Kentucky Oaks draws overflow of 15; Grace Hall installed as 5-2 favorite

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Kentucky Oaks draws overflow of 15; Grace Hall installed as 5-2 favorite
by BRIS
Date Posted: 5/1/2012 3:16:59 PM
Last Updated: 5/4/2012 6:58:05 PM

Grade 1 winners Grace Hall, Eden's Moon and Karlovy Vary, plus the presence of local favorite On Fire Baby, highlight a full field of three-year-old fillies entered Tuesday for Friday's 138th running of the $1 million Kentucky Oaks to be run at 1 1/8 miles on the main track.

The Grade 1 race, won last year by Plum Pretty, highlights a 12-race program that begins at 10:30 a.m. (EDT) and features five other stakes. Post time for the Oaks is 5:45 p.m.

Michael Dubb, Bethlehem Stables and The Elkstone Group's Grace Hall, the morning line favorite at 5-2, won the Grade 1 Spinaway last summer at Saratoga and in her lone Churchill Downs start finished second in the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies. Trained by Tony Dutrow, Grace Hall comes into the Oaks off a 6 1/2-length victory in the Grade 2 Gulfstream Park Oaks.

Javier Castellano has the mount on Grace Hall, who will break from post position two.

On Fire Baby and Broadway Alibi are the co-second choices on the morning line at 4-1.

On Fire Baby, winner of the Grade 2 Pocahontas and Grade 2 Golden Rod at Churchill last fall, is the half-sister of High Heels, who finished third in the 2007 Kentucky Oaks behind Rags to Riches for owner Anita Cauley, trainer Gary Hartlage and jockey Joe Johnson. Winner of the Grade 3 Honeybee at Oaklawn Park in her most recent start, On Fire Baby will break from the innermost post position.

E. Paul Robsham Stables' Broadway's Alibi, runaway winner of the Grade 3 Comely and Grade 2 Forward Gal this year, is trained by Todd Pletcher, who sent out Ashado (2004) and Rags to Riches (2007) to Oaks victories. John Velazquez, who won the 2004 Oaks on Ashado, has the call on Broadway's Alibi, who will break from post position six.

Kaleem Shah's Eden's Moon, trained by two-time Oaks-winning conditioner Bob Baffert, won the Grade 1 Las Virgenes at Santa Anita before finishing third four weeks later in the Grade 1 Santa Anita Oaks. Martin Garcia, who has been aboard Eden's Moon in all four of her starts, has the mount Friday and will exit post position four.

Alex Campbell Jr.'s Karlovy Vary enters the Oaks off a front-running victory in the Grade 1 Ashland at Keeneland on April 7. Trained by Rusty Arnold, Karlovy Vary will break from post position 11 under James Graham.

Two other Grade 2 winners are in the field, including one with connections to a previous Oaks winner.

Brereton Jones' Believe You Can comes into the Oaks off a victory in the Fair Grounds Oaks for trainer Larry Jones. The same owner-trainer combination claimed the 2008 Kentucky Oaks with Proud Spell. Rosie Napravnik will have the mount on Believe You Can, who will break from post position nine.

The other Grade 2 winner in the field is Peras International's Yara, who pulled a 64-1 shocker in the Davona Dale in which she defeated Grace Hall. Trained by Jose Garoffalo, Yara will be ridden by Jesus Castanon and break from post position 14.

Gillian Campbell, R Group Management and Greenwood Lodge Farm's Summer Applause, trained by Bret Calhoun, won the Grade 3 Rachel Alexandra at Fair Grounds before a runner-up finish in the Fair Grounds Oaks to Believe You Can. Garrett Gomez will be aboard Summer Applause for the first time in the Kentucky Oaks and breaks from post position three.

The field for the 138th Kentucky Oaks from the rail out with morning line odds, is as follows: On Fire Baby (Johnson, 4-1), Grace Hall (Castellano, 5-2), Summer Applause (Gomez, 15-1), Eden's Moon (Garcia, 12-1), Hard Not to Like (Robby Albarado, 20-1), Broadway Alibi (Velazquez, 4-1), Sacristy (Mike Smith, 50-1), Jemima's Pearl (Joe Talamo, 10-1), Believe You Can (Napravnik, 10-1), And Why Not (Julien Leparoux, 15-1), Karlovy Vary (Graham, 20-1), Colonial Empress (Corey Nakatani, 50-1), Amie's Dini (Jon Court, 10-1), Yara (Castanon, 30-1). Also Eligible: Oaks Lily (Rafael Bejarano, 50-1). All starters will carry 121 pounds.

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