My Majestic Rose wins Summertime Oaks in stakes debut

ARCADIA, Calif. – My Majestic Rose was the only filly in a field of five in Sunday’s Grade 2 Summertime Oaks at Santa Anita without previous experience in a stakes. The other four fillies were stakes winners or had run in stakes.

The lack of big-race experience was no issue for My Majestic Rose.

My Majestic Rose ($13.80) closed from third in a field of five to win the $200,000 Summertime Oaks by a half-length over 9-10 favorite Sneaking Out.

The 1 1/16-mile Summertime Oaks was My Majestic Rose’s first start outside of Louisiana or Kentucky and was 35-year-old trainer Rodolphe Brisset’s first starter at Santa Anita. Brisset, a former assistant to Bill Mott, launched his own stable in 2017.

My Majestic Rose was timed in 1:45.08 and earned a career-best Beyer Speed Figure of 85.

Ridden by Flavien Prat, who rode four winners on Sunday, My Majestic Rose raced about a length behind Sneaking Out and Flor de La Mar, who were separated by a head through early fractions of 23.49 seconds for the opening quarter-mile and 47.44 for a half-mile.

Flor de La Mar faded from contention on the final turn when Prat guided My Majestic Rose to the outside of Sneaking Out.

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“We had a good trip,” Prat said. “She relaxed well. As soon as I had an opening at the three-eighths pole, I made a move.”

Sneaking Out and My Majestic Rose ran together in early stretch, with Sneaking Out leading by a head with a furlong remaining. My Majestic Rose took the advantage in the final sixteenth, but needed coaxing to remain in front.

“When she made the lead, she waited on the other horse,” Prat said. “I thought it was a good race.”

Sneaking Out, who won the Evening Jewel Stakes for California-bred 3-year-old fillies in April, finished 4 1/4 lengths in front of Colonial Creed, who second in the Blue Norther Stakes on turf in December.

Bizwhacks and Flor de La Mar completed the order of finish in the small field.

My Majestic Rose, owned and bred by Judy Hicks of Lexington, Ky., has won 2 of 6 starts and earned $207,028. She won a maiden race at a mile at Churchill Downs on May 2, which led Brisset to try the Summertime Oaks in what turned out to be a milestone win for the filly.