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Despite the forboding weather predicted for Saturday’s Kentucky Derby, the 136th running of the Kentucky Oaks should have sunny skies and warm temperatures.  The $500,000 Grade 1 stakes race over 1 1/2 miles is the 11th race on Friday’s card at Churchill Downs with a scheduled post time of 5:45 PM Eastern/2:45 PM Pacific.  Everyone knows that the Derby is called ‘The Run For The Roses’, but the winner of the Kentucky Oaks will receive a garland of lillies.

KENTUCKY OAKS

The favorite for the race is Blind Luck, a 6-5 morning line choice, and many feel that she’s overwhelmingly the best horse in the field.  She’s off of two impressive performances, winning the Las Virgenes at Santa Anita and more recently the Fantasy at Oaklawn Park where she won with a blistering 104 Beyer Speed Figure.  She drew a decent starting position from post 5, and with a number of front running speed types in the race her ‘off the pace’ style sets up perfectly for a win here.  Hard to argue with her status as race favorite, and she’ll definitely be a factor.

If you’re looking for a better value and/or a horse to use in an exacta take a look at Quiet Temper, a 10-1 morning line selection.  She may not have the impressive prep race resume that Blind Luck brings to the table, but she’s won three of her eight starts and is off an impressive–though narrow–victory in the Fairgrounds Oaks.  She’s looked very good in her recent workouts at Churchill Downs, and is considered an extremely versatile competitor.  Should the race form completely break down from the start, she’s got enough speed to hang with the front runners but is a good enough closer that she can win from off the pace.  If Blind Luck isn’t able to dominate the race as many suggest, Quiet Temper could be a beneficiary.

If you want to bet an exacta box, you can throw in Beautician (15-1 ML).  Beautician has looked awful in her races on synthetic surfaces but is a strong dirt performer and also likes to come from behind.  If you subscribe to the theory that none of the speed horses in the field have the endurance to win as I do, Beautician has the perfect style to finish strong.

PLAY QUIET TEMPER TO WIN KENTUCKY OAKS
PLAY BLIND LUCK TO WIN KENTUCKY OAKS
PLAY QUIET TEMPER/BLIND LUCK/BEAUTICIAN IN AN EXACTA BOX