Get Stoked For The Oaks

TGIF rarely has held so much anticipation for me.  I can not wait for this Friday, May 1, 2015 and 5:49 p.m. EST!  The 141st running of the Kentucky Oaks is going to be a tough race.  This Grade I stakes race on the dirt for 3 year old fillies of 1 and 1/8 miles with a million dollar purse is quite the championship of  Thoroughbred racing. Who is your favorite? Let’s explore some history, review the contenders and have some fun with this contest of champions.

The Kentucky Oaks ran for the first time the 19th of May in 1875.  The track was Churchill Downs, by the name of Louisville Jockey Club,  in Louisville, Kentucky.  This track first opened that same year and ran only 4 races, those included the Kentucky Oaks and the Kentucky Derby.  These races are the only races that have been ran continuously at the same track and the oldest uninterrupted contests of all sports ever.  The founder was Colonel Meriwether Lewis Clark Jr. His contribution to Thoroughbred racing history could be an entire post on its own.  He developed many of the racing rules used today and his stakes racing design is the model the Breeders’ Cup uses.  The Oaks is patterned after the British Epsom Oaks.  The event is sponsored by Longines, a Swiss watch company, founded in 1832.  The Oaks has several traditions. The song of choice is “My Old Kentucky Home” by Stephen Foster, in use as early as 1921.  The flower is the Stargazer Lily.  Kroger makes a blanket of theses flowers to place upon the winner.  This tradition began in 1916 with roses but went to lilies thereafter.  Lilies for the fillies! The lilies share the color of the event, pink!  The Oaks partnered with Horses and Hope as well as Bright Pink.  This is the 7th year this event is committed to supporting these charities that are devoted to breast and ovarian cancer.  The drink of the day is the Oaks Lilly. Make one yourself  by following the recipe here Oaks Lily . For a fabulous calorie saving and sober drink try a mocktail by substituting the vodka with your favorite sparkling water.  The winner is presented with a sterling silver statue.  This statue stands 25 inches tall and has a horseshoe on the top and 2 horse heads for handles.  The statue is engraved with the name of each winner since the race 1st took place.  The statue is kept year round in the Kentucky Derby Museum in Louisville.  It was created in 1924.  The winner is also presented with 12 sterling silver julep cups that are engraved too.  In most cases these are broken up to be shared by the owner, trainer, jockey  and more.

Fourteen horses will race tomorrow.  This pool by post position is:

1. Forever Unbridled
2. Shook Up
3. Include Betty
4. Eskenformoney
5. Condo Commando
6. Angela Renee
7. Lovely Maria
8. I’m A Chatterbox
9. Money’soncharlotte
10. Oceanwave
11. Sarah Sis
12. Stellar Wind
13. Birdatthewire
14. Puca

Post Position goes from post #1 being the tracks inside rail to #14 being furthest towards the outside rail.  Gates #2 through 10 tend to be preferred positions.  It is good to keep close to the rail by the 1st turn but best to not get pinned in.  It also matters if the horse is a speed horse or a closer where the best position may be.

The prep schedule for the Oaks began at Churchill Downs in September and ended in April at Keeneland, also in Kentucky.  Keeneland featured 3 qualifying races. The horses were ranked on a points system.  Most races were Grade I, II, or III.  The points ranged from 10-4-2-1  (for win, place, show, or fourth) to 50-20-10-5 and 100-40-20-10 depending on the race.  The top score makers are  Condo Commando, I’m a Chatterbox, Stellar Wind, Birdatthewire, and Lovely Maria.  These are actually the favorites this evening as well, but not in this order.  The favorite is Stellar Wind.  Larry Jones is the trainer of both post 7 and 8.  He was pleased enough just saying “I’m not a good 13 person”, but it should be interesting to see how theses two top fillies compete.  Todd Pletcher is training both 4 and 6.  Horses 5,8, and 7 all come from the Storm Cat line of the great Secretariat. This line has never produced a Derby winner.  The favorite, at post 12, is a Curlin daughter. Posts 2 and 10 are both grey beauties. Last year’s winning trainer with Untapable was Steve Asmussen who has post # 2 this time.

Thoroughbred U for me is my own racing industry study program.  I hope you can learn from my blog as well.  I am far from handicapping for others and my tipster sent me plenty of info but not a tip.  I am going to go with #8, I’m a Chatterbox! This is my pick and not to be confused with a tip, this time.

Don’t forget to wear your pink!  My mom and I custom designed a pink lily hat to match my dress. I will talk a bit more about hat design in my next post, all about the Kentucky Derby! Have fun tomorrow.  I will be at Keenland’s party on the lawn to celebrate and watch the racing on some big screens.

Update: Lovely Maria, Shook Up and I’m A Chatterbox was the order of the day!