HOT SPRINGS, Ark. (Feb. 13, 2026) – California-bred Majestic Oops took the lead in midstretch and powered to a 3 ¼-length victory over Asternia in the $150,000 American Beauty Stakes for older female sprinters Friday afternoon at Oaklawn.
Francisco Arrieta rode Majestic Oops, the 2-1 favorite, for trainer Dan Ward and owners Medallion Racing (Phillip Shelton), Evan Trommer, Agave Racing Stable (Mark Martinez) and Sheila Regan.
Bred by William and Sandy Dory and Gary and Janet Kropp, Majestic Oops was making her first start since finishing ninth in the Breeders’ Cup Distaff (G1) at 1 1/8 miles Nov. 1 at Del Mar.
The American Beauty was originally scheduled to be run Feb. 6, then shifted to Feb. 7 after Oaklawn lost three racing dates (Jan. 30, Jan. 31 and Feb. 1) to a winter storm late last month. The American Beauty didn’t have sufficient entries to be run Feb. 7 and was brought back Friday as an “extra” race in the condition book.
Asternia finished 1 ¼ lengths ahead of Benedetta, who was followed, in order, by Gloriette, Velvet Devil and slow-starting Tapit Quick. Majestic Oops was fourth turning for home, but she used a burst of speed to collar front-running Asternia on the outside passing the furlong marker and increased her advantage approaching the wire.
Majestic Oops ran six furlongs over a fast track in 1:09.52, just off the stakes-record 1:09.32, which was set by Amy’s Challenge in 2019.
Majestic Oops paid $6, $3.40 and $2.40. Asternia paid $4 and $3. Benedetta paid $2.80.
Majestic Oops won two races last season at Oaklawn, an entry-level allowance at 1 1/16 miles and the $200,000 Dig A Diamond Stakes at one mile. Both races were in April. The Dig A Diamond was the first career Oaklawn stakes victory for Ward, a longtime assistant under Hall of Fame trainer Jerry Hollendorfer before going out on his own in the summer of 2023.
Majestic Oops, in her previous two starts around one turn, finished second in a six-furlong starter allowance in January 2025 at Oaklawn and third in the Ballerina Stakes (G1) at seven furlongs last August at Saratoga. Majestic Oops, a 6-year-old daughter of Majestic Harbor, has an 8-11-4 record from 34 lifetime starts and earnings of $724,309. She is a three-time stakes winner.
American Beauty Quotes
Winning Trainer Dan Ward (Majestic Oops): “I didn’t think she’d be really far back. And we’ve only sprinted her twice, and she ran second and was third in a Grade 1. I didn’t have a problem sprinting her first time back. Easier to get ready for six furlongs and start her off. I’m very grateful for the owners that they wanted to campaign her at age six and left her with me. We will nominate to the Azeri and take a look at it. I’m pretty confident in her at six (furlongs), seven (furlongs), a mile, a mile and a sixteenth. A mile and an eighth, she’s only done it once and it didn’t work out well.”
Winning Jockey Francisco Arrieta (Majestic Oops): “She’s a very honest filly, very classy, easy to ride. You can put her wherever you want. It was six furlongs and coming off a little layoff. I didn’t rush her. In the post parade, she was very aggressive, very sharp, so I knew she was going to put me somewhere close. The plan was to jump (from the gate), sit and come running and that’s what we did. She’s got a lot of class.”