Betty's Critters - & History Views

 When the full field of 14 went to the post for the 150th running of the Kentucky Oaks today, the track was sloppy .  Tapit Jenallie, who had drawn post position 1, had scratched; so the fillies in gates 2 through 14 moved over  one space, and Our Pretty Woman, trained by Steve Asmussen, and heading out of the gate at odds of 13 to 1, was in post 14.    The morning line betting favorite had been Tarifa, who had earned the most points for entry into the Oaks; and the second betting favorite was Just F Y I, who had won the Breeders Cup Juvenile Fillies race last year.  Leslie's Rose was third betting choice in the morning line, and Ways and Means, along with Thorpedo Anna, were fourth betting choices at 5 to 1.    Thorpedo Anna took the lead in the Kentucky Oaks today after running 1 furlong (or 1/8 of a mile) and led for the rest of the race.  She ran  the first 1/4 mile in 22.87 seconds; the half-mile in 46.79 seconds; the 3/4 mile in 1:...

 The 150th running for the Kentucky Oaks will be held Friday, 3 May 2024, at Churchill Downs, outside of Louisville, Kentucky.  The 3-year-old fillies compete for a purse of $1,500,000 and a garland of pink lilies.  This year, as in the recent past, the fillies vie for enough points in other races to gain entry into the Oaks.  A field of 14 fillies (and two alternates, in case of illness or injury) faced the post position draw this evening.  Before listing the entries with corresponding information, I write my usual odd observations...    All of the qualifying fillies were bred in Kentucky, except for Fiona's Magic, who was bred in Florida.  There are two chestnuts in the field: Power Squeeze and Tapit Jenallie.  There are two grey/roans in the field: Everland and Lemon Muffin.  The others are bays or dark browns.  The stallion Into Mischief is represented by two entries: Leslie's Rose and Into Champagne.  The dam of Leslie's R...

 The Kentucky Oaks, the female version of the Kentucky Derby, has been run the day before the Derby for the last 149 years.  The "Run for the Lilies" is made by 3-year-old fillies at Churchill Downs this Friday, May 5th, with a post time of 5:51 p.m. EDT (or 3:51 MDT).  The race has a purse of $1,250,000 this year.  A full field of 14 fillies will race 1 1/8 miles (9 furlongs) on the main dirt track, each carrying 121 pounds.      The ladies had to earn points, just like guys, to be eligible to run in the Kentucky Oaks.  Here are their names, with their point earnings, from highest to lowest:  Wet Paint  170;  Affirmative Lady  110;  Defining Purpose  107;  Pretty Mischievous  103;  Southlawn  100; Promiseher America  100;  And Tell Me Nolies  70;  Botanical  70;  Dorth Vader  70;  Gambling Girl  61;  The Alys Look  54;  Flying Connec...

 The last time trainer D. Wayne Lukas won the Kentucky Oaks was 32 years ago.  He won in grand fashion today, bringing back memories of huge wins in hundreds of Stakes races.  D. Wayne Lukas is now 86 years old, and some people think this year may be his final hurrah in big stakes racing.  But his lightly raced chestnut filly, Secret Oath, a home-bred from family owned and operated Briland Farms, returned the Lukas family to the winners circle, along with the owners and breeders, Rob and Stacy Mitchell. D. Wayne Lukas and family in the Kentucky Oaks winners circle today.    It was an open secret that Echo Zulu, the favorite, was going to the front and try to lead the way all around the track.  But Yuugiri's trainer believed his filly could meet and break Echo Zulu and win on the front end, too.  Those two fillies ran a sizzling first quarter and half-mile and then started backing up.  Secret Oath was 5-wide on the final turn, powered her way ...

 Friday, 6 May will see the 148th running of the Kentucky Oaks, the premiere 3-year-old filly race of the nation.  This year's edition will feature a full field of 14, and one alternate has also been named.  The Oaks is run on the Churchill Downs track at Louisville, Kentucky, as is the Kentucky Derby, the following day.  This year the guaranteed purse is $1,250,000; the race length is 1 and 1/8 miles (9 furlongs); and the girls will each carry 121 pounds.  The post time is listed as 5:51 EDT, or 3:51 MDT.      Beguine is listed as the alternate starter, in case of a scratch due to injury or illness.  All of the fillies, except two, were bred in Kentucky; Venti Valentine was bred in New York, and Desert Dawn was bred in Arizona.  All of the fillies are bay or dark bay, except three chestnuts (including Beguine, the alternate).  And trainer D. Wayne Lukas has an entry in this race, Secret Oath, breaking from post position 1....