Obligatory

Obligatory, a Curlin filly homebred by Juddmonte Farms, finished fourth in her October 2020 debut and did not race again until Feb. 7, 2021. The 3-year-old filly won impressively in a one-mile race at Gulfstream Park and was elevated to stakes company for her next start at Fair Grounds. She disappointed when fourth in the Twinspires.com Fair Grounds Oaks and was shortened up to seven furlongs in her next stakes try, the Grade 2 Eight Belles Stakes Presented by Smithfield.

Sent off at 16.50-1 odds in the Eight Belles, Obligatory tracked 11 opponents in last heading into the far turn before moving up under Jose Ortiz. After sweeping six-wide at the top of the stretch, she took aim at leading Dayoutoftheoffice and got up late to score her first stakes win by a length.

In her next start, the Grade 1 Acorn Stakes at Belmont Park on June 5, Obligatory once again rated well off the early pace, then surged wide in the stretch. Although it was an impressive rally, she ended up second, half a length behind victorious Search Results.

Obligatory is out of the stakes-winning Macho Uno mare Uno Duo and from the family of French Group 1 winner Etoile Montante and U.S. graded stakes winners Starformer, Bonny South and Country Grammer.