Time for the Kentucky Oaks - Are You Ready to See the Best 3-Year-Old Fillies Rumble?

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Colts have the Kentucky Derby. Fillies have the Oaks.

The Derby is known as the Run for the Roses.

The Oaks, or the Llllies for the Fillies, is racing version of a fraternal twin-sister that couldn't keep up with her more accomplished brother.

If the Derby was Kiefer Sutherland, the Oaks would be his twin-sister Rachel, who is probably a lovely person, but simply not as famous or interesting as everyoneS favorite jump jockey-sized saver of the free world.

Restricted to three-year-old fillies, the $500,000 1 1/8 miles Kentucky Oaks has drawn a full-field of 14.

Here is a look at the field from the rail out:

#1 IT'S TEA TIME - Alan Garcia/ Rusty Arnold (15-1) Trainer Rusty Arnold is a conservative guy, but he has heaped praise upon this filly since she arrived at the barn. Daughter of Dynaformer broke her maiden from an impossible post at Gulfstream in late February on dirt, before finishing second in the G1-Ashland at Keeneland over a synthetic surface a month ago; she was best in that race despite losing and is eligible to take a major step up in class today. Has the talent, the breeding and connections to upset this race.

#2 JODY SLEW - Miguel Mena / Bret Calhoun (30-1) Here is an filly that rarely gets supports at the betting windows despite winning 4-of-10 career races. A $9,500 yearling purchase, this daughter of Slew City Slew's last three wins have been at juicy odds of 10-1, 23-1 and 8-1. She will be a big number here and her off the pace running style could allow her to clunk up for a piece if the pace collapses, which is a genuine possibility.

#3 QUIET TEMPER - (10-1) Robby Albarado / Dale Romans A favorite in her last four races, this Quiet American filly displayed good determination when battling through the long stretch in New Orleans to grind out a half-length win in the G2-FG Oaks. Seems to be maturing, as she was more manageable and able to rate a stalking trip in that effort. A live contender for respected Kerntucky-based connections.

#4 AGE OF HUMOR - Rajiv Maragh/ Mike Maker (30-1) One has to wonder if this Distorted Humor filly really want to go 1 1/8 miles off her career form. On the board in consecutive graded stakes, she does not look fast enough to crack this tough group.

#5 BLINK LUCK - Rafael Bejarano/ Jerry Hollendorfer (6-5) The morning-line favorite, this Pollard's Vision filly has won four graded-stakes races in her career and she is coming off a breakthrough performance where she earned easily the highest speed figure in this field. Certainly the most accomplished filly in the race, but she could bounce off her last; tough to advise taking a short price in this wide open race that could very well turn into a roughly run affair, which will not help this filly coming out of small fields in California.

#6 BEAUTICIAN - Alex Solis/ Kenny McPeek (15-1) Has not won since breaking her maiden as a debut starter last June over this Churchill surface, but she is nonetheless regarded as one of the best of this crop, competing in 7 consecutive stakes races, including Grade I races at four different tracks. While many will like her chances due to her experience against the best, one can also argue she has had plenty of chances to beat this type without success.

#7 CRISP - Joel Rosario/ John Sadler (8-1) Like all the California-based horses, she is a question mark coming from synthetic to dirt, but it was a great angle this year at Oaklawn, where they dominated when shipping over the Rockies. Not sure she wants to go this far and has too many unknowns to really entice.

#8 TIDAL POOL - Calvin Borel/ D. Wayne Lukas (8-1) Like most of the Lukas horses, she has plenty of longshot stakes experience and has been ambitiously campaigned throughout the season. She has lost all six of her graded-stakes races. Despite being the most successful trainer of the modern-ear, Lukas has a 1-for-84 record in graded stakes going back a few years, although he loves to say he has won more races he did not belong in than most have ever won.

#9 BELLA DIAMANTE - Mike Smith/ Allen Milligan (30-1) This sprint-bred daughter of Lost Soldier lacks the pedigree and experience to excel going this far in distance. Some people like late closing sprinters stretching out in distance, those people like to lose money when gambling.

#10 CHAMPAGNE d'ORO - MARTIN GARCIA/ ERIC GUILLOT (30-1) Finished second in the G2-Fair Grounds Oaks at 12-1 odds after controlling the pace on the lead. She might not get the lead here, but is a daughter of Medaglia d'Oro won this race last year and his fillies are so good one should have at least a $2 saver bet on this regally-bred bay.

#11 EVENING JEWEL - Kent Desormeaux - James Cassidy (10-1) Benefited from a smart ride to win the G1-Ashland in her last race, showing she is more than just a California-bred that can only dominate her own kind. Feel she will regress in this race now making her first start over conventional dirt.

#12 AILALEA - Johnny Velezquez - Toad Pletcher (15-1) Add blinkers for this start, and considering her last two races Pletcher and his team must think she is not properly focusing during her races. The connections won this race with the top-class Ashado a few years ago, but this filly does not look fast enough to win this race,

#13 AMEN HALLELUJAH - Julien Leparoux/ Richard Dutrow (8-1) Has developed well since being purchased privately and transfered to Richard Dutrow, finishing on the board in all five of her races against top graded stakes runners. Not sure she wants to go this far and her pedigree lacks depth, but she held her form well and fit the profile of a live horse for Dutrow.

#14 JOANIE'S CATCH - PACO LOPEZ/ BARRY ROSE (30-1) The pink-bridled invader from Florida could be using this as a prep for a Florida-bred stakes next month at Calder. Consistent and durable now making her 19th career starts, she is an easy horse to admire, but this race looks a stretch.

1) IT'S TEA TIME
2) QUIET TEMPER
3) AMEN HALLEJUJAH
4) BLIND LUCK

Official Server Time: 02-04-2012 06:58 CDT

Tournament races are based on the official server time

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