It’s Kentucky Derby/Oaks weekend!
By now you have read a zillion posts or comments on who everyone likes in the Derby or the Oaks (today at 6:10 p.m.).
The Oaks-Derby bet appears to be a super wager this year with so many possibilities (34 horses in the 2 races combined).
Below is the Oaks field and Thoroughblog’s selections…
RACE 11
Longines Kentucky Oaks (Grade I)
POST TIME – 6:12 PM
Exacta / Trifecta / Superfecta / Pick 3 (Races 11-12-13) / Super Hi-5 Oaks-Derby Double / Oaks-Woodford-Derby Pick 3
Purse $1,000,000. For Fillies, Three Years Old. One And One Eighth Miles.
1 Ever So Clever (KY) 3/F L L Contreras 121 S M Asmussen 20/1
2 Lockdown (KY) 3/F L J L Ortiz 121 W I Mott 20/1
3 Mopotism (KY) 3/F L M Gutierrez 121 D F O’Neill 20/1
4 Paradise Woods (KY) 3/F L F Prat 121 R E Mandella 5/2
5 Jordan’s Henny (KY) 3/F L J Rocco, Jr. 121 M A Tomlinson 30/1
6 Vexatious (KY) 3/F L K J Desormeaux 121 N D Drysdale 20/1
7 Farrell (KY) 3/F L C Hill 121 W M Catalano 5/1
8 Sailor’s Valentine (KY) 3/F L C J Lanerie 121 E Kenneally 30/1
9 Wicked Lick (KY) 3/F L B J Hernandez, Jr. 121 B P Walsh 30/1
10 Miss Sky Warrior (KY)3/F L P Lopez 121 K J Breen 9/2
11 Tequilita (KY) 3/F L L Saez 121 M R Matz 20/1
12 Daddys Lil Darling (KY) 3/F L J R Leparoux 121 K G McPeek 20/1
13 Abel Tasman (KY) 3/F L M E Smith 121 B Baffert 5/1
14 Salty (KY) 3/F L J Rosario 121 M E Casse 6/1
Also Eligibles:
15 Summer Luck (KY) 3/F L J Castellano 121 M E Casse 30/1
Pedigrees (Sire – Dam, by Dam Sire): 1 – Medaglia d’Oro – Foxy Danseur , by Mr. Greeley ; 2 – First Defence – Rising Tornado , by Storm
Cat ; 3 – Uncle Mo – Peppy Rafaela , by Bernardini ; 4 – Union Rags – Wild Forest , by Forest Wildcat ; 5 – Henny Hughes – Sophiano ,
by Rubiano ; 6 – Giant’s Causeway – Dream of Summer , by Siberian Summer ; 7 – Malibu Moon – Rebridled Dreams , by Unbridled’s Song ; 8 – Mizzen Mast – Sortilege , by Tale of the Cat ; 9 – Maclean’s Music – Here Music , by Dehere ; 10 – First Samurai – Sky Minister , by
Conquistador Cielo ; 11 – Union Rags – Sangrita , by Mr. Greeley ; 12 – Scat Daddy – Miss Hot Salsa , by Houston ; 13 – Quality Road –
Vargas Girl , by Deputy Minister ; 14 – Quality Road – Theycallmeladyluck , by Dixie Union ; 15 – Lookin At Lucky – Seasonal , by
Deputy Minister ;
Equipment Changes: 13 – Abel Tasman – Blinkers On
THOROUGHBLOG PICKS – Longshots – Daddy’s Little Darlin; Vexatious
I look at this race in two ways for summarizing my selections.
Visually watching races coming up to this event, I liked DADDY’S LITTLE DARLIN (20 to 1) off her less-than-perfect run in the Ashland behind the slow pace.
She has also won in the mud at Churchill Downs.
Her ‘numbers’ are now very good, however, so that tempers my excitement.
The big number gals are PARADISE WOODS and MISS SKY WARRIOR and either of them winning would be logical. However both could be involved in what could be a contested pace battle.
My other picks are VEXATIOUS and ABEL TASMAN (Blinkers on).
BREAKING LUCKY IN FRDAY’S ALYSHEBA ON OAKS CARD – WOODBINE OAKS CONTENDER ‘HEIRESS ENTERED
One of Canada’s top older horses of 2016, BREAKING LUCKY, is at Churchill Downs for today’s Grade 2 Alysheba Stakes and the Reade Baker trainee meets up with Honorable Duty again, the fellow who beat him in the New Orleans Handicap.
‘Lucky is overdue to win one of these big races but he was not too fond of a wet Churchill Downs track the last time he tried that track condition.
The Alysheba is race 6 with a post time of 1:17 this afternoon.
In the Edgewood Stakes (Grade 3), race 10 at 5:04, unbeaten Canadian-bred STALLION HEIRESS is entered in this 1 1/16 mile turf race that should be plenty soggy from rain.
Stallion Heiress is an Exchange Rate filly bred by Sean Fitzhenry and she is a Woodbine Oaks nominee.
