Kensington Lane gave Donnacha O’Brien and Joel Rosario a Grade 1 strike at Saratoga on Saturday, making all to upset the $600,000 Belmont Oaks over 1m1f on firm turf.
The Irish filly, owned by Agave Racing Stable, Medallion Racing and Evan Trommer, was sent forward early by Rosario and had enough rhythm on the inner turf to keep the late runners at bay.
Faithful Departed finished second and Fitz Right took third, with the favourite Abashiri unable to turn European Guineas form into a winning US debut.
It was a sharp vindication of connections’ decision to aim at New York rather than stay in a deep European middle-distance programme.
Kensington Lane had already won the Group 3 Athasi Stakes at the Curragh before finishing fifth in the Irish 1,000 Guineas, but this was the breakthrough that made her a top-level winner.
Kensington Lane now set for California switch
BloodHorse’s Belmont Oaks report said Kensington Lane was clocked in 1:47.77, paid $48.66 to win and is now scheduled to join Phil D’Amato on the West Coast for a wider American campaign.
That route gives the result longer-term consequence.
The Belmont Oaks has become a proven target for European turf fillies, but Kensington Lane’s front-running win also changes her profile: she is no longer just a shrewd import with Group 3 form, she is a Grade 1 winner with Del Mar and further US stakes options now firmly in play.
