Great news for all the Kentucky Derby fans, as the main event is coming up on May 5th. However, before the big horse race, everyone is lining up to see the 138th Kentucky Oaks running and all of the participating horses; the Kentucky Derby eve event will take place on May 4th. Critics have been having a tough time picking from all the horses, seeing that their training times have been so good. Amongst all of the participants however, there is one filly that has everyone rooting for her, Grace Hall.
Grace Hall, the Oaks favorite up until now, has been having an amazing week during her timed training. Javier Castellano will be riding Grace Hall for trainer Tony Dutrow. This filly has been accompanied by a short but very successful career to date and does not seem to be slacking during this year’s event. In the past six races she has gotten four wins and two second places, which is an impressive feat for a filly that is so young. It could be due to the fact that she comes from a long line of great race horses, being the daughter of Empire Maker. This does not mean that she will have a free ride through the Kentucky Oaks and the Kentucky Derby.
Among the top contenders, there is a rival that Grace Hall should look out for, On Fire Baby. They will be riding side by side in post 1 and 2 in a field of 14. On Fire Baby also has a long list of outstanding credentials, which is what makes it a race to behold. Trainers for both horses have been quoted saying that their horses are in top condition and that there is nothing left to do but have confidence in their abilities. With their demonstrated speed, they are likely to get good tracking spots right behind the leaders. A few of these, unofficial, leaders are Eden’s Moon, Sacristy, Believe You Can, Broadway’s Alibi, Amie’s Dini, and Yara.
Of these unofficial leaders, there is one horse that stands out for its undisputable speed and ability, Broadway’s Alibi. Trainer Todd Pletcher has been deemed to have higher odds of winning by outrunning the other horses. Pletcher, and Broadway’s Alibi, have proven this fact many times including the wins at the Forward Gal at Gulfstream and the Comely at Aqueduct. On top of that, Fletcher has trained horses that have the Oaks, Ashado and Rags to Riches. Many venture that the Oaks cannot be won simply by speed, but by horses that can close from behind. This is where the favorites Grace Hall and On Fire Baby can take advantage.
On the race list, Summer Applause, Believe You Can, and Karlovy Vary are also in top-notch conditions. They have each had their wins, Summer Applause and Believe You Can came out on top at the Fair Grounds as proven to be Oaks contenders. Karlovy Vary won the Ashland at Keeneland, which is listed at 20-1 odds on the Churchill morning line. Karlovy Vary’s trainer, Rusty Arnold was not all the way satisfied with those odds. Checkout the track list to see what other horses will be participating in the 11th horse race of the 12 that will happen on Friday.
The Kentucky Oaks will be an hour-long broadcast on the NBC Sports Network; post time of the race is set for 5:45 Eastern. As many fans have noticed both the website and the event is paying honor to breast cancer awareness by dressing up in pink; it all serves the fund-raising and research against breast cancer. Post times for the first Friday and Saturday races are at 10:30 a.m. Eastern.
Kentucky Oaks Betting
Taking a look at the Churchill Downs morning line for the 138th Kentucky Oaks race, bettors can take a look at what the odds they could place a bet on the favorite horses or the underdogs. The horses with better odds are On Fire Baby (4-1) and Grace Hall (5-2). If a bettor places a wager on either of them, for example Grace Hall, it would mean for every $2 bet, they would get a $5 pay out. The higher the odds, the higher the risk the horse has of losing, but also has the better pay out. Taking a look at each horses history of races can also help a bettor make a more informed bet, since even though a horse has higher odds doesn’t mean they are slower, all it means is that the race favorites usually have better odds of winning.
These bettors can also take advantage of the Kentucky Oaks betting lines for the main event, the Kentucky Derby. Basing the information off of the races of Friday, they can make better choices and see which horses have a stronger possibility of winning. They can even gain by using the Single, Place, or Show wagers, where they can pick the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place winners to maximize their chances. Other forms of horse betting include Pick 3, Pick 6, Perfecta, and Trifecta which are all designed to challenge and entertain the bettor. These two huge horse racing events are the best place to enjoy fast horses and big pay outs – so along with your Kentucky Oaks betting, make sure you get in the action with some Kentucky Derby Betting too – right here, right now!