Dismissed on the board, Kensington Lane upsets Belmont Oaks
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SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – On paper, there didn’t seem to be much separating Kensington Lane and Abashiri, two European-based 3-year-old fillies taking on eight U.S.-based runners in Saturday’s Grade 1, $600,000 Belmont Oaks at Saratoga.
On the tote board, there was plenty that separated the two fillies as the public made Abashiri the 6-5 favorite while dismissing Kensington Lane at 23-1, the seventh longest price. This time the bettors got it wrong.
Kensington Lane, under Joel Rosario, outfooted a slow-starting Abashiri for the lead around the first turn and kept going at a solid pace, taking the Belmont Oaks by 1 3/4 lengths. Faithful Departed rallied from last under Jose Ortiz to get second by a half-length over Fitz Right. Meanwhile, Abashiri backed up to finish eighth in the 10-horse field.
“We were a bit surprised she was such a big price, she was beaten [2 3/4] lengths by Abashiri last time,” said Phil Shelton, managing partner for Medallion Racing, which co-owns Kensington Lane with Agave Racing. “I think what we knew was she wants firm ground and we thought the way she runs in Europe, a turning track is going to suit and she just bolted today. In this business, plans don’t work very often but this time it did.”
Kensington Lane is trained by Donnacha O’Brien, son of Aiden O’Brien. The instructions to Rosario were to be close, Shelton said. Though Abashiri, under William Buick, officially had the lead after the opening quarter, by the time the field got midway around the first turn, Kensington Lane was in front.
“We told him we wanted to be within a couple of lengths of the lead, if she ends up on the lead, if nobody goes that’s fine,” Shelton said. “He opened up by three I was like ‘I hope he isn’t going too early,’ but it never felt like he had to get into her too hard. She appreciated the circumstances of the race.”
Abashiri, who broke last under Buick, made a Secretariat-like Preakness move to go from last to first at the end of the straightaway. But she was four wide and ultimately ceded the lead to Kensington Lane, Buick content to stalk from second.
“She jumped a bit slow, so I went around them and put her in a good position,” Buick said. “We went to the front, there was no pace on. At the half-mile pole, she was struggling. She’s probably not used to the sharp oval tracks, lacked that experience.”
Down the backstretch, Kensington Lane was cruising through a half-mile in 48.82 seconds and six furlongs in 1:13.17. By mid-stretch, she was nearly four lengths inf ront and the race was over.
Kensington Lane, a son of Starspangledbanner − appropriate sire for the Fourth of July − covered the 1 1/8 miles in 1:47.77 and returned $48.66.
Shelton said Kensington Lane could remain in the U.S. and point for the Grade 1 Del Mar Oaks on Aug. 22 or return to Europe where she would have to face older fillies and mares if she is to remain in Group 1 competition.
Meanwhile, Faithful Departed, coming off a victory in the Grade 3 Regret at Churchill, saved all the ground under Jose Orti, got held up a little bit around the second turn, but rallied along the inside to get second.
“Jose said she broke a little flat-footed today and that cost us,” trainer Grant Forster said. “He had a dream trip getting through on the rail after that which enabled her to get second. Jose was pretty confident that we have maybe the best [3-year-old turf] filly in the country.”
Forster said Faithful Departed would ship to his base in Kentucky but would likely return to here for the Grade 2, $500,000 Saratoga Oaks on Aug. 7.
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