Kentucky Oaks

Thoroughbred Charities of America has been named the charitable beneficiary of the Derby Dozen handicapping event, presented by In the Money, to be held at the Galt House Hotel in Louisville May 4 from 7-9 p.m. ET. Professional handicappers Peter Fornatale, Jonathon Kinchen, and Maggie Wolfendale-Morley will take a deep dive into the analysis of the 2023 Kentucky Oaks and Derby starters as well as explore some of the best bets in some of the other races at Churchill Downs. "TCA is honored to be selected as the charitable beneficiary...

Secret Oath (Arrogate) looked home free after inhaling the longtime runaway pacesetter and striding confidently clear into the Oaklawn stretch, but Clairiere (Curlin) was unleashing a powerful stretch run of her own that saw the Stonestreet homebred just get her nose in front on the wire in a dramatic finish to the GI Apple Blossom H. Saturday in Hot Springs. Hot and Sultry (Speighster) caught a flyer out of the gate and was some seven lengths in front down the backstretch as she cut out fractions of :24.01 and :47.88...

The last of the prep races for the GI Kentucky Oaks have been run, which means we have a pretty good idea who will be in the starting gate come May 5 in a race that is limited to 14 starters. As of now, you need 50 points to make the field, which is not good news for a handful of fillies who once looked like locks to make the race. Last year's 2-year-old filly champion, Wonder Wheel (Into Mischief), who held the top spot in this poll for several...

Michael Lund Petersen's 'TDN Rising Star' Faiza (Girvin) was never really asked for a full effort by Flavien Prat in extending her unbeaten streak to five with a facile success in Saturday's GII Santa Anita Oaks at the Great Race Place. Beaten for speed and content to sit wide off a longshot front-runner, the $90,000 Fasig-Tipton July yearling turned $725,000 Fasig-Tipton Midlantic breezer was patiently handled down the backstretch before making a run towards the front on the turn. Dueling briefly with Clearly Unhinged (Into Mischief) into the stretch, Faiza...

Defining Purpose (Cross Traffic), upset winner of the GI Central Bank Ashland S. at Keeneland Apr. 7, will ship to Churchill Downs either this coming Monday or Tuesday to prepare for a start in the GI Longines Kentucky Oaks May 5. "Defining Purpose came to us in late spring last year," said trainer Ken McPeek, who was unsaddling an Ashland winner for the third time in his career. "She is the first horse I have received from Collete Vanmatre. She told me to see what I thought of her and...

Less than 24 hours after Defining Purpose (Cross Traffic) caused a 20-1 boilover in the GI Central Bank Ashland S. at Keeneland, Promiseher America (American Pharoah) followed suit with another long-odds victory in Saturday's GIII Gazelle S. at Aqueduct. Taking a steep rise in class, having graduated by better than a half-dozen lengths going this track's one-turn mile Feb. 19, the $75,000 OBS April graduate was alertly away and settled just off the flank of the rail-drawn Capella (Quality Road) through a half-mile in a moderate :49.60 as favored Occult...

Defining Purpose (f, 3, Cross Traffic--Defining Hope, by Strong Hope) lit up the tote board at 20-1 to upset Friday's GI Central Bank Ashland S. on opening day at Keeneland. The gray sat a dream trip in a stalking second behind a longshot leader through fractions of :23.62 and :47.25. She turned up the heat rounding the far turn, gained command at the top of the stretch, and, after enjoying a clear lead down the lane, held the rallying duo of previously unbeaten and favored Punchbowl (Uncle Mo) and 'TDN...

A week after champion and 'TDN Rising Star' Forte (Violence) solidified his status as the horse to beat on the first Saturday in May, the final round of major GI Kentucky Derby preps offering 100 points to the winner will share the spotlight on an absolutely stacked Saturday afternoon of racing. Forte's Todd Pletcher-trained stablemate and fellow 'Rising Star' Tapit Trice (Tapit), an impossible come-from-behind winner in the GIII Lambholm South Tampa Bay Derby Mar. 11, will exit from the rail in a deep renewal of the GI Toyota Blue...

Throughout prep season for the GI Kentucky Oaks no filly seemed capable of putting in the type of performance that stamped them as the clear leader of the division. It has been a rather uninspiring three months. As for the Oaks itself, it kept looking like the race would be a crap shoot that just about anybody could win. But, thankfully, that changed last week. The win by Wet Paint (Blame) in the GIII Fantasy S. at Oaklawn was decisive and stamped her as the clear leader of the division....

New Vocations is currently auctioning off six all-inclusive box seats to this year's Kentucky Oaks and six all-inclusive box seats to the Kentucky Derby. The seats were donated by Churchill Downs, Inc. The box for both Oaks and Derby day is located in Section 324 and the Oaks seats have an estimated value of $4,188 and the Derby seats have an estimated value of $6,282. All reserved seating is all-inclusive (food, non-alcoholic and alcoholic beverages) and access to offsite parking at the Kentucky Fair and Expo Center is available, subject...

The Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance (TAA) will be present this year at Churchill Downs during Kentucky Derby Week and will be recognized with a named race on the undercard of Champions Day happening May 3. Following the running of the TAA race, a presentation will be made to the winning connections including a branded blanket and swag bag. "Churchill Downs is proud to utilize Champions Day as a platform to recognize the heroes of thoroughbred racing. We look forward to promoting the work of the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance as we celebrate...

Brad Cox saddled a trio of winners Saturday at Oaklawn with Angel of Empire (Classic Empire) taking the day's biggest prize in the GI Arkansas Derby. He also won the GIII Fantasy Stakes for 3-year-old fillies with heavily-favored Wet Paint (Blame) and the Hot Springs S. with Eyeing Clover (Lookin At Lucky). "It was a great day," Cox said during training hours Sunday morning at Oaklawn. "It was good. Big performance from that colt yesterday, Angel of Empire. We'll load him on Tuesday and ship to Kentucky and see what...