Grace Hall will feature the full Kentucky Oaks field on 4 May
The Grade 1, $1 million Kentucky Oaks has drawn a full field of 14, 3-year-old fillies, and this year apart from a few there are others who deserve more than a passing glance, but the striking bay 3-year-old filly, Grace Hall, will head the massive field
with the sparkling odds of 5 to 2.
While Grace Hall has the morning line status, Eden’s Moon and Karlovy Vary are the grade 1 winners who cannot be ignored, and from class apart, there is the local favourite that is ready to make some noice in the Run for the Lilies is, On Fire Baby, and
along with Broadway’s Alibi, both fillies have been declared as the co-second choices on the line at 4 to 1.
Owned by Michael Dubb, Mike Caruso’s Bethlehem Stables, and Stuart Grant’s The Elkstone Group and trained by Anthony Dutrow, Grace Hall is exiting a victory in the Grade 2 Gulfstream Oaks, her first of the season out of 2, and fourth overall out of 6.
“Class (makes her stand out),” said Dutrow. “In her last race, she walked on the court like Michael Jordan did.
“When you look at her numbers, you’re not going to see a sensational fast horse, but she runs against the best there is and she’s always a handful to compete with.”
She drew post number 2, and will break under jockey Javier Castellano.
Breaking from gate number 3 is Summer Applause, who won the Grade 3 Rachel Alexandra Stakes on the way to Churchill Downs, but Believe You Can had the better of her where she finished second in the Fair Grounds Oaks.
While Believe You Can got post number 9 at 10 to 1, as she will ride under jockey Rosie Napravnik.
The winner of the Grade 1 La Virgenes Stakes, Eden’s Moon, and the third place finisher in the Grade 1 Santa Anita Oaks, the filly will be sent at 12 to 1 for trainer Bob Baffert, and will break from post number 4 under M. Garcia.
R. Moquett trained Amie’s Dini, will finally have the opportunity to take revenge on On Fire Baby as she will break from post number 13 under jockey Jon Court at 10 to 1.
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