Occult

Unplaced in her career debut in September 2022, Occult took a significant step forward in her second start when winning a one-mile maiden special weight race by 4 ¼ lengths Dec. 18 at Aqueduct.

The dark bay or brown filly by Into Mischief next made her stakes debut in the 1 1/8-mile Busanda Stakes at the same track as her maiden win and romped by 3 ¾ lengths for trainer Chad Brown.

Occult continued on the Longines Kentucky Oaks trail but was not quite ready and ran fifth as the 9-5 favorite in the Grade 3 Gazelle Stakes.

Following a short layoff, Occult returned two months later in the Grade 1 Acorn Stakes June 9 at Belmont Park. A troubled start hindered her chances in the 1 1/16-mile Acorn but she closed willingly from 10 lengths back to finish third.

Brown sent Occult next to Monmouth Park for the Grade 3, $250,000 Monmouth Oaks and she earned a breakthrough graded stakes win. After settling off the pace, Occult swept into contention on the final turn, surged to the from with a five-wide rally, and opened a clear lead in early stretch en route to a 10 1/4-length runaway win. She completed the 1 1/16 miles in 1:45.74.

Occult was purchased for $625,000 at the 2021 Keeneland September yearling sale. She is by leading sire Into Mischief out of Grade 2 winner Magical Feeling, by Empire Maker. In addition to Occult, Magical Feeling also has produced stakes winners Exulting and Magical.