From Sandown to Saratoga, Clan O'Brien Tops Another Elite Race as Kensington Lane Wins Belmont Oaks

Elite-level turf races have more or less become synonymous with a member of the O'Brien clan and this time it was Donnacha O'Brien's Kensington Lane (Ire) (Starspangledbanner {Aus}) who took home top prize in the GI Belmont Oaks.

Her conditioner had already enjoyed a big afternoon overseas long before this contest went to post. O'Brien's A Boy Named Susie (Ire) (Starspangledbanner {Aus}) ran second in Sandown's marquee G1 Coral-Eclipse Stakes behind father Aidan O'Brien's imperious Constitution River (Ire) (Wootton Bassett {GB}). That race was dominated by Aidan and his sons with the trifecta book-ended by the senior O'Brien's runners.

Kensington Lane broke her maiden in her fifth race as a juvenile in Ireland, and didn't produce much against group company in her following two jumps at the Curragh and Leopardstown. She turned her form around May 4 at the former venue with a sharp three-quarter-length victory in the G3 Irish EBF Athasi Stakes. She was fifth last out May 24 in the G1 Irish 1000 Guineas after pressing the leaders and fading late, beaten by a classy duo trained by–you guessed it–Aidan O'Brien.

Sent off at 23-1 odds here, Kensington Lane initially took the lead coming out of the gate, but saw familiar face Abashiri (GB) (Frankel {GB}) try to overtake her with an aggressive move going into the first bend. Stepping on the gas to regain her lead through an opening quarter in :23.47 and a half-mile in :48.82, Kensington Lane had that early challenger just off her flank after six panels in 1:13.17, but the 6-5 favorite was soon backpedaling heading into the final bend.

Ears pricked coming off the turn, the chestnut had built up a clear advantage heading for home and was extending that lead under little urging by midstretch. Never really asked for more, Kensington Lane handily defeated Faithful Departed (Yoshida {Jpn}) by open lengths. Fitz Right (Charlatan) was turned away late and had to settle for third.

“Given the way she's broken out of the gate in Europe, we thought she could be forward,” said Phillip Shelton, racing manager for co-owner Medallion Racing. “I told [Joel Rosario], 'we want her to be within a couple lengths of the lead, if she ends up on the lead because nobody goes, that's fine.' He opened up by three [lengths] and I was hoping he didn't go too early, but it never felt like he had to get into her too hard. She appreciated the circumstances of the race.”

When the inevitable question surfaced about what Kensington Lane's next plans would be–returning to Europe or remaining in the States–Shelton said, “I'll have to talk to the partners and see what we want to do. In Europe, there are no more restricted 3-year-old only Grade Is, [and] in America, there are three more. Given her propensity for firm ground, she still may go to California [for the GI Del mar Oaks Aug. 22], but she could go back to Europe. We'll have to talk amongst ourselves and figure out what we want to do.”

“Everything went as planned,” said Kieran Murphy, traveling assistant to O'Brien. “We shipped in Monday morning and [Kensington Lane] was very relaxed, did a couple of bits of work on Thursday, Friday–not much–just ticking over and here we are.”

Of the beaten favorite, jockey William Buick said, “[Abashiri] jumped a bit slow, so I went around them and put her in a good position. We went to the front; there was no pace on. At the half-mile, she was struggling. She's probably not used to the sharp oval tracks, lacked that experience.”

KENSINGTON LANE wins the Grade 1 Belmont Oaks at 23-1 in her first start in the US under @JRosarioJockey for trainer Donnacha O'Brien. pic.twitter.com/VHzFV9xKzT

— NYRA (🗽) (@TheNYRA) July 4, 2026

Pedigree Notes:

This victress is out of a half-sister to Group 1-placed Flying Cross (Ire) (Sadler's Wells). Kensington Lane is the mare's first black-type runner from five to race, and is one of four winners. Dam Almost Always (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) has a juvenile filly by the late Wootton Bassett (GB) in the wings as well as a yearling colt by No Nay Never.

Second dam Ramruma (Diesis {GB}) was a multiple Group 1 winner who was also crowned as Europe's champion 3-year-old filly during her time on the track. She was one of 10 winners for third dam Princess of Man (Ire) (Green God {Ire}), making her a full-sibling to multiple group-placed Ausherra. That sister went on in her broodmare career to produce MGSW & G1SP-Eng Strategic Prince (GB) (Dansili {GB}) as well as a branch of the family that later yielded Australian multiple Group 1 winner Montefilia (Aus).

This is also the female family of another Australian Group 1 winner in All the Good (Ire) (Diesis {GB}).

Saturday, Saratoga
BELMONT OAKS S.-GI, $600,000, Saratoga, 7-4, 3yo, f, 1 1/8mT, 1:47.77, fm.
1–KENSINGTON LANE (IRE), 121, f, 3, by Starspangledbanner (Aus)
                1st Dam: Almost Always (Ire), by Galileo (Ire)
                2nd Dam: Ramruma, by Diesis (GB)
                3rd Dam: Princess of Man (Ire), by Green God (Ire)
1ST GRADE I WIN. O-Agave Racing Stable, Medallion Racing & Evan Trommer; B-Almost Always Partnership (IRE); T-Donnacha O'Brien; J-Joel Rosario. $330,000. Lifetime Record: GSW-Ire, 10-3-2-0, $411,281. Werk Nick Rating: A+. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. Click for the Free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Faithful Departed, 121, f, 3, by Yoshida (Jpn)
                1st Dam: Speed Seeker (GSW-Can, SW & GSP-USA, $266,638), by Heatseeker (Ire)
                2nd Dam: Seraphic Too, by Southern Halo
                3rd Dam: Lady She Is Too, by Two's a Plenty
1ST G1 BLACK TYPE. O-Ferrogine, Frank, Rendina, Richard, Coniglio, Nick & Greywood Farms, LLC; B-Robert K. Johnson (KY); T-Grant T. Forster. $120,000.
3–Fitz Right, 121, f, 3, by Charlatan
                1st Dam: I'm a Looker (GSW, $316,134), by Henny Hughes
                2nd Dam: Our Mariella, by Victory Gallop
                3rd Dam: Ropa Usada, by Danzig
1ST G1 BLACK TYPE. ($200,000 Ylg '24 KEESEP). O-Dubb, Michael, Lawrence, William H., The Elkstone Group, LLC (Stuart Grant) & Kisber, Michael E.; B-Stonestreet Thoroughbred Holdings LLC (KY); T-Chad C. Brown. $72,000.
Margins: 1 3/4, HF, 1 3/4. Odds: 23.33, 3.77, 6.41.
Also Ran: Storm's Wake, Time to Dream, Imaginationthelady, Just Aloof, Abashiri (GB), Ultimate Love, Carmensita (Arg). Click for the Equibase.com chart or the TJCIS.com PPs. VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.