It was quite a month for Kentucky Belle.
In early-August the Justify filly out of Dancing Fancy (Tiznow) took a leap in class and landed the Gr2 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Oaks. Wednesday at Kentucky Downs she earned the richest payday of her young career in the $2 million Gr3 Blackwood Dueling Grounds Oaks Invitational S.
Contested over 1 5/16th miles, the Oaks' route looked to be right up the WinStar Farm homebred's wheelhouse. Kentucky Belle navigated the undulating course with aplomb and drew off to a runaway 6 3/4 length victory, with Bless Her 2nd best.
Racing noticeably closer to the pace than in her prior races, Kentucky Belle tracked the pacesetters under a keen hold by Flavien Prat. Once putting her head in front leaving the final turn, the Brad Cox trainee displayed her distance affinity when increasing her lead to the wire.
First winner out of Sam-Son bred Dancing Fancy, Kentucky Belle has now earned just over $1.6 million, nearly all of that this season. Her 2yo 1/2 sister Energy Flows (Constitution) is twice MSW-placed this summer.
Bless Her, who conceded a photo to Kentucky Belle in their Keeneland April allowance meeting, is out of Irish Mission, another Sam-Son bred producer. The Giant's Causeway mare was a dual Sovereign Award winner and MGSW for owner/breeder Robert 'Shell' Evans.