Majestic Oops Upsets Champion Nitrogen in Sloppy GII Azeri at Oaklawn

Majestic Oops upset the odds-on favorite Nitrogen in the Grade 2 Azeri Stakes at Oaklawn Park, winning the 1 1/16-mile race on a sloppy track by three-quarters of a length and pocketing a $228,000 winner’s share. Jockey Francisco Arrieta rode the 6-year-old bay mare for trainer Dan Ward and the ownership group of Medallion Racing, Evan Trommer, Agave Racing Stable and Sheila Regan.

After breaking sharply, Arrieta eased Majestic Oops back to a ground-saving position just inside Nitrogen, the 2025 Eclipse Award champion 3-year-old filly ridden by Jose Ortiz. Arrieta held that spot as Nitrogen was urged to a short lead turning for home; Majestic Oops swung outside in the stretch, went smoothly by and drew off to finish first, with Regaled finishing second after altering course to the inside in the final sixteenth and Nitrogen settling for third. The official margins reported were three-quarters of a length from Majestic Oops to Regaled and one length from Regaled to Nitrogen.

Timing and weight lines vary across reports: Thoroughbred Daily News and BloodHorse, citing Equibase at time of entry, list the final time as 1:43.36 and Majestic Oops’ impost as 119 pounds, while Horseracing Nation’s chart shows a 1:43.46 final time and lists her at 121. The FanDuel Racing tweet captured the win and listed the win payoff as $20.60, tweeting, "#3 MAJESTIC OOPS ($20.60) put away Nitrogen in the $400,000 Azeri Stakes (G2) at @OaklawnRacing with @jockeyfarrieta aboard. The 6-year-old daughter of Majestic Harbor is trained by @dfwardjr."

The victory is Majestic Oops’ first graded stakes win. Pre-race figures published by the California Thoroughbred Breeders Association gave her eight wins in 34 starts and earnings of $724,309; Thoroughbred Daily News updated her lines after the Azeri to GISP, 35-9-11-4 and $952,309 in lifetime earnings. The mare is by Majestic Harbor out of Miss Oops, by Olmodavor; pedigree notes show Miss Oops as an Adena Springs-bred 13-time winner and Majestic Oops as the first graded winner for Majestic Harbor, with a Werk Nick rating of A. Breeders are William and Sandy Dory and Gary and Janet Kropp of California.

Majestic Oops arrived at Oaklawn with recent form that included a Feb. 13 American Beauty Stakes victory at Oaklawn, where she took the lead in midstretch and won by 3 1/4 lengths over Asternia. She had earlier finished ninth in the 2025 Breeders’ Cup Distaff at Del Mar. Trainer Dan Ward, asked whether he would seek a rematch with Nitrogen in Oaklawn’s Grade 1 Apple Blossom on April 11, replied, "I hope so." The Apple Blossom carries a Breeders’ Cup Challenge "Win and You’re In" berth to the Distaff, meaning Majestic Oops’ upset now has immediate implications for the spring stakes calendar and the road to the Breeders’ Cup.