Kentucky Belle much the best in Dueling Grounds Oaks
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Maybe Kentucky Belle, the last stakes winner of the 2026 Kentucky Downs meet, wasn’t the best stakes winner of the meet – but she was pretty damned good.
Kentucky Belle returned from a layoff of nearly four months and landed the Saratoga Oaks on Aug. 7, and she ran at least as well Wednesday blasting home to a 6 3/4-length win in the Grade 3, $2 million Dueling Grounds Oaks.
She had no rival close to as capable as Faithful Departed, the filly she edged at Saratoga, but Kentucky Belle showed a new dimension, sitting just off the pace, and she continued to gallop out past the finish like races even farther than the 1 5/16-mile Dueling Grounds Oaks could suit her.
Bless Her finished a distant second, three-quarters of a length ahead of Turner’s Charm. John Velazquez, who rode Bless Her, lodged an objection against the winner for causing his mount to clip heels coming out of the first turn, but it was pacesetter Call On Me, the eighth-place finisher, who fouled Bless Her.
Odds-on, Kentucky Belle paid $9.75 to win for a $5 bet. Brad Cox trains the filly for her breeder, WinStar Farm. Kentucky Belle, by Justify out of the Tiznow mare Dancing Fancy, failed to meet a $240,000 reserve at one yearling sale and was withdrawn from another. Instead, she stayed with WinStar, went into training with Cox, and scored a modest maiden win from three starts last year at age 2. Kentucky Belle returned an improved horse this past spring, and has really found herself the second half of her sophomore season.
Prat gently encouraged Kentucky Belle to take a more forward early position than she’d ever occupied, and Kentucky Belle not only complied, but switched off sweetly while racing poised and in the bridle down the backstretch and around the far turn. It was obvious Prat could have taken Call On Me whenever he wanted, but he waited until turning for home to mildly encourage his mount, who rapidly put distance on the field without being asked for much.
Kentucky Belle has a lot of scope and an even longer stride. She scored an impressive stakes win Wednesday at Kentucky Downs, and the best might be ahead of her.
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