Well-bred Mission of Joy remained perfect on the grass in Saturday's Gr3 Florida Oaks at Tampa Bay Downs, winning her stakes debut by a neck from Alpha Bella.

Unplaced in her Tapeta debut at Woodbine, Mission of Joy has not looked back since being switched to turf by trainer Graham Motion. The 3yo daughter of Kitten's Joy extended her unbeaten mark in the 12-filly field with a strong rally on the far turn and determined finish under Antonio Gallardo.

The Oaks was also the latest stakes success for Smart Strike as broodmare sire. An Ontario-bred, Mission of Joy's dam Smart Mission carried the famed Sam-Son Farm colors to victory in both starts of an abbreviated two-race career. She is out of the excellent producer Misty Mission (Miswaki) and 1/2 sister to three stakes winners, including Canadian champion and millionaire Irish Mission.

A contender for the Woodbine Oaks and the many lucrative filly turf stakes on the calendar, Mission of Joy sold to RyZan Sun Racing LLC for $32,000 at the 2021 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky October Yearling Sale.