Majestic Oops had no trouble stretching out from her last start at 6 furlongs to the 1 1/16 miles of the Azeri Stakes (G2) March 7 at Oaklawn Park, no trouble with the sloppy track and, ultimately, no trouble with the odds-on favorite, Nitrogen.
After breaking sharply, jockey Francisco Arrieta eased Majestic Oops back to a ground-saving position just inside Nitrogen, the 2025 Eclipse Award champion 3-year-old filly. He held that position even as Jose Ortiz urged Nitrogen to a short lead turning for home.
Entering the stretch, Majestic Oops moved outside rivals, went smoothly by and drew off to win by three-quarters of a length. Regaled altered course to the inside in the final sixteenth and finished second, 1 length better than Nitrogen. Majestic Oops, a 6-year-old Majestic Harbor mare, finished in 1:43.36. The California-bred got her first graded stakes win.
"With Francisco, I was very confident because he knows how to get her to finish," winning trainer Dan Ward said. "She broke on top but he got her to relax. That's the key. And then she can come with that finish.
"He looked good all the way around and he saved ground and then he got her out and it looked like he had a lot of horse. It was very exciting."
Majestic Oops ($20.60) was bred by William and Sandy Dory and Gary and Janet Kropp. She races for the partnership of Medallion Racing, Evan Trommer, Agave Racing Stable, and Sheila Regan.
Nitrogen finished second in the 2025 Breeders' Cup Distaff (G1) at Del Mar, with Majestic Oops reporting ninth. She came into the Azeri off a victory in the Bayakoa Stakes (G3) at Oaklawn Feb. 7. Trainer Mark Casse originally said the Azeri would be Nitrogen's 2026 debut but changed his mind because the Medaglia d'Oro filly was training so well.
She was a step slow out of the gate in the Azeri and shifted out a path shortly after the start. She also appeared to be getting out slightly at midstretch as Majestic Oops mounted her bid.
The Bayakoa and Azeri are the steppingstones to Oaklawn's premier filly and mare race, the Apple Blossom Handicap (G1), which this year has been designated Breeders' Cup Challenge Series: Win and You're In event for the Breeders' Cup Distaff. The April 11 Apple Blossom has been Nitrogen's target through the Oaklawn season and Ward was asked if Majestic Oops now might get a rematch with Nitrogen in that race.
"I hope so," he replied.
The race is named for the 2002 Horse of the Year and Hall of Fame honoree. Azeri appeared only three times at Oaklawn, each time in the Apple Blossom, and won all three.
