McCarthy has pair of winners as key races approach
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ARCADIA, Calif. - With wins in the final race at Santa Anita on Saturday and the first race on Sunday, trainer Michael McCarthy started a pair of 3-year-old fillies poised for appearances in the leading races for the division in Southern California in coming months.
On Saturday, Marjoram won her first stakes in her third start in the Grade 3 Senorita Stakes at about 6 1/2 furlongs on the hillside turf course. She closed from last of 10 to win by a head, her second victory in three starts.
Marjoram won her debut at Churchill Downs on a sealed and sloppy track at 6 1/2 furlongs last November, and was a troubled fifth in her first start this year, in an allowance race on the hillside turf course on April 4.
With victories on dirt and turf, Marjoram could return on either surface, McCarthy said. One option is the Grade 3 Summertime Oaks, a $100,000 race for 3-year-old fillies at 1 1/16 miles on June 13.
“After three races, I’d say she’s useful on both” surfaces, McCarthy said. “We could find ourselves back on the dirt.
“We’ll see where she can take us. It was nice to get some graded black type” on Saturday.
Marjoram, by Quality Road, is owned by Juddmonte Farms. She is a full sister to the 4-year-old colt Spiced Up, the winner of the Grade 3 Mahony Stakes for 3-year-olds at 5 1/2 furlongs on turf at Saratoga last summer for trainer Bill Mott.
In Sunday’s first race, Victorious Dream won for the first time in her seventh start in a maiden race at 1 1/8 miles on turf. Victorious Dream ($2.60) closed from fourth of five to win by 1 1/2 lengths.
Victorious Dream was third by a head at 11-1 in the Providencia Stakes for 3-year-old fillies at 1 1/8 miles on April 5, losing to stablemate Lilo Lil.
McCarthy has the Grade 1 Del Mar Oaks at 1 1/8 miles on turf on Aug. 22 as a long-range plan for Victorious Dream.
Through Saturday, McCarthy has won 12 stakes this year, and is well positioned to surpass a personal best of 16 set last year. McCarthy won 15 stakes in 2023 and 2024.
McCarthy is poised to add to his stakes total in races nationwide in the next month.
Formidable Man, second in the Breeders’ Cup Mile at Del Mar in November in his last start, is scheduled to run in the Grade 1 Shoemaker Mile on turf at Santa Anita on May 25. Formidable Man, a three-time stakes winner last year, worked five furlongs in 1:00.20.
Journalism, winner of the 2025 Preakness Stakes and three other stakes last year, is on course for a start in the Grade 1 Metropolitan Mile at Saratoga on June 6. Journalism, who worked a half-mile in 47.60 seconds at Santa Anita on Saturday, was third in the Grade 2 Oaklawn Handicap at Oaklawn Park on April 18 in his first start of 2026.
Meaning, winner of the Grade 2 Santa Anita Oaks in April and second in the Grade 1 Kentucky Oaks at Churchill Downs on May 1, is booked to start in the Grade 1 Acorn Stakes for 3-year-old fillies at 1 1/8 miles at Saratoga on June 5. She is scheduled to have her first workout since the Kentucky Oaks this weekend.
At Saratoga next month, Yellow Card, winner of the Grade 2 Twin Spires Turf Stakes at Churchill Downs on May 2, may start in the Grade 1 Jaipur Stakes at 5 1/2 furlongs on turf on June 6.
Stark Contrast, winner of the Grade 1 American Turf Stakes at Churchill Downs on May 2, is unlikely to race again until the Grade 1 Belmont Derby at Saratoga on July 4.
Stark Contrast and Yellow Card have been invited to the Royal Ascot meeting in June in Britain, but McCarthy said on Sunday that international trips are unlikely.
Through Sunday, McCarthy ranked 14th in the nation among trainers with stable earnings of more than $3.6 million. Brad Cox leads the list with more than $11.3 million. Last year, McCarthy ranked 13th in the nation.
“Hopefully, we keep building,” McCarthy said on Sunday.
Nysos bound for Met Mile
Nysos, unraced since a second in the $20 million Saudi Cup in Saudi Arabia in February, is scheduled to have his 2026 domestic debut in the Grade 1 Metropolitan Mile Handicap at Saratoga on June 6, trainer Bob Baffert wrote in a text message on Sunday.
A winner of 7 of 9 starts, Nysos is currently part of Baffert’s top-class stable at Churchill Downs. Baffert has approximately 34 horses at Churchill Downs, his largest group at that track. Many of the runners were sent from Santa Anita to Churchill Downs in late April. Nysos only recently was transported. He breezed five furlongs at Churchill Downs in 1:00.20 on Saturday.
Nysos, a 5-year-old horse owned by Charles and Susan Chu, has won six stakes, including the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile at Del Mar last November.
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