Exotics Plays for the Yellow Ribbon Stakes

An octet of fillies and mares will contest the $200,000 Yellow Ribbon (G2) at Del Mar on Saturday. The 1 1/16-mile tilt on the grass features five shippers and three locally based contenders in a super-competitive affair, and I favor the ladies coming in for the feature of the afternoon. 

Yellow Ribbon Exotics

• $5 exacta key box 2 with 6,8 ($20)

• $1 trifecta 2,6,8 with 2,5,6,8 with 2,5,6,8 ($18) 

• 50-cent superfecta 2 with 5,6,8 with 5,6,8 with all ($15)

The Mike Maker-trained #2 Sweet Rebecca is six-for-10 in her lifetime, with each of her races coming on the grass, and the daughter of American Pharoah has finished first in three of her four races in 2026. The chestnut mare is a sterling three-for-three at this distance, and the multiple stakes vixen still has room to improve, being relatively lightly raced for a five-year-old. She possesses the early foot to keep in touch early, as well as the closing burst to be a menace late, too. Antonio Fresu inherits the ride. 

Grade 3 heroine #8 Whiskey Decision will be very tough to knock off with her top effort in her first try for conditioner Michael McCarthy. Purchased for $1.5 million in November, the Kentucky-bred daughter of Into Mischief is winless in four runs in 2026 but has run well on each occasion while facing some very good ladies along the way. The five-year-old bay will have a clear voyage from the outside post in the affair, and the mare has enough positional speed to be in range from the start of the tilt, as well. Strong turf pilot Umberto Rispoli will be on board. 

Graham Motion’s #6 Warming is a multiple Grade 3 starlet who has very good current form and could be any kind while making her local debut. The four-year-old daughter of Global Campaign is two-for-two at the trip, and I feel that her closing kick will play well on this course, too. The Kentucky-bred chestnut will be rallying from well off of the early tempo with Juan Hernandez picking up the mount. 

Multiple Grade 3 winner #5 Take A Breath has been at her best in 2026 with two graded wins and a third in the Gamely (G1) for trainer Mark Glatt. The California-based filly displayed a fine turn of foot in her lone run on the surface last summer, and she comes in fresh off a short absence for this one for a trainer who is good off the bench, in general. The Bated Breath four-year-old will rally from off the early tempo with Emisael Jaramillo in the stirrups.