Still undefeated now in two starts, French Friction showed her six-length maiden score was no fluke as she wired the field in Saturday's Dixie Belle Stakes at Oaklawn Park.
A proven winner over course and distance in that Dec. 27 debut, the daughter of City of Light stepped into stakes company in her second start amidst a downpour for trainer Mark Casse and owner DJ Stable, the same powerhouse duo behind freshly-crowned champion filly Nitrogen (Medaglia d'Oro).
Breaking from the rail under Cristian Torres, French Friction was outrun in the opening strides from the gate but was intent on the lead, pushing up to challenge 64-1 longshot Evolution (Brethren) on the run down the backstretch. That pair opened up a gap back to the rest of the field as they hit the far turn but the 2-1 second choice was already starting to assert herself and began to pull away to hit the top of the stretch alone on the lead. No one made up any ground over the sloppy final furlong and French Friction romped away to a comfortable 5 3/4-length win.
The 18th stakes winner for City of Light, French Friction is out GSP Private Ensign, a mare who was picked up by Offshoot Farm for $175,000 out of Keeneland November in 2024 after producing SP Great Sister Diane (Will Take Charge) and four other winners. Private Ensign is also a half-sister to GSW/GISP Ocho Ocho Ocho (Street Sense). Most recently, her 2-year-old Justify colt brought $150,000 at last year's Keeneland September sale and she foaled a Cody's Wish colt in 2025 before visiting Life Is Good for 2026.
DIXIE BELLE S., $150,000, Oaklawn, 2-14, 3yo, f, 6f, 1:10.18, sy.
1–FRENCH FRICTION, 117, f, 3, by City of Light
1st Dam: Private Ensign (GSP, $124,384), by A.P. Indy
2nd Dam: Winner, by Horse Chestnut (Saf)
3rd Dam: Pennant Champion, by Mr. Prospector
($250,000 Ylg '24 KEESEP). 1ST BLACK TYPE WIN. O-D. J. Stable
LLC; B-Siena Farms LLC (KY); T-Mark E. Casse; J-Cristian A.
Torres. $81,000. Lifetime Record: 2-2-0-0, $141,000.
*1/2 to Great Sister Diane (Will Take Charge), SW, $127,823.
2–Have Faith, 117, f, 3, Vekoma–She'll Heir, by Wildcat Heir.
($15,000 RNA Ylg '24 FTKOCT; $35,000 2yo '25 OBSAPR).
1ST BLACK TYPE. O-Holy Cow Stable LLC; B-Buck Pond Farm,
Inc. (KY); T-Dallas Stewart. $27,000.
3–Paving, 117, f, 3, Gun Runner–Point System, by Broken Vow.
($235,000 RNA Ylg '24 KEESEP). 1ST BLACK TYPE. O-Highlander
Training Center; B-Larry Hirsch (KY); T-Thomas M. Amoss.
$13,500.
Margins: 5 3/4, 1 1/4, 2. Odds: 2.20, 18.90, 6.20.
Also Ran: Little Miss Curlin, Wakuda, Woodstock, Evolution, Revera, Glazin' Fury. Scratched: Just Bluffing. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.
⚜️ FRENCH FRICTION ($6.40) cruises to the wire in the $150,000 Dixie Belle Stakes at @OaklawnRacing under @cristiantorr64. The 3YO filly by @LanesEndFarms stallion City Of Light is trained by @markecasse and owned by D. J. Stable. pic.twitter.com/5J31J27UV7
— FanDuel Racing (@FanDuel_Racing) February 14, 2026
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