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139TH KENTUCKY OAKS
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HORSE |
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TRAINER |
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JOCKEY |
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ODDS |
| 1 |
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Silsita |
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Todd Pletcher |
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Gary Stevens |
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20-1 |
| 2 |
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Midnight Lucky |
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Bob Baffert |
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Rafael Bejarano |
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9-2 |
| 3 |
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Beholder |
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Richard Mandella |
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Garrett Gomez |
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7-2 |
| 4 |
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Unlimited Budget |
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Todd Pletcher |
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Javier Castellano |
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7-2 |
| 5 |
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Seaneen Girl |
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Bernie Flint |
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Rosie Napravnik |
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20-1 |
| 6 |
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Princess of Sylmar |
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Todd Pletcher |
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Mike Smith |
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20-1 |
| 7 |
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Pure Fun |
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Kenny McPeek |
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Julien Leparoux |
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30-1 |
| 8 |
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Dreaming of Julia |
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Bill Mott |
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John Velazquez |
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3-1 |
| 9 |
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Rose to Gold |
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Sal Santoro |
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Calvin Borel |
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15-1 |
| 10 |
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Flashy Gray |
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Bill Mott |
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Junior Alvarado |
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SCR |
| 11 |
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Close Hatches |
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Bill Mott |
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Joel Rosario |
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6-1 |
Dreaming of Julia heads deep Oaks cast
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Kentucky Oaks favorite Dreaming of Julia has recorded three
works at Churchill Downs since her dynamic victory in the
Gulfstream Park Oaks
(Churchill Downs/Reed Palmer) |
The top three-year-old fillies from all corners of the country, headed by
Dreaming of Julia, the 21 3/4-length winner of the Gulfstream Park Oaks, and
Eclipse Award winner Beholder passed the entry box Tuesday morning for Friday's
139th running of the $1 million Kentucky Oaks.
The Oaks, to be contested at 1 1/8 miles on the main track, highlights a
12-race program Friday that includes five other stakes. First post time is 10:30
a.m. (EDT) with the Oaks going as the 11th race at 5:45 p.m.
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The Kentucky Oaks -- the Kentucky Derby's sister race -- is the nation's most
lucrative race for three-year-old fillies. The winner receives a silver trophy
plus an estimated $564,200 payday and a garland of pink lilies (first awarded in
1991). Preference to start is given to fillies that earned the most points in 35
designated races that comprise the "Road to the Kentucky Oaks."
The weather forecast for Friday calls for temperatures in the low 70s with a
40 percent chance of scattered thunderstorms.
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| Champion two-year-old filly
Beholder invades Churchill Downs off a pair of convincing wins
in the Santa Anita Oaks and Las Virgenes
(Benoit Photos) |
The Oaks will be televised nationally from 5-6 p.m. on NBC Sports Network.
In addition to Dreaming of Julia, the best of Florida and 3-1 morning line
favorite, and Beholder (7-2), the best of the West, the Oaks has attracted the
likes of the undefeated Unlimited Budget (7-2), who dominated fillies at Fair
Grounds; the undefeated Close Hatches (6-1), whose victory in the Gazelle
stamped her as the top filly from New York; Rose to Gold (15-1), who ruled the
fillies at Oaklawn Park; and, the undefeated Midnight Lucky (9-2), winner of two
starts by a combined 15 1/4 lengths and the best of the Southwest.
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Todd Pletcher, a two-time Oaks-winning trainer, will send out four starters
including Dreaming of Julia and Unlimited Budget. Pletcher won the Oaks in 2004
with Ashado and in 2007 with Rags to Riches.
Stonestreet Stables' homebred Dreaming of Julia has won four of six starts
with one of her setbacks coming to Beholder in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile
Fillies. John Velazquez, who won the 2004 Oaks on Ashado, has the mount Friday
and will break from post position 8.
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| Two for two in her career,
Midnight Lucky recorded a sharp
workout at Churchill Downs in advance of the Oaks
(Churchill Downs/Reed Palmer) |
Owned by Spendthrift Farm and trained by Richard Mandella, Beholder is a
three-time Grade 1 winner at Santa Anita. She capped off her championship
campaign in 2012 by winning the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies and in her past
two starts has won the Las Virgenes and Santa Anita Oaks by a combined 6 1/2
lengths.
Garrett Gomez, who won the 2007 Oaks on Rags to Riches, has the mount on
Beholder who will break from post position 3.
Repole Stable's Unlimited Budget, one of three undefeated fillies in the
field, took the Rachel Alexandra and Fair Grounds Oaks in her two starts of
2013. Unlimited Budget will break from post position 4 and be ridden by Javier
Castellano.
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Pletcher's other starters are Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners and Tanourin
Stable's Silsita and King of Prussia Stable's Princess of Sylmar. Two-time
Oaks-winning rider Gary Stevens (Silverbulletday in 1999 and Tiffany Lass in
1986) has the call on Silsita who will break from the rail post and Mike Smith
will ride Princess of Sylmar, who breaks from post position 6.
Juddmonte Farms' Close Hatches, trained by Bill Mott, won her first two
starts at Gulfstream Park before jumping into stakes company and winning the
Gazelle. Close Hatches, who will break from post position 11, will be ridden by
Joel Rosario, who has been aboard for all of her starts.
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| Unbeaten Unlimited Budget
exits a pair of good-looking stakes wins at Fair Grounds
(Jamie Hernandez/Hodges Photography) |
Kathleen Amaya and Raffaele Centofanti's Rose to Gold won the Honeybee and
Fantasy in her past two starts under Calvin Borel for trainer Sal Santoro.
Borel, who won the 2009 Oaks on Rachel Alexandra, has the call Friday on Rose to
Gold, who will break from post position 9.
Bob Baffert, a two-time Oaks-winning trainer (Plum Pretty in 2011 and
Silverbulletday in 1999), will send out Midnight Lucky for the ownership of Karl
Watson, Mike Pegram and Paul Weitman. Winner of the Sunland Park Oaks by eight
lengths in her most recent start, Midnight Lucky will break from post position 2
and be ridden by Rafael Bejarano, winner of the 2010 Oaks on Blind Luck.
The roster of Oaks winners reads like "Who's Who" of outstanding
three-year-old fillies, including 26 victors that would be named champion at
year's end.
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Nine Oaks champs are enshrined in horse racing's Hall of Fame: Bold 'n
Determined (1980), Cicada (1962), Dark Mirage (1968), Davona Dale (1979),
Princess Doreen (1924), Princess Rooney (1983), Real Delight (1952),
Silverbulletday (1999) and Susan's Girl (1972).
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