Osare takes $300K Dueling Grounds Oaks in stakes debut

Bridlewood Farm’s 3-year-old filly Osare went gate-to-wire to win the $300,000 Dueling Ground Oaks at Kentucky Downs on Sept. 12 in the filly’s stakes debut.

Trained by Jonathan Thomas, Osare has earned $229,080 and is 2-1-1 in her young career.

Breaking from the inside post in the marathon 1 5/16-mile race, Osare was quickest out of the gate and led the field through the first half-mile in :51.20. Going along easily until she hit the quarter-mile mark, Osare was shaken up by Jose Ortiz, and she quickly opened up to come home nearly three lengths in front at the wire.

Out of the Distorted Humor mare and a half-brother to the brilliant Arrogate, Osare has a burden not often faced by other horses.

“The expectations are a little bit higher when your brother is Arrogate, but we let her kind of come into her own and develop,” Thomas said. “She was a filly with a big frame, we gave her time to strengthen up, and these longer races seem to be her forte. So we were waiting for kind of a spot like this, being able to keep her in her own age group going a route of ground.”