Kathleen O. ends victory drought with Serena's Song

A demanding workout for jockey Vincent Cheminaud helped propel Kathleen O. to her first victory since April 2022 as she rallied from last of five to win the $100,000 Serena’s Song on Sunday at Monmouth Park in Oceanport, N.J.

French expat Cheminaud, riding his first Monmouth meet, already was hard at work on Kathleen O. at the half-mile pole and, even with a quarter-mile left to race, her chances seemed slim. But 1-5 favorite Occult could not close the deal after making the lead with three-eighths of a mile to run, and after changing leads at the three-sixteenths pole, Kathleen O., under a vigorous drive from Cheminaud, rolled down the outside to win the filly-and-mare dirt route by three-quarters of a length.

Occult crossed the finish second, but adding insult to injury, the odds-on favorite, making the first start of her 4-year-old season, rightfully was disqualified to third for fouling Venti Valentine. Venti Valentine set the pace in the Serena’s Song, going a half-mile in a moderate 48.40 over a sloppy, sealed surface, and after Occult took the lead from her, Venti Valentine was drawing back alongside Occult when the horses turned into the homestretch.

Occult, under Javier Castellano, drifted down toward the rail while not clear, causing Paco Lopez on Venti Valentine to check, and with Venti Valentine closing in again to finish three-quarters of a length behind Occult. Lopez lodged an objection, stewards posted an inquiry, and Occult came down.

:: Bet the races with a $200 First Deposit Match + FREE All Access PPs! Join DRF Bets.

This was not a vintage renewal of the Serena’s Song. Beach Daze, Cheetara, and Sunset Louise were scratched, leaving a field of five. The fourth quarter-mile of the race went in a staggeringly slow 27.01, and Kathleen O.’s winning time of 1:44.50 for one mile, 70 yards was pedestrian for the class level. Despite the short field, Kathleen O. paid $20.

Trained by Shug McGaughey for Winngate Stables, Kathleen O. was 4-1 in the 2022 Kentucky Oaks after winning the Gulfstream Park Oaks with a 98 Beyer Speed Figure. Fifth in the Oaks, Kathleen O. didn’t race again until November, and in 2023 she made just three starts, losing. In two of those starts, Kathleen O. at least was competitive, something that couldn’t be said of her two performances in February and March at Gulfstream Park. Those races, McGaughey pointed out, came around one turn, and Kathleen O. might have benefited from getting back to a true route.

The 5-year-old mare is by Upstart out of Quaver, by Blame, and she did not have to run especially fast for a Sunday stakes win at Monmouth.

:: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.