Blind Luck Draws Post 5 for KY Oaks

With Devil May Care entered in the May 1 Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I), all eyes are now on Blind Luck, who was installed as the 6-5 morning line favorite in the Kentucky Oaks (gr. I). The filly drew the 5 post position for the April 30 race at Churchill Downs.

The 2010 Kentucky Oaks

A slideshow of the Oaks runners.

The post position draw for the Kentucky Oaks was held in the track’s racing office the morning of April 27. The Dallas Stewart-trained filly Seeking the Title was excluded from the race due to a lack of earnings in graded stakes that is used to determine the 14 starters.

"I think (the 5) post is good,” said Jerry Hollendorfer, who trains Blind Luck, a daugther of Pollard's Vision  . “I was talking with Rafael Bejarano this morning, and we thought from the five on out to the 10 would be good for us. He's happy with that. He's ridden this filly a lot of times so he knows her well. And he's a very good rider. So you couldn't ask for anything more than that."

A three-time grade I winner, Blind Luck captured this year’s Las Virgenes (gr. I) and the Fantasy (gr. II) last out at Oaklawn Park April 2. She most recently drilled six furlongs in 1:14 4/5 at Churchill April 23 in preparation for the Run for the Lilies. Bred in Kentucky by Fairlawn Farm, she is owned by Hollendorfer in partnership with Mark Dedomenico, John Carver, and Peter Abruzzo.

Evening Jewel, winner of the April 3 Ashland Stakes (gr. I) at Keeneland, drew post 11 for the Oaks. The daughter of Northern Afleet  , who has 10-1 morning line odds, will be ridden by jockey Kent Desormeaux.

“(The post position) is OK…you like to be a little further inside, however,” said trainer Jim Cassidy, who conditions Evening Jewel for Tom and Marilyn Braly’s California-based Braly Family Trust. “However (breaking from the 11 hole) forces us to take hold, which I wanted to do anyway. The only reason we were on the lead in the Ashland was because there was no other speed in the race. But she’s off the pace anyway…(this post position) kind of tells us what we have to do, so we don’t have to think about it.”

Evening Jewel most recently posted a bullet work at her home base of Santa Anita Park before traveling to Churchill Downs. The filly covered five furlongs in :59 2/5 April 23. She will enter the Oaks with a record of 3-4-0 from eight starts and earnings of $410,600.

Dale Romans, who trains Quiet Temper, was happy with the filly’s 3 post position draw.

“I think it’s a good spot; it gives (jockey) Robby (Albarado) some options on what he wants to do,” Romans said. “I just didn’t want to be way outside, and I didn’t want to be on the rail, so I’m pretty pleased with it.”

Quiet Temper, who most recently won the March 26 Fair Grounds Oaks (gr. II), is owned by Lexington resident Mark Stanley. The filly, who is also 10-1, drilled five furlongs in 1:03 3/5 at Churchill April 23.

Bred in Kentucky by James Jones, Quiet Temper will enter the Oaks with earnings of $567,300.

Amen Hallelujah, who is owned by IEAH Stables and Stan Whisenant’s Whizway Farms, drew the 13 post for the Oaks. The filly was given morning line odds of 8-1.

"Our post position probably won't help us, and we have to hope that it doesn't hurt us,” said Mike Sherack of IEAH. “We obviously have confidence in our filly and (jockey) Julien (Leparoux), so hopefully they can get the chance to do their thing and factor in outcome. Clearly, it's a nice group of 14 fillies, so they won't be giving the Kentucky Oaks away, and anything can happen."

Amen Hallelujah, who was bred in Kentucky by Thorobeam Farm, is trained by Rick Dutrow. The daughter of Montbrook has a record of 4-2-2 from nine starts and earnings of $352,370 going into the Oaks.

Amen Hallelujah  posted a pair of bullet works on the turf at Gulfstream Park April 4 and April 11.