How to bet the 2026 Mockingbird Stakes

Seven sophomore fillies will speed six panels on the Oaklawn Park dirt in Sunday’s $150,000 Mockingbird S. The Mike Maker-trained #7 Woodstock (2-1) is the most battle-tested filly in the field and gets the nod from the outside post. By Yaupon, the $100,000 purchase is a stakes heroine on the dirt and comes off a pair of tough races in the Bluegrass State, with a nice third in the Myrtlewood S. at Keeneland two back among those. 

Mockingbird Wagers

• $20 exacta 7 with 2 ($20)
• $10 exacta 7 with 4 ($10)
• $4 exacta 2,4 with 7 ($8)

Woodstock has solid gate presence as well as tactical speed, and she will sit just off the pace to the top of the lane before taking over late. She will run with blinkers for the second time and have Francisco Arrieta in the irons. 

#2 Evolution (15-1) will be saddled by John Ortiz for the initial time and will bring a lot of value to the race. The chestnut Florida-bred has fine early speed as the expected pacesetter in the group, and she could be very dangerous in this heat if left alone for too long in her local debut. Third in the Sandpiper S. at Tampa Bay Downs in her latest venture, the Brethren lass has to be included at her morning-line number with Ricardo Santana, Jr. in the controls. 

#4 Wakuda (7-2) has been first or second in each of her four runs on the dirt in her lifetime and was last seen taking the Zia Princess S. on Nov. 25. The chestnut daughter of Gun Runner isn’t the fastest horse in training, but she has a measure of early speed and her dirt form has obviously been good, too. She put in a maintenance half-mile drill on this surface to prepare for Sunday, and I envision the lass tracking the pace from third or fourth early prior to being asked for her best at the head of the stretch. Joel Rosario picks up what could be a live mount.