Search Party Splits Field Late, Wins Martha Washington Stakes at Oaklawn

Search Party split rivals in mid-stretch and edged past a late runner to take the $300,000 Martha Washington Stakes at Oaklawn Park, picking up 20 Kentucky Oaks qualifying points and delivering one of four winners for Hall of Famer Mark E. Casse on the card. The Gun Runner filly, ridden by Cristian Torres from post 3, completed 1 1/16 miles in 1:45.56 and paid $10.20.

The race, run Feb. 6 after a one-week weather delay from its original Jan. 31 slot, unfolded as a tactical affair. Knickleandime set the tempo, posting fractions of :23.10, :47.83 and 1:13.31 before tiring, according to BloodHorse. Search Party rated in third on the rail for much of the trip, slipped back to fifth when trapped behind traffic on the second turn, then shook free and was tipped out three wide in the stretch. Torres split horses near the wire in a four-horse charge and Search Party prevailed by a neck over the runner-up.

There is a spelling discrepancy for the runner-up in accounts. BloodHorse lists the place horse as Newtown Pike, while other reports use Newton Pike. All sources agree on the finishing order and margin; verification from the official chart is recommended for the exact spelling. Knickleandime held on to finish third, a half-length behind the place horse, with Maximum Offer fourth and Hit Parade fifth in the eight-horse field. Stablemate Counting Stars, the 3-5 post-time favorite for West Point Thoroughbreds, dropped out on the home turn and finished last.

Search Party is a homebred for Tracy Farmer, bred in Kentucky out of the Into Mischief mare Devious Charm. The victory improved her record to 2-1-2 in six starts with earnings of $276,211, adding to a maiden win at Oaklawn on Dec. 27. The performance showcased the filly’s tactical versatility and late kick after encountering trouble from post 3.

Casse reflected on the run to FanDuel TV, saying, "She ran into some issues along the way, but she showed her heart down the lane." He told the Oaklawn Park track feed that the filly will remain at Oaklawn but did not identify a next target. The result bolsters Search Party’s standing on the Kentucky Oaks points ladder and highlights Casse and Torres as a potent trainer-jockey pairing, adding to earlier stakes success on the same card with Silent Tactic in the Southwest Stakes.

For handicappers and connections, Search Party’s resilience after traffic trouble and a driverlike finish will influence future entries and morning-line expectations, while the Counting Stars tumble is a reminder that heavy favoritism can unravel quickly in heated juvenile filly stakes company.