Tracy Farmer’s homebred horse, Search Party, triumphed in the $300,000 Martha Washington Race held on February 6 at Oaklawn Park, emerging victorious from a tight four-horse finish. Originally set for January 31, the race was delayed by a week due to winter weather conditions.
Trainer Mark Kass secured 20 Kentucky Oaks points with this narrow win. Meanwhile, stable favorite Counting Stars, who went off at 3-5 odds, lost momentum at the final turn and ended up last, trailing behind the West Point Thoroughbreds.
Daughter of Gun Runner, Search Party, faced some traffic issues from Post 3. Guided by jockey Cristian Torres, she remained third along the rail for most of the race but surged ahead in the stretch, pulling away near the finish line to claim victory.
“She encountered some challenges during the race but showed great determination in the stretch,” Kass told FanDuel TV post-race.
The winning time was 1:45.56, with Search Party paying out $10.20. Newton Pike, Nick Leandime, Maximum Offer, and Hit Parade rounded out the top five finishers.
Trainer Casse mentioned on Oaklawn Park’s track feed that Search Party would continue to race there, although no specific upcoming targets were announced.
Looking ahead, Oaklawn Park will host the $750,000 G2 Honey Bee over 1 1/16 miles on March 1 and the $1 million G2 Fantasy at the same distance on March 27. Winners of the Honey Bee earn 50 Kentucky Oaks points, while the Fantasy champions receive 100 points.
Search Party boasts a perfect record with six wins in six starts. Notably, she won by six lengths at Oaklawn Park on December 27 over a 1 1/16-mile maiden race.
This report originally appeared in the Paulick Report on February 6, 2026, within the News section. Click here to add Paulick Report as your preferred news source.
Fan Take: This victory by Search Party signals the arrival of a formidable contender in the Kentucky Oaks trail. Horse racing enthusiasts should pay close attention, as this promising filly could shape the future landscape of top-tier fillies’ racing and bring more excitement to the sport.
