While most of the attention this week is on Saturday’s 139th running of the Kentucky Derby (G1), Friday’s Oaks Day card is shaping up to be one of the best betting cards we have seen this year.
The $1 million Kentucky Oaks (G1) drew a very strong field of three-year-old fillies, and the five supporting stakes will offer plenty of solid betting opportunities as well as star power.
Trainer Todd Pletcher will saddle four runners in the Oaks led by 3-1 morning line favorite Dreaming of Julia, who is coming off an impressive 21 ¾ length victory in the Gulfstream Park Oaks (G2) on March 30. The filly earned a 114 Beyer Speed Figure, which is nine points higher than any figure earned by likely Kentucky Derby favorite Verrazano.
Pletcher will also saddle the undefeated Unlimited Budget (7-2), Silsita (20-1) and Princess of Sylmar (20-1).
Richard Mandella will send out last year’s Eclipse Award winning juvenile filly Beholder (7-2), who has won five of her eight career starts including last fall’s Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1) and most recently the Santa Anita Oaks (G1) on April 6.
A pair of up and coming undefeated fillies also figure to be right in the mix in the Oaks. Trainer Bob Baffert will send out Midnight Lucky (9-2) who is perfect in two starts, winning the Sunland Park Oaks in her last outing on March 24.
Gazelle (G2) winner Close Hatches is undefeated in three starts for trainer Bill Mott and is 6-1 on the morning line.
Last year’s Oaks winner Believe You Can is the headliner in the $300,000 La Troien (G2), which kicks off the stakes action on Friday afternoon. The Larry Jones trainee is the 7-5 morning line favorite.
Other stakes on the card are the $150,000 Edgewood (G3), $150,000 Eight Belles (G3) $300,000 Alysheba (G2) and $200,000 American Turf (G2).
The Oaks will be televised live on the NBC Sports Network, the one-hour telecast getting underway at 5:00 ET.
$1 million Grade 1 Kentucky Oaks
Post, Horse, Jockey, Morning-line odds
1. Silsita, G.Stevens, 20-1
2. Midnight Lucky, R.Bejarano, 9-2
3. Beholder, G.Gomez, 7-2
4. Unlimited Budget, J.Castellano, 7-2
5. Seaneen Girl, R.Napravnik, 20-1
6. Princess of Sylmar, M.Smith, 20-1
7. Pure Fun, J.Leparoux, 30-1
8. Dreaming of Julia, J.Velazquez, 3-1
9. Rose to Gold, C.Borel, 15-1
10. Flashy Gray, J.Alvarado, 15-1
11. Close Hatches, J.Rosario, 6-1
Post time: Friday, 5:45 p.m. Eastern
Television: NBC Sports Network, 5-6 p.m.
Michael Dempsey’s Triple Crown Package $44.95
Get Michael’s Dempsey’s full card reports for all three jewels of this year’s Triple Crown! Included in this package is Michael’s full card report for the Kentucky Derby, Preakness, and Belmont Stakes Day cards. As an added bonus, subscribers to this package will also receive Michael’s Kentucky Oaks Day card free!