A competitive field of three-year-old fillies is set to contest this year’s edition of the Grade 3 Regret Stakes at Churchill Downs this Saturday, May 31, 2025. With a purse of $275,000 on the line, the 1 1/8-mile turf event promises an exciting clash.
The morning line favorite, Classic Q (5-2), aims to capture her first graded stakes victory after a compelling win in allowance company last out. However, Classic Q will face stiff challenges from a deep group of contenders.
Among them, Lush Lips (GB) (3-1) enters the fray with strong credentials, having finished second to super filly Nitrogen on the Grade 2 Edgewood Stakes over this same course.
Fionn (4-1), a consistent performer from the Brad Cox barn, also figures to be a major player with a Grade 3 win and a recent Grade 2 placing to her name.
The Regret Stakes, carded as the 11th race with a post time of 5:58 PM ET, is shaping up to be a can’t-miss event for turf enthusiasts.
The Field
Here’s a look at the runners for the G3 Regret Stakes:
Jalila (30-1): This Justify filly broke her maiden by three lengths on the turf at Gulfstream Park in January over a mile in her second career start. She then stepped up to the allowance company in March and finished fourth.
While her maiden win was solid, this Grade 3 represents a significant step up in class, and she needs to improve considerably from her last outing to be a factor.
Hereforagoodtime (6-1): Sired by Justify, this filly is currently on a two-race winning streak. She broke her maiden at Keeneland in April over 1 1/8 miles on a good turf course and followed that up with a victory in an allowance race at Churchill Downs on May 8th at a mile, also on firm turf.
Trained by Brendan Walsh, she’s clearly in sharp form, has won at today’s distance, and is familiar with the Churchill turf, making her an intriguing contender.
Aterradora (Ire) (20-1): An Irish-bred filly by Starspangledbanner, Aterradora finished fourth in the Grade 2 Edgewood Stakes here at Churchill Downs on May 2nd, a race won by Nitrogen with Lush Lips (GB) in second.
Before that, she won the listed LaCombe Memorial Stakes at Fair Grounds in March. Her experience in graded company is a plus, and she has hit the board in other stakes, but she needs to find a bit more to turn those efforts into a win against this caliber of field.
Fixin to Bee (10-1): This Calumet Farm homebred by Mshawish enters the Regret off a determined head victory in an allowance race at Keeneland on April 19th, her first win on turf. She broke her maiden on the turf at Keeneland as a two-year-old over a mile in October.
She’s shown an affinity for the grass, but this is her toughest test to date, and she’ll need to continue her upward trajectory.
Classic Q (5-2): The morning-line favorite from the Mark Casse barn, this Classic Empire filly won an allowance race stylishly at Churchill Downs on April 30th over the turf.
Before that victory, she had two fourth-place finishes in stakes company at Gulfstream Park, including the Grade 3 Herecomesthebride Stakes in March. Her speed figures are competitive, and the recent win suggests she might be figuring things out, making her a key contender.
Totally Justified (10-1): Another daughter of Justify, Totally Justified is a listed stakes winner, having captured the P.G. Johnson Stakes at Saratoga last August. She also placed second in the Grade 2 Jessamine Stakes at Keeneland in October.
Her 2025 debut resulted in a fifth-place finish in the Grade 2 Appalachian Stakes at Keeneland. Her back class and experience in graded stakes make her a threat if she can return to her juvenile form.
Lush Lips (GB) (3-1): This British-bred filly has faced the talented Nitrogen in her last two starts, finishing second to her in both the Grade 2 Edgewood Stakes at Churchill Downs on May 2nd and the Grade 3 Florida Oaks at Tampa Bay Downs in March.
Before those encounters, she reeled off two victories: an allowance win at Gulfstream Park in January and a maiden score at Gulfstream in November. Her ability to compete closely with a high-quality filly like Nitrogen makes her a prime contender here, as she seeks to get back to the winner’s circle.
Fionn (4-1): Trained by Brad Cox, this Twirling Candy filly won the listed LaCombe Memorial Stakes at Fair Grounds in March, defeating Aterradora. She followed that with a good third in the Grade 2 Appalachian Stakes at Keeneland, where Nitrogen was the winner and Totally Justified was fifth.
She has demonstrated consistency and a strong closing kick, making her a versatile threat who rarely runs a subpar race.
Mechaya (20-1): This Liam’s Map filly won impressively on debut at Kentucky Downs last August, going 6 1/2 furlongs. More recently, she finished third after a bad start in the Mamzelle Stakes at Churchill Downs over 5 1/2 furlongs on the turf on May 10th.
She’s had trouble in two of her losses, and her only bad race was on dirt on Rags to Riches last October. This will be her second start after her seven-month layoff, so she could be the upset alert with a clean trip.
Golden Sunshine (12-1): A Godolphin homebred by Medaglia d’Oro, Golden Sunshine finished a game second to Fixin to Bee in an allowance race at Keeneland last out on April 19th. She broke her maiden on the synthetic surface at Turfway Park in February.
She has hit the board in the majority of her starts but is still seeking her first stakes victory and will need to show improvement to handle this level of competition on turf.
Deloraine (15-1): Another Godolphin homebred, this daughter of Candy Ride finished a distant third, beaten seven lengths, in the listed Suncoast Stakes on dirt at Tampa Bay Downs in February. Her turf form includes a third-place finish behind Nitrogen and Lush Lips (GB) in the Grade 3 Florida Oaks in March, though she was well-beaten that day.
She broke her maiden on synthetic and won an allowance on turf at Tampa in December. She typically races from mid-pack and will need a career-best effort to contend here.
Win, Place, Show, Wildcard, and Longshot
Win: (7) Lush Lips (GB) (3-1) – Her recent second-place finishes behind the very talented Nitrogen in both the G2 Edgewood and G3 Florida Oaks are strong form lines. With Nitrogen not present here, this looks like a prime spot for her to earn a graded stakes victory.
Place: (8) Fionn (4-1) – A consistent filly from a top barn who won a listed stakes and was a good third in a G2 last out (also won by Nitrogen). She has tactical speed and a solid closing punch, making her a reliable contender for the exacta.
Show: (5) Classic Q (5-2) – The morning line favorite comes off a visually impressive allowance win on this course. While this is a step up, her current trajectory suggests she’s ready for the challenge and should be in the mix.
Wildcard: (2) Hereforagoodtime (6-1) – Unbeaten in two turf starts, including a win at this track and distance. She’s stepping up in class, but her current sharp form and affinity for the course make her dangerous if the top choices don’t bring their A-game.
Longshot: (9) Mechaya (20-1) – Her one poor effort in the Rags to Riches was on dirt. Her turf races have often included troubled trips, including a bump in her last start (G3 Mamzelle) where she still managed third, and another bump when fourth in the G2 Jessamine. If she gets a clean journey, the step up to 1 1/8 miles could suit her, and at 20-1, she offers excellent value to surprise.
Be the first to comment