(Getty)
Abel Tasman put together an impressive comeback performance at the 2017 Kentucky Oaks on Friday night, battling sloppy track conditions and holding off a field of 14 horses to capture a victory in the 143rd “Run for the Lilies.”
ABEL TASMAN WINS THE KENTUCKY OAKS! #KYOaks
Ridden by Mike Smith, the Bob Baffert-trained horse entered the race with 9-to-1 odds and at one point was at the back of the field, but the early pace set by favorite Paradise Woods and Miss Sky Warrior didn’t hold up, allowing Abel Tasman to pull away down the final stretch. Daddys Lil Darling finished second, followed by Lockdown and Vexatious, rounding out a lucrative superfecta for bettors.
Serving as the warmup for Saturday’s main event at Churchill Downs, the Oaks is still a highly prestigious event in its own right. It has been running for as long as the Derby, it has a purse of $1 million (making it the second-most expensive race during a week full of graded stakes), and it has been won in the past by superstars–Rachel Alexandra and Rags to Riches–who ultimately went on to win a Triple Crown race.
As such, it’s a huge win for Abel Tasman. And Baffert, who doesn’t have a horse in the Kentucky Derby, certainly has one that will immediately enter the conversation for the Preakness or the Belmont Stakes moving forward.
You can read on for the complete results from Friday’s marquee race, as well as the betting payouts and purse distribution:
2017 Kentucky Oaks Results
1st: Abel Tasman (9-1)
2nd: Daddys Lil Darling (12-1)
3rd: Lockdown (36-1
4th: Vexatious
5th: Salty
6th: Sailor’s Valentine
7th: Tequilita
8th: Miss Sky Warrior
9th: Ever So Clever
10th: Mopotism
11th: Paradise Woods
12th: Jordan’s Henny
13th: Wicked Lick
14th: Farrell
2017 Kentucky Oaks Betting Payouts
| Horse | Win | Place | Show |
| Abel Tasman | $20.40 | $9.20 | $6.40 |
| Daddys Lil Darling | $11.00 | $6.60 | |
| Lockdown | $18.40 |
$2 Exacta (13-12): $203.00
$1 Trifecta (13-12-2): $2,863.80
$1 Superfecta (13-12-2-6): $85,555.10
2017 Kentucky Oaks Purse Distribution
Abel Tasman: $564,200
Daddys Lil Darling: $182,000
Lockdown: $91,000
Vexatious: $45,500
Salty: $27,300
6th Through 14th Place: $10,000