Kentucky Belle Turning Heads in Dueling Grounds Oaks

In years past, 3-year-old fillies returning to Kentucky from New York after late-summer turf victories in graded company would typically await the Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup Stakes (G1T) at Keeneland in mid-October. But massive purse increases at Kentucky Downs, fueled by historical horse racing gaming, have given some a reason to race in the Bluegrass State a month earlier.

Kentucky Belle  is a prime example. She won the Aug. 7 Saratoga Oaks Stakes (G2T) in her last start at Saratoga Race Course, a performance that makes her the favorite for the Dueling Grounds Oaks Invitational Stakes (G3T) Sept. 9, closing day of the Kentucky Downs meet. The 1 5/16-mile turf race drew 11 3-year-old fillies and carries a purse of $2 million for Kentucky-breds, and half that for those not bred in the state.

As her name suggests, Kentucky Belle is one such Bluegrass-bred filly. The WinStar Farm homebred is by 2018 Triple Crown winner Justify   out of the Tiznow mare Dancing Fancy .

Though she has never raced 1 5/16 miles, the Brad Cox trainee is 2-for-2 at 1 3/16 miles. She won by a nose at Keeneland in April before gamely taking the Saratoga Oaks by a head, her second consecutive photo finish. Flavien Prat, who rode her at Keeneland in his lone mount aboard the hard-rallying filly, is aboard.

Her only other victory came at 1 1/16 miles on turf at Churchill Downs late last fall. She is 3-1-2 in six starts with earnings of $449,388.

The opposition comes from far and wide, including Charm of Venice  and La Fogata , both of whom last raced in Europe, joined by fillies from Kentucky, New York, and Virginia.

Dakotah Blue  also arrives at Kentucky Downs having last raced north of the United States border when capturing the July 25 Ontario Colleen Stakes (G3T) on Woodbine's inner turf track. She makes her first start for trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. following a sale to owners Agave Racing Stable, BAG Racing Stables, and Carr Legacy Racing. She has yet to race beyond a mile.

Graded-Quality Fields in Supporting Stakes

The Dueling Grounds Oaks shares the card with two other stakes worth up to $750,000 apiece: the Bowling Green Gold Cup Invitational Stakes, a 2 1/16-mile stamina test, and the Kentucky Downs Juvenile Mile Stakes for 2-year-olds.

Tawny Port  and Limited Liability , respectively second and third in last year's Bowling Green Gold Cup behind Flatten the Curve , are already stakes winners at 2 miles or longer and may hold a stamina advantage in Wednesday's race.

In the Kentucky Downs Juvenile Mile, four of the 13 competitors are wheeling back on short rest to pursue a rewarding opportunity on the meet's final day. All four performed well over the undulating Kentucky Downs course Aug. 29, topped by last-out winners Jas🔥  and How's Al Today . The former, trained by Hall of Famer Steve Asmussen for Red Lane Thoroughbreds, comfortably broke his maiden at the mile distance. And Gold Square's How's Al Today, trained by Riley Mott, stretches out after romping by 4 lengths in a 6 1/2-furlong allowance restricted to graduates of the 2025 Keeneland September Yearling Sale.

Jas was designated as a BloodHorse Maiden Watch Hot Prospect with his second-out victory.