How to bet the 2026 Fantasy Stakes

A compact, but talented, group of five three-year-old fillies will hope to punch their ticket to the Kentucky Oaks (G1) in Friday’s lucrative, $1 million Fantasy (G2) at Oaklawn Park. With the expected scratch of prohibitive favorite #6 Explora (1-1), the race has become a wide-open one. 

Fantasy Stakes Wagers

• $10 Exacta: 1 with 3,5 ($20)
• $2 Trifecta: box 1,3,5 ($12)

#1 Search Party (6-1), one of three in the group for trainer Mark Casse, bagged the Martha Washington S. on the surface two back prior to running evenly in the Honeybee (G3) when fourth last time out. The Gun Runner filly did regress in a small way last time when stuck behind a moderate early pace, but I like her slot on the rail and expect Christian Torres to have her closer in the opening stages of the affair on Friday. Tracy Farmer’s homebred posted a solid half-mile morning move in preparation for the tilt and wouldn’t be a surprise to me.

Casse’s #3 Counting Stars (5-2) has thrown in two clunkers in her six-race career, but the Honor A. P. filly has been very good in her other four assignments. The multiple stakes heroine put in a strong late rally to finish a clear second in the Honeybee in her most recent performance and smoked a bullet four panels on March 19 in advance of this showdown, too. She has some versatility in her running style and appears to be coming up to the event in fine fashion. The miss is bred to be a route horse and has obvious appeal to her with Francisco Arrieta in the saddle. 

The Brad Cox-trained #5 Sticker Shock (3-1) has improved her Brisnet Speed rating with every career run to date and was a solid allowance winner on the course when making her 2026 debut. The Uncle Mo homebred defeated the top pick in the maiden ranks two back in her juvenile finale, and her forward progression makes her a viable contender second time off the shelf against this group. Irad riding adds to her appeal.