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While Saturday is the big day at Churchill Downs, there will be plenty of exciting and lucrative action leading up to the Kentucky Derby–namely the Grade-1 Longines Kentucky Oaks.
Taking place on Friday, May 5 at 6:12 p.m. ET, the $1 million race will feature the fastest three-year-old fillies in horse racing. Here’s an overview of the entries in what will be the 143rd run for the lilies:
2017 Kentucky Oaks Post Positions & Odds
Note: Post positions and odds courtesy of Horse Racing Nation
1. Ever So Clever: 20/1
2. Lockdown: 20/1
3. Mopotism: 20/1
4. Paradise Woods: 5/2
5. Jordan’s Henny: 30/1
6. Vexatious: 20/1
7. Farrell: 5/1
8. Sailor’s Valentine: 30/1
9. Wicked Lick: 30/1
10. Miss Sky Warrior: 9/2
11. Tequilita: 20/1
12. Daddys Lil Darling: 20/1
13. Abel Tasman: 5/1
14: Salty: 6/1
Also Eligible: Summer Luck: 30/1
Preview
Paradise Woods is the oddsmakers’ early favorite, and it’s not too difficult to see why. The three-year-old filly–whose sire is former Belmont Stakes winner Union Rags–destroyed the field at the Grade-1 Santa Anita in April, beating fellow Kentucky Oaks contender Abel Tasman by more than 11 lengths:
Miss Sky Warrior, who isn’t far behind at 9-to-2 odds, has won her past five starts, with four of those coming at graded stakes and two coming at 1 1/8-mile distances.
Though Abel Tasman was beaten with ease in her last run against Paradise Woods, the Bob Baffert-trained horse has a Grade-1 victory (Starlet Stakes in December) on the resume and is still regarded as a strong contender. She has the same odds as Farrell, who has won each of her last three races.
Up next on the odds board is Salty. She took down Tequilita in the Grade-2 Gulfstream Park Oaks in her last race, though she’ll need a good run coming out of the No. 14 gate on the outside.