Laurelin returns to New York for G3 Jockey Club Oaks

Newstead Stables’ Laurelin looks to launch another win streak in Saturday’s Grade 3, $350,000 Jockey Club Oaks, an 11-furlong inner turf test for sophomore fillies, at Aqueduct Racetrack.

Trained by Graham Motion, the Irish-bred Zarak chestnut won her first five career starts, including three wins at the Big A, before tasting defeat for the first time last out when a 1 1/4-length second to Lush Lips in the nine-furlong Grade 1 Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup on October 11 at Keeneland.

There, with regular pilot Kendrick Carmouche up, Laurelin saved ground in fourth position as Lush Lips tracked the pacesetting Opulent Restraint through an opening quarter-mile in 23.23 seconds over the good turf. Carmouche shifted Laurelin out a path down the backstretch and improved to third as Opulent Restraint reached the half-mile in 47.70 and three-quarters in 1:12.08. The game pacesetter spun the field into the stretch run with Lush Lips taking dead aim and Laurelin following her run, but Laurelin could not reel in her rival, who hit the front and stopped the clock in a final time of 1:48.01.

“I thought she ran great. The winner ran a big race, and I thought we ran our race – she ran very well. It’s always tough when you’re undefeated but I thought she ran super,” Motion said.

Laurelin [post 7, Kendrick Carmouche, 122 pounds] began her career with a trio of starts at Aqueduct, successfully debuting in October 2024 and following one month later with a half-length win in the Tepin over Five G, who subsequently won the Cash Run at Gulfstream Park.