Athena wins Belmont Oaks on short rest

ELMONT, N.Y. – Running back just six days after her last race and having to travel to a different continent had no impact on Athena, who rallied from third-last to win the Grade 1, $1 million Belmont Oaks at Belmont Park.

Content to sit about six to seven lengths off the lead for about a mile of the 1 1/4-mile race, Ryan Moore tipped Athena five to six paths wide turning for home, and she motored past the field to win the Oaks by 2 1/2 lengths.

The consistent Thewayiam rallied along the rail to get second by a neck over the European-based Chipolata, who nosed out 3-1 favorite Significant Form for third.

Mighty Scarlett was fifth, followed by Fatale Bere, Capla Temptress, Paved, Toinette, and La Signare.

Athena, an Irish-bred daughter of Camelot owned by Coolmore and trained by Aidan O’Brien, won for just the second time in 11 career starts. On June 21, she ran fourth in the Group 2 Ribblesdale at Royal Ascot, and last Sunday, she finished third in the Group 1 Pretty Polly Stakes at The Curragh in Ireland.

“I don’t think it was a surprise really because she traveled here well and [jockey Donnacha O’Brien] wasn’t hard on her last week when she ran at The Curragh,” said T.J. Comerford, assistant to Aidan O’Brien. “She didn’t get knocked about. It’s six days later, but a mile and a quarter on hard ground is probably her trip, and she probably can go farther as well.”

La Signare, under Joel Rosario, set the pace until midstretch, where Thewayiam and Significant Form made first run at her. But it was Athena, rallying in the 6 path, who took the lead at the midstretch marker and drew away impressively.

Athena covered the 1 1/4 miles in 1:58.71 and returned $22.80.

Moore, who was riding at Belmont Park for the first time, said his filly won comfortably.

“She jumped well, but I didn’t want to push her into a spot to make her uncomfortable,” Moore said. “She found very good rhythm, and she always felt like she would pick up very smoothly and very comfortably. She put them away very easily.”

Chad Brown, the trainer of Significant Form, said his horse had no real excuse and just proved that she doesn’t want to run 1 1/4 miles.

“I really got the trip I wanted, she just couldn’t run that far, as evidenced by her not being able to hold on for second,” Brown said.

Athena will return to Ireland in the coming days, but it’s unclear which race she will next target.