Fondly, Paris Lily Meet Again in Monmouth Oaks

Striving for back-to-back graded stakes victories, Fondly  is set to battle six other 3-year-old fillies in the $250,000 Monmouth Oaks (G3), a 1 1/16-mile dirt race July 26 at Monmouth Park.

A bay filly by Upstart   trained by Graham Motion and representing Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners and Madaket Stables, Fondly returns following a June 14 Delaware Oaks (G3) victory. Fondly claimed the lead right out of the starting gate and never conceded. She crossed the Delaware Park finish line three lengths ahead of her nearest competitor, Margie's Intention , to capture her first graded stakes. 

She earned her maiden victory in February and proceeded to win the March 15 Virginia Oaks at Colonial Downs. In her third career start, Fondly raced at the highest level for 3-year-old fillies on dirt in the May 2 Kentucky Oaks (G1) at Churchill Downs.

Fondly raced on a wet track for the first time in the Oaks, finishing 11th of 13.

“I think it may have been too much too soon for her,” Motion said. “We ended up on a bad track. It was just a lot. We threw a lot at her that day.”

Irad Ortiz Jr. has been aboard Fondly in her last three starts, but is not in the saddle Saturday as he is riding at Saratoga Race Course. Samuel Marin, who rode Fondly in her debut, regains the mount. Marin recently earned his first career graded stakes victory aboard Surface to Air  in last week's Monmouth Cup Stakes (G3).

Finishing fourth in the Delaware Oaks was Godolphin's Paris Lily , who will be competing against Fondly for the second time in Saturday's race.

The Brendan Walsh-trained Paris Lily has two career victories but has fallen short in her last two starts. Before her 3 3/4-length defeat in the Delaware Oaks, she was runner-up in the May 16 George E. Mitchell Black Eyed Susan Stakes (G2) at Pimlico Race Course to Margie's Intention by three-quarters of a length.

Another filly looking for her first graded stakes win is the speedy Running Away , who is in the midst of a solid campaign with two wins in three starts this year. The Gun Runner   filly's only defeat came in the April 7 Ashland Stakes (G1) at Keeneland, where she finished eighth in her graded stakes debut. She is 3-1-1 in six races overall for trainer Wesley Ward and owner Stud TNT.

Pink Ruby  is another competitor seeking to return to the winner's circle, having been fourth in the June 22 Wilton Stakes at Aqueduct Racetrack. After running seventh on debut last year, she has gone 2-for-4 in 2025, with her most recent victory coming in a May 18 allowance optional claimer at Monmouth for owner Larry Nafe and trainer Lindsay Schultz.

Naked Eye , Ruth , and Rosieontheriver  complete the seven-filly lineup.