5/18/2023 0 Comments You tube prepoChop Chop, runner-up to Wonder Wheel in the Darley Alcibiades, was nominated but is unlikely to run after going winless in 2023 and most recently finishing 3 rd in the Allen LaCombe Memorial on the turf. Other notable nominees include Julia Shining, Demoiselle winner and full sister to Malathaat Leave No Trace, runner-up to Wonder Wheel in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies and Forward Gal winner Red Carpet Ready. Her undefeated stablemate Punchbowl is also possible for one of those two races.Ĭhampion 2-Year-Old Filly Wonder Wheel is nominated to the Ashland. Honeybee winner Wet Paint could have her final prep in either the Fantasy or the Ashland. We’re a few days to a couple of weeks away from the three most successful Kentucky Oaks preps: the $400,000, Grade 2 Fair Grounds Oaks at Fair Grounds on March 25, the $600,000, Grade 3 Fantasy Stakes at Oaklawn on April 1, and the $600,000, Grade 1 Ashland Stakes at Keeneland on April 7. Only one filly each exiting the Santa Anita Oaks and the Fair Grounds Oaks ended up as the Kentucky Oaks favorite. Four of the seven fillies that won the Kentucky Oaks after running in the Ashland Stakes were the post-time favorite. With that said, it pays to take a hard look at the Ashland Stakes runners regardless of whether they won at Keeneland or not. The takeaway here is that the fillies are a lot harder to predict than the colts. Meanwhile, the legendary Rachel Alexandra was the heavy 2-5 favorite when she trounced her Oaks field by a historic 20 ¼-lengths off an open lengths victory in Oaklawn’s Fantasy Stakes. The biggest upset came in 2006 when Lemons Forever upset the Oaks off a 3 rd place finish in the Bourbonette Breeders’ Cup Stakes at Turfway Park. Beginning in 2013, three favorites have won. While the change from the graded stakes earnings system to the points system drastically changed the complexion of the Kentucky Derby, it has not had quite the same impact on the Kentucky Oaks. Since 2000, only eight favorites have won the Run for the Lillies. Post-time favorites have been wildly inconsistent. Runner-up is the Santa Anita Oaks with four winners, and the Fair Grounds Oaks claims three Kentucky Oaks winners. Far and away the most successful of those races has been Keeneland’s Ashland Stakes, producing seven winners. Eleven different races have served as the final tune-up for the Kentucky Oaks since 2000, including the Indiana Oaks in topsy-turvy 2020.
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