Kensington Lane strolls home a winner in G1 Belmont Oaks

Kensington Lane repelled an early challenge from the favored Abashiri and led each step of the way en route to a 1 3/4-length victory in Saturday’s Grade 1, $600,000 Belmont Oaks, a 1 1/8-mile inner turf test for sophomore fillies, at Saratoga Race Course.

Trained by Donnacha O’Brien for Agave Racing, Medallion Racing and Evan Trommer, the chestnut filly is fittingly a daughter of Starspangledbanner and made her American debut a winning one on Independence Day at 23-1 odds, adding to previous stakes success in Ireland when taking the Group 3 Athasi two starts back at The Curragh. She entered from a fifth-place finish in the Group 1 Irish 1000 Guineas there in May – which saw the Charlie Appleby-trained Abashiri finish third – with both of her last two starts coming on the straight.  

Phillip Shelton, racing manager for co-owner Medallion Racing, said Kensington Lane relished the conditions of American turf racing under Hall of Famer Joel Rosario.

“We were a bit surprised she was such a big price,” Shelton said. “She was beaten by Abishiri last time. What we knew is she wants firm ground, and we thought the way she runs in Europe, a turning track would suit, and she just bolted up today. In this business, plans don’t work out very often, but this time it did.

“In Europe, she’s forward,” he continued. “She was basically on the lead in the Irish Guineas. Talking to Joel before, he said, ‘it doesn’t look like there’s much speed on paper.’ Given the way she’s broken out of the gate in Europe, we thought she could be forward. I told him, ‘we want her to be within a couple lengths of the lead, if she ends up on the lead because nobody goes, that’s fine.’ He opened up by three [lengths] and I was hoping he didn’t go too early, but it never felt like he had to get into her too hard. She appreciated the circumstances of the race.”

Kensington Lane showed early speed from post 3-of-10 under, and came away with the lead under the wire for the first time. The filly looked poised to take an uncontested lead, but was met with a challenge from the William Buick-piloted Abashiri, who was rushed up into the first turn after a slow start and put a half-length in front to mark the opening quarter-mile in 23.47 seconds over the firm turf.  

Heading onto the backstretch, Rosario let his filly kick on and she reestablished command. Abashiri tracked in second to the outside of a hard-held Just Aloof in third while Kensington Lane reached the half-mile in 48.82 and three-quarters in 1:13.17 before Imaginationthelady launched a wide bid around a toiling Abashiri in the middle of the turn.

Kensington Road remained four lengths clear straightening for home, and while Faithful Departed dashed up the rail and Fitz Right rallied well between rivals, it was too late to catch the pacesetter as she rolled home under little urging in a final time of 1:47.77.  

Faithful Departed held off Fitz Right by a half-length for second with Storm’s Wake another 1 3/4 lengths behind. Time to Dream, Imaginationthelady, Just Aloof, Abashiri, Ultimate Love and Carmensita completed the order of finish.

Rosario expressed his contentment with the trip.

“I was happy with where I was,” Rosario said. “She went to the front turning for home and got that opportunity. She ran really great.”

Kieran Murphy, traveling assistant to O’Brien, said the week leading up to this race went off without a hitch.

“Everything went as planned,” Murphy said. “We shipped in Monday morning and she was very relaxed, did a couple of bits of work on Thursday, Friday – not much – just ticking over and here we are. We were expecting her to jump quick and have a good position. We were out of [post] three, which was a help, and she has loads of pace.”

With a Grade 1 win now affixed to her resume, Kensington Road’s campaign could continue either here in the states or back overseas, where she would likely need to face elders and stretch out. Stateside opportunities against fellow sophomores include the local Grade 2, $500,000 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Oaks on August 7 here or the Grade 1, $300,000 Del Mar Oaks on August 22.

“I’ll have to talk to the partners and see what we want to do,” Shelton said. “In Europe, there are no more restricted 3-year-old only Grade 1s, in America, there are three more. Given her propensity for firm ground, she still may go to California, but she could go back to Europe. We’ll have to talk amongst ourselves and figure out what we want to do.”

Ortiz, aboard the Grant Forster-trained runner-up Faithful Departed, said his filly’s effort confirmed the class she showed in winning the Grade 3 Regret last out in May at Churchill Downs and an allowance against elders in April there.

“Broke a little flat-footed. I wanted to be a little more forward, but I couldn't,” Ortiz said. “Saved ground both turns. Beautiful split at the quarter-pole, got through at the rail. She got through it very nicely. I think she ran a very good second. She is Grade 1-placed. I think she is the best 3-year-old turf [filly] in America right now. She's been running very good. Hopefully, we get them in the Saratoga Oaks." 

Bred in Ireland by Almost Always Partnership, Kensington Lane is out of the Galileo mare Almost Always, and her second dam is Ramruma, winner of the Group 1 Epsom Oaks, Group 1 Irish Oaks and Group 1 Yorkshire Oaks in 1999. She banked $330,000 in victory while returning $48.66 on a $2 win ticket.

Live racing resumes Sunday at Saratoga with an nine-race card, featuring the Grade 1, $150,000 Leo O’Brien steeplechase in Race 1, the Grade 3, $225,000 Kelso in Race 6 and the Listed $200,000 Harvey Pack in Race 8. First post is 1:10 p.m. Eastern. 

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