is noon CST.

Southwest Stakes Quotes

Winning Jockey Cristian Torres (Silent Tactic): “He’s a horse that doesn’t need to be close. He’s very easy to ride. There was plenty of speed, obviously, in the race and it really helped me. That’s why when he broke, I put my hands down and let him be comfortable wherever he wanted. I knew he was going to respond because last time in the Smarty Jones, there was no pace, and he still closed. So, I was pretty confident going into this race with him. (Three-eighths pole) is when I knew I had it won. He wanted to go and I just waited a little bit longer. I knew when I got him clear he was going to fire for me. Good horse, Hopefully, he’s going to keep improving. The more distance the better, I think.”

Winning Trainer Mark Casse (Silent Tactic/Strategic Risk): “The last race, the Smarty Jones, it was his first start ever on the dirt and only had one easy breeze. It’s interesting. When I talked to (owner) Mr. (John) Oxley last week, he said: ‘What do you think?’ I said: ‘Honestly, I think Silent Tactic is training better than Strategic Risk. So, we’ll see.’ We’re watching the race and I could see Strategic Risk was struggling, so then I started looking for Silent Tactic and I could see he was coming. He came strong.”

Second Place Jockey Jose Ortiz (Solder N Diplomat): “He ran big. Good position approaching the second turn and somebody outside me made me go forward a little bit sooner than I wanted to, but that’s racing. Big field, it happens sometimes. He ran big. We’re very happy with that. The winner was best today.”