Kentucky Oaks betting

The Kentucky Oaks is a Grade 1 race for three-year-old fillies over nine furlongs held at Churchill Downs. Kentucky Oaks betting is the highlight of the Friday card, preceding Kentucky Derby day in May.

Rachel Alexandra was one of the most famous Kentucky Oaks winners, setting a record winning margin of over 20 lengths in 2009.

She went on to become the first filly to win the Preakness Stakes for 85 years. Other notable winners include Davona Dale (1979), Silverbulletday (1999) and Rags To Riches (2007).

Kentucky Oaks betting tips

Most Kentucky Oaks winners had raced within the previous month and many had experience of racing at Churchill Downs.

The form of the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies has not really worked out in this race. It usually pays to look for a filly who ran three or more times as a two-year-old for your Kentucky Oaks bets.

Trainer Larry Jones saddled Proud Spell (2008), Believe You Can (2012) and Lovely Marie (2015) to win this race. Bob Baffert has been successful with Silverbulletday (1999), Plum Pretty (2011) and Abel Tasman (2017).

Rosie Napravnik became the first successful female jockey in the Kentucky Oaks when winning in 2012 aboard Believe You Can.

She returned two years’ later to win on Untapable, trained by Steve Asmussen. Napravnik rode 95 career victories at Churchill Downs including 13 stakes wins. She was also the first female to ride in all three legs of the Triple Crown.

Kentucky Oaks betting trends

Favourites do not have an outstanding record here, but several recent Kentucky Oaks winners have been in the first three in the betting. Cathryn Sophia (2016) and Monomoy Girl started second favourite in 2016 and 2018 respectively.

Untapable was even money favourite under Rosie Napravnik in 2014 after winning her trial by seven and three-quarter lengths. Lemons Forever became the longest priced winner in Kentucky Oaks betting history when winning at 47-1 in 2006.

Princess of Sylmar was a 39-1 outsider when winning for Todd Pletcher and Mike Smith in 2013. Other surprise winners include Heavenly Cause (1981), Seaside Attraction (1990), Luv Me Luv Me Not (1992) and Farda Amiga (2002).

Seaside Attraction upset the 3-10 favourite Go For Wand, a filly that had beaten her by more than eight lengths on their previous meeting.

There were very few Kentucky Oaks betting tips for Farda Amiga who started at 21-1 when winning for Paulo Lobo and Chris McCarron. It was a first Grade 1 victory for her trainer.

Kentucky Oaks ante-post betting pointers

In recent seasons, the Ashland Stakes has been the best trial for your Kentucky Oaks betting pick. Silverbulletday (1999), Lovely Maria (2015) and Monomoy Girl (2018) won both races. Monomoy Girl also won the Rachel Alexandra Stakes, the same prep race used by Untapable in 2014.

The Santa Anita Oaks was used as a stepping-stone to the Kentucky Oaks by Lite Light (1991) and Rags To Riches (2007).

Dispute (1993) and Silverbulletday (1999) won the Gazelle Stakes prior to winning here. The Fair Ground Oaks also has produced several winners here including Proud Spell, Rachel Alexandra, Believe You Can and Untapable.

One possible objective for Kentucky Oaks winners is the National Filly Triple Crown, consisting of the Oaks, the Black-Eyed Susan Stakes and the Acorn Stakes.

There have been various configurations of a Filly Triple Crown, also referred to as the Triple Tiara.

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Kentucky Oaks betting history and memorable winners

The inaugural running of the Kentucky Oaks took place in 1875 and was won by Vinaigrette. The race was inspired by the Epsom Oaks in England, a race confined to fillies staged during the Derby meeting.

The winner of the Kentucky Oaks is traditionally adorned with a garland of lilies. The race was originally over a mile and a half, as in the Epsom Classic, but was later reduced to nine furlongs.

Davona Dale successfully completed the Filly Triple Crown in 1979. She was owned by Calumet Farm and presented them with a record ninth win in the Kentucky Oaks. Calumet also owned a record eight Kentucky Derby winners, the last being Forward Pass in 1968.

Bob Baffert trained Silverbulletday to win the Kentucky Oaks in 1999. The filly had been a champion two-year-old, where her victories included the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile. She won her first five races at three but finished only seventh in the Belmont Stakes behind Lemon Drop Kid.

Rags To Riches became the first filly in more than 100 years to win the Belmont Stakes. She featured in plenty of Kentucky Oaks tips and was a winning favourite in 2007 for Todd Pletcher. She was involved in a thrilling duel with Preakness Stakes winner Curlin in the Belmont and won by a head.

Rachel Alexandra was one of the most popular Kentucky Oaks bets in history, starting 3-10 favourite. She was sold for a fee rumoured to be in excess of $10 million after winning the Kentucky Oaks in 2009.

The daughter of Medaglia d’Oro went on to become the first filly to win the Preakness Stakes since Nellie Morse in 1924 and the first Kentucky Oaks winner in history to win the Horse of the Year title.

Kentucky Oaks betting 2021

Bellafina is a strong Kentucky Oaks tip after her easy win in the Santa Anita Oaks in April. Simon Callaghan’s filly was only fourth in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies in November but gained her third Grade 1 victory in some style.

That success took her to the top of the Kentucky Oaks betting and it will take a smart filly to lower her colours.

Her closest pursuers were the Bob Baffert trained pair, Flor de la Mar and Chasing Yesterday. Both need to find exceptional improvement to beat Bellafina in May.

Jeltrin produced a 52-1 shock when edging out Cookie Dough by a head in the Davona Dale Stakes at Gulfstream Park. It was a first graded stakes winner for trainer Alexis Delgado.

Always Shopping was another big mover in the Kentucky Oaks betting after running away with the Grade 2 Gazelle Stakes at Aqueduct. Connections would have preferred more than a month between races but a tilt at the Oaks will be difficult to pass up.

Champagne Avenue beat Dunbar Road in the Gulfstream Park Oaks, the winner showing improved form after the application of blinkers. The form ties in closely with Jeltrin on a line through third-placed Cookie Dough.

Restless Rider was second in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies and in the Golden Rod, both at Churchill Downs. She again filled the runner-up spot behind 52-1 outsider Out For A Spin at Keeneland in the Grade 1 Ashland Stakes.

The winner is trained by Dallas Stewart, responsible for Lemons Forever’s big Kentucky Oaks odds victory in 2006.

John Servis has not ruled out an Oaks bid for third placed Jaywalk, a slightly disappointing EVS favourite. It was an improvement on her shock 1-5 defeat behind Jeltrin on her previous race as she tries to recapture her Breeders’ Cup winning form.

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