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While the horse-racing season doesn’t actually begin in May at Churchill Downs, interest in the sport seems to increase once the best 3-year-olds get to Louisville.
The day before the 150th Kentucky Derby (‘Fastest Two Minutes in Sports’) finds the 150th Grade I Kentucky Oaks, with the marquee fillies going under the twin spires Friday, May 3rd. Purse of the race is $1.5 million, and the race, contested at a mile-and-an-eighth (nine furlongs), tends to offer great betting options.
With a full field of 14 young ladies expected to start in the Oaks, and the draw taking place this Saturday, Apr. 27th, now’s the perfect time to make yourself an Oaks Lily (vodka, sweet and sour mix, triple sec and cranberry juice), do some homework before making a selection.
It’s the 11th of 13 races (post time 5:51 PM ET). First Churchill post is 10:30 AM (ET).
While the horse-racing season doesn’t actually begin in May at Churchill Downs, interest in the sport seems to increase once the best 3-year-olds get to Louisville.
The day before the 150th Kentucky Derby (‘Fastest Two Minutes in Sports’) finds the 150th Grade I Kentucky Oaks, with the marquee fillies going under the twin spires Friday, May 3rd. Purse of the race is $1.5 million, and the race, contested at a mile-and-an-eighth (nine furlongs), tends to offer great betting options.
With a full field of 14 young ladies expected to start in the Oaks, and the draw taking place this Saturday, Apr. 27th, now’s the perfect time to make yourself an Oaks Lily (vodka, sweet and sour mix, triple sec and cranberry juice), do some homework before making a selection.
It’s the 11th of 13 races (post time 5:51 PM ET). First Churchill post is 10:30 AM (ET).
Leading the Ladies
The Kentucky Oaks is a top-tier stakes race dating back to 1875 (identical with the Kentucky Derby). It’s the (obvious) highlight of the Oaks Day program, which also includes any number of competitive stakes events.
Pretty Mischievous, trained by Brendan and ridden by Tyler Gaffalione, won the 2023 Oaks as a 10-1 longshot, taking an open-length lead into the lead before finding the wire just in time.
There will be ladies with solid resumes entering this edition of the race, as there usually are.
Meet the Favorites
The early odds around the 2024 Kentucky Oaks have six fillies under double digits on the board. Tarifa is the 17-4 (+425) choice as of this writing, according to 2024 Kentucky Oaks odds.
Just F Y I and Leslie’s Rose are co-second choices at 5-1 (+500), Thorpedo Anna is 25-4 (+625). Ways and Means is 7-1 (+700), while Power Squeeze is listed at 9-1 (+900).
Tarifa, a daughter of Bernardini, enters the Oaks having won all three (Fair Grounds) starts this season. Trained by Brad Cox and ridden by Flavien Prat, she suffered her only career defeat (4-of-5) at Churchill to end her 2-year-old season.
Just F Y I was last season’s frosh champion. The daughter of Justify won the Breeders’ Cup at Santa Anita, but has made just one start (she finished second in a stakes at Keeneland) this season. She’s a homebred trained by Bill Mott and ridden by Junior Alvarado.
Leslie’s Rose defeated Just F Y I in the aforementioned stakes at Keeneland. The daughter of Into Mischief, trained by Todd Pletcher and ridden by Irad Ortiz Jr., is 3-of-4 in her career.
Thorpedo Anna has also won thrice in four career races. The daughter of Fast Anna, trained by Ken McPeek and ridden by Brian Hernanxdez Jr., crushed her foes in her Oaklawn stakes seasonal debut (lone ‘24 effort).
Ways and Means tries to make amends in just her second ‘24 appearance, The daughter of Practical Joke was a well-beaten second at odds-on to a next-graph rival at Gulfstream. She is trained by Chad Brown and ridden by Irad Ortiz Jr. (with a decision to make ahead of the Oaks).
Power Squeeze brings the same (3-of-3) season resume into the Oaks as Tarifa. This daughter of Union Rags, trained by Jorge Delgado and ridden by Daniel Centeno, arrives in Kentucky via Florida. She was an 11-1 winner of the Gulfstream Park Oaks in her last out.
Oaks’ Other Contenders
If you’re trying to beat the board with a bombardier, here are some of the other ladies who figure to be in the starting gate at the Kentucky Oaks…
Our Pretty Woman 12-1 (+1200)
Where’ My Ring 14-1 (+1400)
Everland 20-1 (+2000)
Intricate 24-1 (+2400)
Of course, odds change early and often ahead of post time.
If you’re looking ahead to the first jewel of the Triple Crown, here’s that early board, as per 2024 Kentucky Derby odds.
- Mary Montgomery, Gambling911.com
