Fourth most recently in the GI Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup Stakes at Keeneland Oct. 11, Fionn (Twirling Candy) turned on the tables on that race's runner up, Laurelin (Ire) (Zarak {Fr}) to win Saturday's GIII Jockey Club Oaks at Aqueduct.
It's been a year of incredible form for the Brad Cox trainee as the 3-year-old filly has won five of seven starts including her first Grade I success in the GI Belmont Oaks Invitational at Saratoga in July. In fact, that fourth in the QEII as the favorite marked her only off-the-board finish in her entire career to date.
Cox opted to take the blinkers off for this spot Saturday as Fionn stretched out to 1 3/8 miles for the first time. Going three turns on the grass in her return trip to New York, the 7-5 second choice was quickly shuffled back to last after the break and rated just in behind even-money favorite Laurelin as longshot Don't Jinx It (Kitten's Joy) handled the pacemaking and put up fractions of 24.76 and :49.87. The two rivals remained near the back of the field but Fionn was clearly staying just in Laurelin's tracks and, as the even-money favorite made her move around the far turn as the mile went in 1:41.40, Fionn wasn't far behind.
With less than a furlong to run, the favorite made the front but Flavien Prat had Fionn rolling down the outside. It came down to those two in the final strides and Fionn just got by to get her revenge narrowly with Don't Jinx It holding off the rest of the field for the show.
“It felt like the pace was decent the first part,” said Prat who continues his wave of success on the New York circuit. “Then when we hit the second turn, it felt like it slowed down quite a bit, even on the backside. Then I was trying to get her going early, mid-turn, to kind of use her stamina, and she ran well.”
Of a potential next start, winning co-owner Michel Lee added, “Brad [Cox] will give us the plan. We may have another one in us out in California. We might take a shot at the [GI] American Oaks.”
Pedigree Note:
One of 28 graded stakes winners (12 at the top level) for Twirling Candy, Fionn is the only winner to date out of a young Giant's Causeway first dam Gaelic Gold who has produced three other foals including her 2-year-old of this year, Essential Storm (Essential Quality).
Gaelic Gold, out of GSW Strike It Rich, was a $270,000 KEENOV purchase with Fionn in utero at KEENOV in 2021 to Dixiana Farms. She is a half-sister to MSW Sea Foam (Medaglia d'Oro) and SP Straw Into Gold (Hard Spun). Recent family members of note include GSW/GISP Great Stuff (Quality Road) and GSW Coffee In Bed (Curlin). Fionn has a yearling Connect half-brother and a weanling half-brother by Jackie's Warrior. Gaelic Gold returned to Twirling Candy for her 2026 cover.
Saturday, Aqueduct
JOCKEY CLUB OAKS-GIII, $350,000, Aqueduct, 11-15, 3yo, f, 1 3/8mT, 2:17.22, fm.
1–FIONN, 122, f, 3, by Twirling Candy
1st Dam: Gaelic Gold, by Giant's Causeway
2nd Dam: Strike It Rich, by Unbridled's Song
3rd Dam: Belle of Perintown, by Dehere
($75,000 Ylg '23 KEESEP). O-Messina, George and Lee, Michael; B-Dixiana Farms LLC (KY); T-Brad H. Cox; J-Flavien Prat. $192,500. Lifetime Record: GISW, 10-7-1-1, $2,010,170. Werk Nick Rating: A+++. *Triple Plus* Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Laurelin (Ire), 122, f, 3, Zarak (Fr)–Bari (Ire), by Cape Cross (Ire). (€160,000 Ylg '23 GOFOR). O-Newstead Stables LLC; B-M. H. Dixon & Mount Coote Estates (IRE); T-H. Graham Motion. $70,000.
3–Don't Jinx It, 119, f, 3, Kitten's Joy–Endless Fancy, by Ghostzapper. 1ST GRADED BLACK TYPE. ($165,000 Ylg '23 KEESEP). O-Castleton Lyons; B-Fergus Galvin, Adrian Regan & Hunter Valley (KY); T-Miguel Clement. $42,000.
Margins: HF, 3, NK. Odds: 1.41, 1.04, 75.92.
Also Ran: Scythian, Unmerited Favor, National Archive, Hereforagoodtime, Evershed (Ire).
Click for the Equibase.com chart and the TJCIS.com PPs. VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.
FIONN gets her fourth stakes win in her last five starts as she wins the Grade 3 Jockey Club Oaks under Flavien Prat for trainer @bradcoxracing. pic.twitter.com/0eGv5z7hT0
— NYRA (🗽) (@TheNYRA) November 15, 2025
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