Trainer Mark Casse announced Sunday morning that Search Party’s close win in Friday’s $300,000 Martha Washington Stakes at Oaklawn Racetrack will qualify her for three upcoming Kentucky Oaks prep races. Search Party narrowly defeated Newtown Pike by a neck over the 1 1/16-mile distance, with Nick Leandime finishing half a length behind in third. Making her stakes debut at Oaklawn on December 27, Search Party had previously won a maiden race by six lengths over the same distance.
Casse commented, “Search Party overcame some challenges, as she tends to slow down and get into trouble during races.” He indicated that Search Party’s next possible starts include the $750,000 Honeybee Stakes (G3) at Oaklawn on March 1, the $1 million Fantasy Stakes (G2) at Oaklawn on March 27, or the $750,000 Ashland Stakes (G1) at Keeneland on April 3 — all contested over 1 1/16 miles. Bred by Kentucky owner Tracy Farmer, who teamed with Casse to win the 2025 Ashland with La Cala, Search Party’s campaign remains flexible.
Casse shared, “I need to consult with Tracy to decide whether she’ll target the Fantasy or the Ashland. I expect her to trust my judgment, and for now, I’m leaning toward staying at Oaklawn.” He also noted Search Party might return in the Honeybee but cautioned that Gun Runner is “the lightest of the pack,” so the filly might need more time to recover, especially since the Martha Washington race was postponed six days due to a winter storm.
On running back quickly, Casse said, “I usually like to run my horses back soon, but that might be too much for her. We’ll take it one step at a time.” Casse also entered Counting Stars in the Martha Washington, but the favorite finished last out of eight runners. Despite winning two Oaklawn stakes this season, Counting Stars seemed off her game, pulling back after staying close on the backstretch.
“I have no idea what’s going on with Counting Stars,” said Casse. “She looked poised to make a move but then just stopped. She exhibited the same behavior at Keeneland. Interestingly, the day after the race, she seemed more lively than the others, so it’s puzzling.” Counting Stars is slated to run in the Honeybee if she continues to recover well.
The Honeybee Stakes will award a total of 105 Kentucky Oaks qualifying points (50-25-15-10-5 to the top five), while Fantasy and Ashland are each 200-point races, granting 100 points to the winner. Search Party earned 20 points from her Martha Washington victory. Kayden Arthur, who manages Casse’s Oaklawn stable, confirmed both Search Party and Counting Stars returned to the track for training on Tuesday morning.
Both the Honeybee and Fantasy purses have recently increased, now at record levels of $750,000 and $1 million, respectively, with Fantasy being the richest Kentucky Oaks prep race in the nation.
This story originally appeared in the Paulick Report on February 11, 2026.
Fan Take:
This update is exciting for horse racing enthusiasts as it highlights a promising contender shaping up for the path to the Kentucky Oaks, one of the sport’s most prestigious events. Keeping an eye on Search Party’s progression through these graded stakes will add anticipation and drama to the upcoming spring racing season.
