As the Longines Kentucky Oaks (USA-G1) approaches, it seems worthwhile to go back and have a look at fillies who will rightfully be among the favorites but have not yet been reviewed in this column. Among them is Meaning, who races for the same connections as last year’s Preakness Stakes (USA-G1) winner, Journalism. She is lightly raced but has not put a foot wrong so far in 2026, winning the Las Virgenes Stakes (USA-L) over Explora in her first outing of the season. In her second, she won the Santa Anita Oaks (USA-G2) on April 4 in professional style. Her only loss in four lifetime starts was a respectable fourth in last year’s NetJets Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (USA-G1); in that race, she was beaten three-quarters of a length, three lengths, and a head by Super Corredora (who will not contest the Oaks), Explora, and Percy’s Bar. That’s slightly less than four lengths in all for a filly who was making only her second lifetime start, and against some very tough company.
Meaning’s task in the Santa Anita Oaks was probably made easier by the absence of Explora, who had won the Honeybee Stakes (USA-G3) on March 1 at Oaklawn Park over Counting Stars, then had to miss the March 27 Fantasy Stakes (USA-G2), in which the improving Counting Stars scored an impressive win. Nevertheless, Meaning has shown both consistency and gameness, dueling Explora into defeat in the Las Virgenes and finishing willingly under a hand ride in the Santa Anita Oaks while appearing to have something left in the tank after a brief tussle with Brooklyn Blonde in upper stretch.
As a daughter of Gun Runner (also the sire of likely Kentucky Oaks contenders Life of Joy and Always a Runner), stamina seems unlikely to be an issue for Meaning. A key figure here is her third dam, Colcon. Sired by Kentucky Derby (USA-G1) and Preakness Stakes winner Pleasant Colony, Colcon was produced from Continental Girl, a stakes winner sired by 1977 Irish St. Leger (IRE-G1) winner Transworld out of a mare by the staying Sicambre son Shantung. This is a concentration of bloodlines from horses that definitely liked a distance of ground, and often the more the better.
A stakes winner over 9 furlongs on grass, Continental Girl is a half sister to 1980 Charles H. Strub Stakes (USA-G1) winner Super Moment (by Big Spruce), whose Strub win came at a time when the race was contested at 10 furlongs. Likewise, Colcon is a half sister to 1990 Strub winner Flying Continental (by Flying Paster), also victorious over the 10-furlong distance.
Colcon herself was a three-time Grade 3 winner over 9 furlongs on turf, and given the wealth of staying blood in her background, it was no wonder that she was mostly put to speedier sires. She was a disappointing broodmare, and her 2009 daughter by the record-breaking sprinter-miler Elusive Quality did not help her record. Named Starlight Lady, she never even made it to the races, but she did produce Figure of Speech, an Into Mischief filly who ran third in the Spinaway Stakes (USA-G1) in her second lifetime start. Figure of Speech ran twice more at three without success and was retired. Meaning is her second foal and first winner, and Figure of Speech has since produced a 2024 filly by Curlin and a 2025 colt by Flightline.
With staying power looking like a non-issue, the main question for Meaning is how much of an upside she has. In an Oaks field in which any of a half-dozen fillies could lay claim to favoritism on a given day, the winner may well be the one who can produce the best step forward from her previous form when the lilies are on the line. On paper, Meaning, who was able to get a solid win last out without needing a personal best to do it, seems to be in a good position to find some improvement at the right time. Whether or not she can actually do so—well, that’s why they run horse races.
Meaning’s task in the Santa Anita Oaks was probably made easier by the absence of Explora, who had won the Honeybee Stakes (USA-G3) on March 1 at Oaklawn Park over Counting Stars, then had to miss the March 27 Fantasy Stakes (USA-G2), in which the improving Counting Stars scored an impressive win. Nevertheless, Meaning has shown both consistency and gameness, dueling Explora into defeat in the Las Virgenes and finishing willingly under a hand ride in the Santa Anita Oaks while appearing to have something left in the tank after a brief tussle with Brooklyn Blonde in upper stretch.
As a daughter of Gun Runner (also the sire of likely Kentucky Oaks contenders Life of Joy and Always a Runner), stamina seems unlikely to be an issue for Meaning. A key figure here is her third dam, Colcon. Sired by Kentucky Derby (USA-G1) and Preakness Stakes winner Pleasant Colony, Colcon was produced from Continental Girl, a stakes winner sired by 1977 Irish St. Leger (IRE-G1) winner Transworld out of a mare by the staying Sicambre son Shantung. This is a concentration of bloodlines from horses that definitely liked a distance of ground, and often the more the better.
A stakes winner over 9 furlongs on grass, Continental Girl is a half sister to 1980 Charles H. Strub Stakes (USA-G1) winner Super Moment (by Big Spruce), whose Strub win came at a time when the race was contested at 10 furlongs. Likewise, Colcon is a half sister to 1990 Strub winner Flying Continental (by Flying Paster), also victorious over the 10-furlong distance.
Colcon herself was a three-time Grade 3 winner over 9 furlongs on turf, and given the wealth of staying blood in her background, it was no wonder that she was mostly put to speedier sires. She was a disappointing broodmare, and her 2009 daughter by the record-breaking sprinter-miler Elusive Quality did not help her record. Named Starlight Lady, she never even made it to the races, but she did produce Figure of Speech, an Into Mischief filly who ran third in the Spinaway Stakes (USA-G1) in her second lifetime start. Figure of Speech ran twice more at three without success and was retired. Meaning is her second foal and first winner, and Figure of Speech has since produced a 2024 filly by Curlin and a 2025 colt by Flightline.
With staying power looking like a non-issue, the main question for Meaning is how much of an upside she has. In an Oaks field in which any of a half-dozen fillies could lay claim to favoritism on a given day, the winner may well be the one who can produce the best step forward from her previous form when the lilies are on the line. On paper, Meaning, who was able to get a solid win last out without needing a personal best to do it, seems to be in a good position to find some improvement at the right time. Whether or not she can actually do so—well, that’s why they run horse races.
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