Kentucky Betting – Friday’s Kentucky Oaks on versus. Kentucky betting starts on Friday with the $1 million Kentucky Oaks at Churchill Downs. While the Kentucky Oaks does not get as much attention as Kentucky Derby betting, it still is a great race to wager on. Here is a look at the field for this year’s race.
A field of 13 fillies will go a mile and an eighth in the Kentucky Oaks. The field will not include R Heat Lightning who would have been the heavy favorite. That horse was pulled out on Monday due to an injury. The withdrawal of R Heat Lightning definitely opens up the Kentucky Oaks, especially for Joyful Victory who is now the 5-2 morning line favorite.
Joyful Victory 5-2
The filly is trained by Larry Jones and will be ridden by Hall of Fame jockey Mike Smith. Joyful Victory won the Honeybee and Fantasy Stakes at Oaklawn Park this year for trainer Larry Jones. Two years ago it was Jones winning the Oaks with Proud Spell. Joyful Victory has won three of her five career starts. She was fifth last year in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies.
Kathmanblu and Zazu 4-1
The two co-second choices in the betting at Kathmanblu and Zazu who are each 4-1 in Kentucky betting. Kathmanblu is trained by Ken McPeek and will be ridden by Julien Leparoux. The horse won the Rachel Alexandra Stakes at Fair Grounds Racecourse this year. Last year the horse was third in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf. She has five win in nine career starts. Zazu is trained by John Sadler and will be ridden by Joel Rosario. The horse won the Las Virgenes Stakes at Santa Anita Park in February and was second in the Santa Anita Oaks. The horse has won two of seven career starts.
Kentucky Oaks
1 – Joyful Victory, Mike Smith, 5-2
2 – Lilacs and Lace, Javier Castellano, 12-1
3 – Summer Soiree, Gabriel Saez, 5-1
4 – Kathmanblu, Julien Leparoux, 4-1
5 – Suave Voir Faire, Miguel Mena, 50-1
6 – Zazu, Joel Rosario, 4-1
7 – Her Smile, Garrett Gomez, 20-1
8 – Bouquet Booth, Robby Albarado, 20-1
9 – Daisy Devine, James Graham, 20-1
10 – Street Storm, Shaun Bridgmohan, 50-1
11 – Holy Heavens, Kent Desormeaux, 50-1
12 – Plum Pretty, Martin Garcia, 5-1
13 – St. John’s River, Rosie Napravnik, 30-1
You can make wagers on the Kentucky Oaks and in Kentucky Derby betting at Sbg global.