Las Vegas, NV – The Grade 1 Kentucky Oaks kicks off the Derby weekend at Churchill Downs this Friday, May 3. Three year old fillies that earned enough points to qualify through the series of prep races will take to Churchill Downs’s main track and go 1 1/8 miles for their share of the $1 million purse.
A very strong field of 11 females have been confirmed for the Kentucky Oaks – race 11 on Churchill Downs’s Friday card. Post time is 5:45 PM. Let’s take a look into the past performances of all 11 contenders for this lucrative and prestigious Grade 1 stakes.
Dreaming of Julia – Todd Pletcher filly entered the Breeders’ Cup in November having started three career races and winning all – a win on August 6 by an astounding 10 1/2 lengths at Saratoga was followed by an equally impressive 16 1/4 length score in the Meadow Star Classic on September 9. She was impressive in winning the Grade 1 Frizette Stakes at Belmont October 6 before an OK third in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies. She followed that with a second in the Grade 2 Davona Dale Stakes to Live Lively February 23 and most recently returned to her winning ways with a nice win in the Grade 2 Gulfstream Oaks March 30 by an incredible 21 3/4 lengths. She has six career starts with four wins, a second and a third place finish and is the morning line favorite for the Oaks.
Beholder – 2012 Eclipse Award winner as 2-year-old filly has eight career starts with five wins and two second place finishes. She won the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies in November for her second straight win and followed that with a second as overwhelming favorite in the Grade 2 Santa Ynez behind Renee’s Titan here January 21. She avenged her defeat to Renee’s Titan with an impressive win in the Grade 1 Las Virgenes Stakes March 2 and went on to win the Grade 1 Santa Anita Oaks April 6 at Santa Anita. She is the reigning Eclipse Award winner for a reason – she is mighty impressive.
Unlimited Budget – very impressive Todd Pletcher trained filly has four career starts (3 graded stakes) and four impressive wins – the last coming March 30 in the Grade 2 Fair Grounds Oaks after a win in the Grade 3 Rachel Alexandra Stakes also at Fair Grounds February 23. She also won the Grade 2 Demoiselle Stakes at Aqueduct in November
Midnight Lucky – has just two career starts for trainer Bob Baffert – both wins. Last time out was a nice score by eight lengths in the minor Sunland Park Oaks March 24 after a MSW score in her debut February 16. She is the 9-2 fourth choice on the morning line despite the lack of experience.
Close Hatches – made her stakes debut last time out for legendary trainer Bill Mott and recorded a terrific win in the Grade 2 Gazelle Stakes at Aqueduct April 6 after two prior starts resulted in two wins – an Allowance Optional Claiming in wire-to-wire fashion by 1 1/4 lengths at Gulfstream March 10 and a MSW score January 26 also at Gulfstream.
Online horse betting with OffTrackBetting.com
Rose To Gold – Sal Santoro trained filly has seven career starts with five wins and a second place finish and enters the Oaks having won three of her last four overall – all Grade 3 stakes. She won the Delta Downs Princess Stakes November 7, the Honeybee two back at Oaklawn Park and the Fantasy Stakes last time out also at Oaklawn April 10. Her only poor result was in October – an uncharacteristic twelfth in the Darley Alcibiades. Other than that she has been at or near the top in every career start.
Flashy Gray – Bill Mott trained filly has finished first or second in all five career starts and is coming off a pair of seconds in graded stakes action – last time out in the Grade 2 Fair Grounds Oaks March 30 and the Grade 3 Honeybee Stakes March 9 at Oaklawn Park. Before those results was a pair of wins – an Allowance Optional Claiming at Gulfstream February 10 and a MSW on this track in November.
Silsita – Todd Pletcher trained filly made her stakes debut with a very impressive win last time out in the Grade 3 Fathead Bourbonette Oaks at Turfway Park March 23 after a third in an Allowance Optional Claiming at Gulfstream February 2, a fourth before that and a MSW score at Calder in her debut November 29.
Princess Of Sylmar – Todd Pletcher pupil won four of her five career starts before a second last time out in the Grade 2 Gazelle Stakes at Aqueduct April 6. The wins include the minor Busher Stakes at Aqueduct February 2 to follow another win at Aqueduct – the Busanda Stakes by 7 1/2 lengths January 4 where she earned 10 points toward qualification into the Kentucky Oaks. She also has a MSW and an Allowance Optional Claiming score. She has four wins and a second in her last five starts and is another in the long line of impressive fillies lining up Friday.
Seaneen Girl – won the Grade 2 Golden Rod Stakes two back in November after a second in the Grade 3 Mazarine Stakes at Woodbine in October. Last time was an OK third in the Grade 2 Fair Grounds Oaks March 30 after a four month layoff.
Pure Fun – Kenneth McPeek trained filly had an OK third in the Grade 3 Fathead Bourbonette March 23 after a terrific win in the Grade 1 Hollywood Starlet Stakes at Hollywood Park December 8 and an Allowance Optional Claiming score at Churchill Downs in November by 9 1/4 lengths. Last time out was a seventh place finish against the boys in the Grade 3 Lexington Stakes at Keeneland April 20. She has 10 career starts with three wins, a second and three third place finishes.
Race 11 on Churchill Downs’s Friday card with a Post Time of 5:45 PM.
Entry | Horse | Jockey | Trainer | ML Odds |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Silsita | G. Stevens | T. Pletcher | |
2 | Midnight Lucky | R. Bejarano | B. Baffert | |
3 | Beholder | G. Gomez | R. Mandella | |
4 | Unlimited Budget | J. Castellano | T. Pletcher | |
5 | Seaneen Girl | R. Napravnik | B. Flint | |
6 | Princess of Sylmar | M. Smith | T. Pletcher | |
7 | Pure Fun | J. Leparoux | K. McPeek | |
8 | Dreaming of Julia | J. Velazquez | T. Pletcher | |
9 | Rose to Gold | C. Borel | S. Santoro | |
10 | Flashy Gray | J. Alvarado | W. Mott | |
11 | Close Hatches | J. Rosario | W. Mott |
Leave feedback about this