The first week of May starts the cycle of the Triple Crown for horse racing, be it the colts or the fillies. And for the trainers, owners, and jockeys, it’s the chance to do a historic double, like last year’s Kenneth McPeek, who won the Kentucky double last year. But it’s a new year, offering a chance to rewrite history. But who all is taking the field at the Kentucky Oaks this time? Let’s find out.
The Kentucky Oaks leaderboard ratings suggest Quietside to be the most consistent over the course of the 2024-25 season. Trainer John Alexander Ortiz saw his 3-year-old filly comfortably beat rival Simply Joking in the Fantasy Stakes Race on March 30. Incidentally, Simply Joking is also in the 14-horse field of the Kentucky Oaks. So that would add some extra edge when the starting gates open.
Behind Quietside in the leaderboard stands La Cara of Mark Casse. Winning the G1 Ashland race is definitely a statement when you look at the horses she beat. #2 Take Charge Milady and #3 Muhimma are in the Top 14 leaderboard and will be racing for the $1.5 million prize pool come May 2nd.
And as for trainers Mark Casse and Brad Cox, with Sandman in the Derby and Good Cheer in the Oaks, the 2-time Hall of Famer will target a Kentucky double, no doubt. The Fair Ground Oaks showed exactly what you can expect from Good Cheer at the Churchill Downs. And she is not alone. Muhimma will join her to bolster the 45-year-old trainer’s top 5 odds.
Five G won the $250,000 Gulfstream Park Oaks to punch her way into the 1⅛-mile-long Kentucky Oaks. Her trainer, George Weaver, definitely believes they have a chance with Five G: “She’s been a nice surprise. She was a nice New York-bred during the summer. When I brought her down here, I thought, ‘Wow we might have something here’.” Hopefully, with Manny Franco in the saddle, Five G will do the trick at Churchill Downs.
Chad Brown’s Ballerina D’oro will be hoping to spring a surprise. Her win at the Gazelle Stakes has put her at the starting gates come May 2nd. But will Dylan Davis help her go all the way to a top-5 finish? We will have to wait and see. The competition is fierce. And that brings us to Bob Baffert and his Tenma. The iconic trainer is here, targeting his 4th Kentucky Oaks win. Tenma won the San Anita Derby, making it her 3rd stakes win on the trot. Keep an eye on this one!
Saffie A. Joseph Jr. is a popular name in horse racing from Florida, and his filly, Early On, has gotten enough points to be 7th in the leaderboard. Her best outing has been at the G3 Gazelle Stakes, where she came in behind winner Ballerina D’oro. It will be challenging, especially when trainer Kenneth McPeek has his fillies out to defend last year’s Oaks win. This Triple Crown winner has Take Charge Milady in the starting line and Gowells Delight on standby for any defection.
Coming second in the G1 grade, Ashland makes Take Charge Milady exactly ready for what is to come on May 2nd. And with Brian Hernandez Jr. as jockey, we have seen the combination win again and again, haven’t we? Will it be back-to-back wins at the Oaks for McPeek and Brian Hernandez? Let’s not speculate. Let’s move on to see the horses D. Whitworth Beckman is fielding at the Oaks.
Beckman has a formidable double in the field with Simply Joking and Drexel Hill. Having worked as an assistant under Hall of Famers Todd Pletcher and Chad Brown makes him knowledgeable in the intricacies of how to handle the Kentucky Oaks track. Can any of his horses achieve a top-5 finish or even a surprise win? Drexel Hill has a win under her belt at the Busher LS. But Oaks is a different competition. So she will be tested, along with Simply Joking.
William Walden will send out Bless the Broken with the hopes she can repeat the results of the $280,000 Bourbonette Oaks (Listed) Stakes. Hall of Famer John Velasquez will be replaced by Alex Concepcion, which will definitely have an impact. Especially when there is a name like Fondly taking its place in the 14-horse field. Trainer H. Graham Motion will be preparing this rising filly with an outside chance of making it to the top 5.
In her debut at the Tampa Bay Downs in February 2025, she scored a four-length victory. She did one better by clinching the Virginia Oaks race one month later. She will bring her resilience to the Oaks, and the way she is progressing, we are keeping our eyes on this one. The field will be rounded up by Ahavah of Cherie Devaux, who came 2nd in the Fair Ground Oaks race. The 2 horses completing the 16-horse leaderboard are Anna’s Promise and Gowells Delight. Trainer Carlos A. David led Anna’s Promise to a 2nd-place finish at the G2 Gulfstream Park Oaks.
A strong field, isn’t it? And too complicated to call. This means an exhilarating Kentucky Oaks is on the card, which makes the event a bigger success, given its causes and what it represents.
Kentucky Oaks and the Unique Pink Connection
The 151st edition of the race is almost here, and the preparations for it include celebrating Oaks Day, which prioritizes raising awareness about breast cancer. Yes, it’s not just a fabulous race day but a day to support women’s causes. As such, the Kentucky Oaks Survivors Parade will take place before the race on May 2nd. It is the 16th Survivors Parade that will honor 150 survivors and fighters of breast and ovarian cancer.
Continuing the tradition, the aim is to raise awareness about the early diagnosis of breast cancer, which can result in complete remission and a cancer-free future. Along with that, it also lends affectionate support to survivors and those still fighting against cancer so that they don’t feel like they have to deal with it alone. And the ‘Pink Out’ initiative is just that.
Anyone who will be at the Churchill Downs racecourse is asked to include the color pink in their attire, even if it means wearing pink sunglasses, having a pink handkerchief, or carrying a pink purse. It can be anything. But to show solidarity with Churchill Downs’ advocacy for addressing the numerous issues plaguing the women’s community, it is the least one can easily do.
Kentucky Oaks’ official flower, the stargazer lily, is also a reflection of the noble cause. The winner of the race is presented with a garland of lilies, lovably called ‘Lilies for the Fillies.’ The pink theme is highlighted in front of the world so that we can all come together and create a better world for women.
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