Woodbine Oaks Presented By Stella Artois
19th July 2026
LUSTER (Knicks Go – Ruby Frost) took another step forward in her impressive career as she made it 4 wins from 5 starts for trainer Josie Carroll to win the Woodbine Oaks on Sunday. John Velazquez had ridden her to success at Keeneland earlier in the year and he shipped in for the ride on Sunday to make it a perfect 2 from 2 aboard the Knicks Go filly. Sent off at very cramped odds, her backers were never really in any doubt as Luster and John Velazquez controlled the pace in front before kicking away in the home straight to win with a minimum of effort from the jockey. A winning time of 1:50.14 ranked 4th of the last 10 renewals of this race, but given the ease with which Luster pulled clear in the closing stages, it’s hard not to come away with the impression that she could have run a faster time had it been required.
Josie Carroll’s charge had actually finished behind Dixie Law in the Ruling Angel Stakes back in May, but that came over 7 furlongs in a race run at a fast early pace and with a finishing speed of below 94% from the winner. The pace over that trip may have found her out slightly, but since going back up to a mile and beyond she has readily overturned that form and this display was dominant from the moment the gates opened. The widest draw was no hindrance to Luster and Velazquez was happy to let her settle into the race in her own time, even if that meant taking the first bend 3 wide. Once moving in behind the early leader, Luster relaxed and even though her average stride frequency did not drop below 2.31 strides per second at any point in the back straight, the highest stride frequency in the field at that point, she appeared to be travelling perfectly within herself. This was not a case of Luster sprinting clear of the rest of the field in the home straight. Instead, it was a case of Luster being able to maintain a strong gallop for longer than her rivals and one by one those in behind came off the bridle as they struggled to go with the well supported favourite. Once in front she ran the fastest split for each of the final 3 furlongs of the Woodbine Oaks, pulling further and further clear to eventually win by almost a second and comfortably reversing the earlier form with Dixie Law.
Normally when writing this kind of race review, I would try to highlight a case for one of the beaten horses and reasons to be with them next time. I can’t do that in the Woodbine Oaks because Luster was so entirely dominant that it is almost impossible to find any reason to think that she would not uphold this form in the future. A late speed figure of 56.1 km/h was a race best figure and over a km/h faster than any of her rivals. For some context, that means that in the final 2 furlongs, she covered the distance over half a second faster than any of her rivals, all whilst traveling within herself under a largely motionless Velazquez. This race can often be used as a stepping stone to the King’s Plate and having been so impressive on Sunday afternoon, it must surely now be on the radar for Luster’s connections. Post-race, Josie Carroll said “Tremendously exciting horse, I had some questions until today, but she certainly looks like she’ll get her route of ground. She seems to be moving forward all the time”. (Source: Horse Racing Nation). She doesn’t fit the typical stride profile of a winner of the King’s Plate, but both her average and top speed figures on Sunday were higher than the expected average for a King’s Plate winner from the TPD database. When a horse travels as strongly as Luster did, it can be hard to get a handle on what they may be capable of and how strong the form is. However, Luster passed the test in the Woodbine Oaks with such ease, that she must surely be considered one of the main players for the King’s Plate if she lines up next month.