Majestic Oops flipped the script Saturday at Oaklawn, parlaying a sharp four-wide move turning for home into victory in the $400,000 Azeri Stakes (G2) for older fillies and mares.

The 1 1/16-mile Azeri featured three starters from the Breeders’ Cup Distaff (G1) Nov. 1 at Del Mar in runner-up Nitrogen, third-place finisher Regaled and Majestic Oops, who ran ninth.

The order of finish was reversed in the Azeri, with Majestic Oops holding off late-running Regaled by three-quarters of a length under Francisco Arrieta. Nitrogen, North America’s champion 3-year-old filly of 2025, finished a length farther back in third as the 1-5 favorite. The winning time over a sloppy, sealed surface was 1:43.36.

The victory was the first in graded company for Majestic Oops ($20.60) and the biggest to date for trainer Dan Ward, 67, who struck out on his own in the summer of 2023 after lengthy stints under Hall of Fame trainers Bobby Frankel and Jerry Hollendorfer.

“You only get a certain amount of chances to run throughout the year and there’s so much time in between races and everything,” Ward said Sunday morning. “I’m here all the time, like 12 hours a day, every day. And when you see a horse run like that, it’s amazing.”

Majestic Oops received a preliminary Beyer Speed Figure of 94 for her Azeri victory, two points higher than she earned for winning Oaklawn’s six-furlong $150,000 American Beauty Stakes Feb. 13.

Ward originally planned to keep Majestic Oops around one turn in Oaklawn’s $250,000 Matron Stakes March 27. But co-owner Mark Martinez (Agave Racing Stable) also has an interest Arkansas-bred star Haulin Ice, who is targeting the six-furlong Matron after winning the 2025 edition for trainer Saffie Joseph Jr.

Ward said the ownership group was also seeking a graded stakes victory to boost Majestic Oops’ broodmare value.

In addition to Agave, Majestic Oops races for Medallion Racing (Phillip Shelton), Evan Trommer and Sheila Regan.

Majestic Oops had run in four previous graded races, finishing second in the Molly Pitcher (G3) July 19 at Monmouth Park, third in the Ballerina (G1) Aug. 23 at Saratoga and fourth in the Delaware Handicap (G3) Sept. 28 at Delaware Park. Majestic Oops was beaten 16 ½ lengths in the Breeders’ Cup Distaff, which completed a busy 11-race campaign in 2025.

“We came right from Del Mar to Cincinnati and then here,” Ward said. “She had the whole rest of the month of November off. You don’t have to train her too hard. I learned a long time ago from Bobby not to send mares out. If you’re going to give a horse time off, a filly or mare, keep them in the barn. I go by a lot of what he’s taught me. You get them out there on the farm sometimes and they’re not breeding, then they come back in and they don’t run the same.”

Ward said Majestic Oops exited the Azeri in good order and will be pointed to the $1.25 million Apple Blossom Handicap (G1) April 11. The 1 1/16-mile Apple Blossom is Oaklawn’s signature two-turn event for older fillies and mares and a “Win and You’re In” for the Breeders’ Cup Distaff.

Majestic Oops has a 9-11-4 record from 35 lifetime starts and earnings of $952,309. The Azeri was her fourth career stakes victory. She also won the $200,000 Dig a Diamond last April at Oaklawn and the Lady’s Secret June 14 at Monmouth Park.

A 6-year-old daughter of Majestic Harbor, Majestic Oops was bred in California by William Dory, Sandy Dory, Gary Kropp and Janet Kropp.

Majestic Oops has been under Ward’s care since late 2024.

Staying Put

Blackout Time remains on track to make his next start in the $1.5 million Arkansas Derby (G1) March 28, co-owner Lance Gasaway said Saturday afternoon.

Blackout Time finished fourth in the $1 million Rebel Stakes (G2) March 1, which marked his first start since the Breeders’ Futurity Stakes (G1) Oct 4 at Keeneland. Blackout Time was beaten eight lengths in the 1 1/16-mile Rebel, Oaklawn’s third Kentucky Derby qualifying race.

“We knew he wouldn’t be 100 percent,” Gasaway said. “We thought, maybe, 85, 90 percent. He should have gotten a lot out of that. He drank a lot of water afterwards. Hey, regroup, right? We’ve just got to regroup and go again.”

Blackout Time has been based this winter at Fair Grounds, but Gasaway said the Not This Time colt will remain at Oaklawn to prepare for the Arkansas Derby. Blackout Time has been recently reunited with a familiar morning partner in retired two-time Oaklawn riding champion Robby Albarado, who regularly got on the colt last fall in Kentucky.

“He’ll be here the whole time,” Gasaway said of Albarado. “He will breeze him, he will gallop him, he will be on him every day.”

Blackout Time is trained by Kenny McPeek, who is seeking his first Arkansas Derby victory after finishing third in 2024 with the Gasaway-owned Mystik Dan, who would win the Kentucky Derby in his next start.

The Arkansas Derby will award 200 points to the top five finishers (100-50-25-15-10, respectively) toward starting eligibility for the Kentucky Derby.

Blackout Time (15 points) ranks 26^th on the latest Kentucky Derby leaderboard released by Churchill Downs. The Kentucky Derby is limited to 20 starters, with the top 17 horses on the points list guaranteed a spot in the field.

Top point getters from the Euro/Mideast Road to the Kentucky Derby and Japan Road to the Kentucky Derby could receive the three remaining spots, according to Churchill Downs.

Next-race plans are pending for Soldier N Diplomat after his fifth-place finish in the Rebel, Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen said Sunday morning. Soldier N Diplomat was beaten 13 ½ lengths after being hung seven-wide on the first turn.

“Came out of it good,” Asmussen said. “He’s been back to the track and undecided on what he’ll do next.”

Soldier N Diplomat has 18 points to rank 23^rd on the Kentucky Derby leaderboard.

Finish Lines

Following Sunday’s card, racing resumes Thursday at Oaklawn. First post is 12:30 p.m. (Central). … Horses are 0 for 49 breaking from post 10 in route races this season at Oaklawn, according to Equibase, racing’s official data gathering organization. It’s the only post position that hasn’t produced a winner (sprint or route) through the first 32 days of racing. … Ford’s Ma’am, a 3-year-old half-sister to 2024 Kentucky Derby winner Mystik Dan, is targeting a career debut in early April, co-breeder/owner Lance Gasaway said Saturday afternoon. Ford’s Ma’am, who is trained by Kenny McPeek, is from the first crop of 2021 Horse of the Year Knicks Go. Ford’s Ma’am has six published workouts since Jan. 17 at Oaklawn. Gasaway and McPeek also campaigned Mystik Dan. … Gnome, fifth in the $150,000 Ozark Stakes Feb. 16 at Oaklawn, is pointing for the six-furlong $250,000 Animal Kingdom Stakes for 3-year-olds March 21 at Turfway Park, trainer Kelsey Danner said