Roja

Roja made two unsuccessful starts on dirt before moving to turf in spring 2025, and she immediately took to the change, romping by 4 ½ lengths in a 5 ½-furlong maiden race at Laurel Park for trainer Graham Motion. She thrived as a turf sprinter over the next year, winning three of four starts into early summer 2026 with her only defeat coming by a nose. Her first stakes win came in the Blue Sparkler Stakes at Monmouth Park in July 2025, and then the Karakontie filly was away from racing until late April 2026, when she returned and won a five-furlong turf dash at Churchill Downs by a length in gate-to-wire fashion.

Her next start came in the Grade 2, 5 ½-furlong Intercontinental Stakes June 4 at Saratoga held during the Belmont Stakes Racing Festival. Breaking from the outside post position in a nine-horse field, Roja shot to the front under Irad Ortiz Jr. and shook off challenges at the quarter pole and in midstretch to win by 1 ¼ lengths. She improved to four wins in five turf starts for owners Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners and Madaket Stables.

Roja is out of the winning and stakes-placed Red Ransom mare Redmeansgo and is a close relative of Grade 1 winner Brant and Grade 2 winner Pappacap, among several other stakes winners.