Lovely Maria takes 2015 Kentucky Oaks in front of record crowd

In front of a record crowd of 123,763, Lovely Maria captured the 2015 running of the Kentucky Oaks (G1) at Churchill Downs under jockey Kerwin Clark.

In the process, the bay filly gave trainer Larry Jones and owner Brereton C. Jones their third winner in the Run for the Lilies following past victories with Proud Spell (2008) and Believe You Can (2012). It was also a feather in the cap of Brereton Jones’ Airdrie stud. The farm stands the stallion Majesticperfection, who sired Lovely Maria in his first crop.

Sent off at 6-1, Lovely Maria rallied wide around Angela Renee and Condo Commando to grab command in the lane. She held all the way to the wire to return $14.60 while stopping the clock in 1:50 2/5 over the fast dirt.

Lovely Maria entered the Kentucky Oaks off a 3 1/4-length romp in the Ashland S. (G1) at Keeneland a month earlier. The filly also ran second to stablemate and Oaks third-place finisher I’m a Chatterbox in the Rachel Alexandra S. (G3) back in February.

Photo: Jim Tyrrell/Horsephotos.com