Rolling like an express train late, Yellow Card gave his connections an emotional victory to kick off his 2026 campaign in the Clocker’s Corner Stakes.

Yellow Card was bred by TiffIney K. Veloudis and was offered at the 2022 Keeneland September Sale by Legacy Bloodstock. The previous afternoon at The Great Race Place, Legacy Bloodstock Keeneland November grad Me And Molly McGee ran a bang up 2nd in the D. Wayne Lukas S. (G2) to last year’s Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint heroine Splendora.

A runner-up in the GII Eddie D Stakes three back Sept. 27 at this venue, and G1-placed in Kentucky during his sophomore season, the Michael McCarthy trainee missed the board in his last two jumps for that season–namely, the Stormy Liberal Stakes at Del Mar where he ran fifth and last out Dec. 29 when he finished sixth in the GII Joe Hernandez Stakes.

Sent off here at 3-1 odds, he caboosed the field as the frontrunners posted an opening split in :21.71 and four furlongs in :44.03 under constant pressure. Yellow Card, who had been crowded to the back earlier, took the overland route coming into the bend and was asked to close from widest of all as they swung into the lane.

In front of him, Virat was trying to fend off challengers, but the pack overtook him by midstretch with Yellow Card and Sorrento Sky (Ire) (Prince of Lir {Ire}) coming best of all. Inhaling that competition, the eventual winner cleared off from the runner-up to win by 1 1/2 lengths. Virat managed to hold on to third.

Owner Jim Daniell, when asked about how the race shaped up, admitted the early positioning wasn’t intentional. “That wasn’t the plan, he was going to sit close-up. But I’m glad he did close. We expected a good race. It was not as planned, but he came through.”

“I have been in with [trainer] Michael [McCarthy] since he first started. My wife Donna worked here, we owned horses together, and she passed away last year, so it is nice to get a good stakes win with this horse,” said Daniell, growing emotional as he reminisced on his late partner. “She liked this horse. So, to finally get a stakes win with him, it is great.”

McCarthy was similarly pleased with the effort, saying, “[Yellow Card] had a couple of tough trips and looked like he had a tough trip there today. Going over the dirt crossing, he lost his position a little bit and found himself a little further back than I would have liked. [Jockey Emisael Jaramillo] made the right move swinging him out wide and he responded. I’m very happy for the horse.”

-Edited from www.thoroughbreddailynews.com