In the Honeybee Stakes (USA-G3) on February 23, 2024 Demoiselle Stakes (USA-G2) winner Muhimma was expected to be the leading lady. Instead, Quietside, who has played the understudy to some nice fillies in her last several races, stepped into the spotlight and staked her claim to a major role in this year’s Longines Kentucky Oaks (USA-G1). Never far from the lead as Five G showed the way, Quietside went a bit wide on the final turn as Muhimma challenged to her outside but dug in gamely and put away both her rivals, who continued on well themselves as Quietside secured the win by a length over Five G; Muhimma was another 3 ½ lengths back in third. The time was a respectable 1:43.63, earning Quietside a 97 Equibase figure that puts her right up there with the division’s leaders.
A homebred racing for John E. Anthony’s Shortleaf Stable, Quietside is from the last crop of the good A.P. Indy horse Malibu Moon, whose other daughters include Coaching Club American Oaks (USA-G1) winners Devil May Care and Funny Moon as well as 2018 Canadian champion female sprinter Moonlit Promise and 2019 Polla de Potrancas (Peruvian One Thousand Guineas, PER-G1) winner Emilia’s Moon. She is the first foal to race from Benner Island, whose only other named produce is the unraced 2019 Bernardini filly Cranberry Cove. The mare’s most recent issue is a 2024 filly by Bolt d’Oro, and she was bred back to Bolt d’Oro for 2025.
A daughter of 2004 American champion sprinter and important sire Speightstown, Benner Island was a good race mare on her own account, winning the 2017 Eight Belles Stakes (USA-G2) and earning two other graded stakes placings including a third in the 2017 Acorn Stakes (USA-G1). She is a full sister to two-time Vagrancy Handicap (USA-G3) winner Victim of Love, third in the 2020 Ballerina Handicap (USA-G1), and is also a half sister to 2018 Iowa Derby (USA-L) winner High North (by Midnight Lute).
Spacy Tracy, the dam of Benner Island and her siblings, capped her career as a 5-year-old by winning the 2010 Top Flight Handicap (USA-G2). Sired by 1998 Breeders’ Cup Classic (USA-G1) winner Awesome Again, she is a half sister to Berkeley Handicap (USA-G3) winner Run It (by Cherokee Run). Spacy Tracy is also a half sister to Irish Dream (by Orientate), dam of 2023 Premio Ocurencia (ARG-G3) winner Elveda (by Manipulator).
The next dam in Quietside’s female line, Tracy (by 1987 American champion turf male Theatrical) was only a minor winner from five starts but is a half sister to 1992 American champion 2-year-old filly Eliza (by Mt. Livermore), dam of Irish listed stakes winner Samuel Morse (by Danehill Dancer) and second dam of 2011 Florida Derby (USA-G1) winner Dialed In (by Mineshaft) and 2017 Queen of the Turf (AUS-G1) winner Foxplay (by Foxwedge). Also a half sister to 1991 Santa Anita Derby (USA-G1) winner Dinard (by Strawberry Road) and listed stakes winner Power Bidder (by Lines of Power), Tracy is from Bruce Lowe Family 37, a line that entered the United States through the 1858 English import Melrose.
Although Benner Island never won at a distance longer than a mile, Quietside has already outdone that, and there seems no reason to think that she cannot handle another sixteenth of a mile. Given Anthony’s Arkansas connections, it seems likely that her next outing will probably be the Fantasy Stakes (USA-G3) on March 29 over the same track and distance. This race was the springboard for last year’s Kentucky Oaks winner, Thorpedo Anna, and a solid performance to follow up yesterday’s could set Quietside up nicely for a chance at making history repeat itself.
A homebred racing for John E. Anthony’s Shortleaf Stable, Quietside is from the last crop of the good A.P. Indy horse Malibu Moon, whose other daughters include Coaching Club American Oaks (USA-G1) winners Devil May Care and Funny Moon as well as 2018 Canadian champion female sprinter Moonlit Promise and 2019 Polla de Potrancas (Peruvian One Thousand Guineas, PER-G1) winner Emilia’s Moon. She is the first foal to race from Benner Island, whose only other named produce is the unraced 2019 Bernardini filly Cranberry Cove. The mare’s most recent issue is a 2024 filly by Bolt d’Oro, and she was bred back to Bolt d’Oro for 2025.
A daughter of 2004 American champion sprinter and important sire Speightstown, Benner Island was a good race mare on her own account, winning the 2017 Eight Belles Stakes (USA-G2) and earning two other graded stakes placings including a third in the 2017 Acorn Stakes (USA-G1). She is a full sister to two-time Vagrancy Handicap (USA-G3) winner Victim of Love, third in the 2020 Ballerina Handicap (USA-G1), and is also a half sister to 2018 Iowa Derby (USA-L) winner High North (by Midnight Lute).
Spacy Tracy, the dam of Benner Island and her siblings, capped her career as a 5-year-old by winning the 2010 Top Flight Handicap (USA-G2). Sired by 1998 Breeders’ Cup Classic (USA-G1) winner Awesome Again, she is a half sister to Berkeley Handicap (USA-G3) winner Run It (by Cherokee Run). Spacy Tracy is also a half sister to Irish Dream (by Orientate), dam of 2023 Premio Ocurencia (ARG-G3) winner Elveda (by Manipulator).
The next dam in Quietside’s female line, Tracy (by 1987 American champion turf male Theatrical) was only a minor winner from five starts but is a half sister to 1992 American champion 2-year-old filly Eliza (by Mt. Livermore), dam of Irish listed stakes winner Samuel Morse (by Danehill Dancer) and second dam of 2011 Florida Derby (USA-G1) winner Dialed In (by Mineshaft) and 2017 Queen of the Turf (AUS-G1) winner Foxplay (by Foxwedge). Also a half sister to 1991 Santa Anita Derby (USA-G1) winner Dinard (by Strawberry Road) and listed stakes winner Power Bidder (by Lines of Power), Tracy is from Bruce Lowe Family 37, a line that entered the United States through the 1858 English import Melrose.
Although Benner Island never won at a distance longer than a mile, Quietside has already outdone that, and there seems no reason to think that she cannot handle another sixteenth of a mile. Given Anthony’s Arkansas connections, it seems likely that her next outing will probably be the Fantasy Stakes (USA-G3) on March 29 over the same track and distance. This race was the springboard for last year’s Kentucky Oaks winner, Thorpedo Anna, and a solid performance to follow up yesterday’s could set Quietside up nicely for a chance at making history repeat itself.
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