LADIES PRO JUST TOO GOOD IN THE BELMONT OAKS

By Graham Potter | Saturday, July 4, 2026

The training partnership of Grant and Alana Williams added the 2026 Belmont Oaks to their long list of feature race successes when Ladies Pro (the $2.20 race favourite) saluted in comfortable fashion under Willie Pike, beating Pony Up and A Summer Fling, who both started at double figure odds, into second and third place respectively.

When Ladies Pro’s only market rival Like Clockwork … the $2.70 second favourite … failed to extend in the home straight after being perfectly positioned to strike by jockey Clint Johnston-Porter, it was Ladie’s Pro’s race to win.

Cornering widest of all in a bunching field at the top of the home straight, Ladies Pro breezed past Like Clockwork with 250m left to run and then quickly reeled in the frontrunners to sweep clear to claim a facile win by a decisive three length margin, going to the line under a hands and heels ride from Pike over the concluding stages.

“We had a nice enough run, but I thought we were going at a pretty moderate tempo,” said Pike. Then, when the sprint went on, I didn’t think we’d be able to maintain the sprint for as long as we did,” said Pike.

“I’d say I think she relaxes so well it gives her the chance to sprint like that. Off a slow tempo that was a very nice effort.

“You don’t really have to be a stayer to be competitive here. She’s got the right attitude. She is prepped by the right trainers.”

This was Pike’s eighth win in the Belmont Oaks, including the last four in a row, while Ladie’s Pro has now won four out of eight starts and has finished second on one occasion.

She is now likely to move on to the Belmont Classic in two weeks time.