2016 Kentucky Oaks Preview, Entries & Odds

OffTrackBetting.com - After months of prep races, the build-up for the Grade 1 Longines Kentucky Oaks finally comes to an end this Friday, May 6 at Churchill Downs in Louisville Kentucky. The best three year old fillies in the land will assemble and race 1 1/8 miles on Churchill Downs dirt track searching for the winner's share of the $1 million purse and the honor of calling themselves a Kentucky Oaks champion.

A full field of 14 plus one Also Eligible have been confirmed for the Kentucky Oak - race 11 on Churchill Downs stakes Friday card. Post time is 5:49 PM. Here is a look to the past performances of all 15 possible entries for this lucrative and prestigious Grade 1 stakes - one that will unfortunately not include the terrific Songbird.

2016 Kentucky Oaks Race Preview at Churchill Downs

Rachel's Valentina 7-2 - has four career starts with two wins and twp second place finishes. She enters on the heels of consecutive runner up finishes - behind longshot Weep No More in the Grade 1 Ashland Stakes and behind Songbird in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies. Before those results were a win in the Grade 1 Spinaway Stakes at Saratoga September 5 and a maiden score at first asking on that same track August 2. Rachel's Valentina has been impressive so far and hopes to keep the momentum going - from post 11 with John Velazquez guiding the luke-warm morning line favorite.

Cathryn Sophia 9-2 - John Servis trained filly has five career starts and four dominating wins by a combined 41 1/2 lengths and a third place finish. Last time out was her only career blemish - a third behind Weep No More and Rachel's Valentina in the Grade 1 Ashland Stakes at Keeneland April 9 after a good seven length win in the Grade 2 Davona Dale Stakes at Gulfstream February 27, a win in her graded stakes debut - by an impressive 5 1/2 lengths in the Grade 2 Forward Gal Stakes January 30, a win in her stakes debut - by an incredible 16 1/2 lengths in the $100,000 minor Gin Talking Stakes at Laurel Park December 5 and a win by an astounding 12 3/4 lengths at first asking at Parx in October. She hadn't been touched before last time out and hopes to turn the tables on the only fillies to beat her. Javier Castellano has been tabbed with accomplishing that goal on the co-second choice from gate 12.

Weep No More 9-2 - George Arnold trained filly has three wins in four career starts and enters on a terrific three race win streak - the best of which came last time out in upset fashion in the Grade 1 Ashland Stakes at Keeneland April 9. Before that her wins came in the minor Suncoast Stakes at Tampa Bay February 13 and a MSW January 22. She also had an eighth in her debut in November. Weep No More has definitely been trending upward ahead of this weekend and should be a factor as the other co-second choice from gate 2 with Corey Lanerie aboard.

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Land Over Sea 5-1 - Doug O'Neill trained filly will hit the track for the ninth time Friday off a career defining win in the Grade 2 Fair Grounds Oaks March 26. That result followed consecutive runner-up finishes - behind Songbird in the Grade 2 Santa Ysabel Stakes at Santa Anita March 5 and behind Songbird in the Grade 2 Las Virgenes Stakes February 6. She's also posted a seventh behind Songbird in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile October 31, another respectable second behind Songbird in the Grade 1 Chandelier Stakes at Santa Anita September 26, a third - behind, you guessed it, Songbird in the Grade 1 Del Mar Debutante September 5. Land Over Sea isn't scared of top company and has recorded two wins, four seconds and a third place finish in her eight starts. She has definitely been looking good and enters in career best form with Mario Gutierrez guiding her from post 13.

Lewis Bay 8-1 - Chad Brown trained filly has placed in all five career starts - three wins and two runner-up finishes. Last time out was a good win in the Grade 2 Gazelle Stakes at Aqueduct April 9 which followed a second place finish behind Cathryn Sophia in the Grade 2 Davona Dale Stakes at Gulfstream in February, a win in the Grade 2 Demoiselle Stakes at Aqueduct in November and a maiden score in October. Lewis Bay has been in the mix every time out and is expected to be again Friday. Irad Ortiz has been tabbed to ride from post 3.

Terra Promessa 10-1 - Steve Asmussen trained filly has five career starts with four wins and a third place finish - competitive every time out. She enters off an impressive four race win streak - the Grade 3 Fantasy Stakes last time out April 9, the Grade 3 Honeybee Stakes March 12, an Allowance in February and a maiden score on this track in November - her last three wins were at Oaklawn Park. Terra Promessa has been terrific indeed and will be looking to keep an incredible roll going from the rail Friday. Ricardo Santana has the mount from the rail at an intriguing 10-1.

Go Maggie Go 12-1 - lightly raced Dale Romans trained filly makes just her third career start having never been defeated. Her first race produced and impressive win at Gulfstream March 13 and her second was a nice upset score in the Grade 2 Gulfstream Park Oaks April 2. Go Maggie Go looked has been tremendous in limited action so far and hopes to keep that trend going from gate 4. Luis Saez gets the call in the largely inexperienced entry.

Taxable 20-1 - Steve Asmussen trained filly has two wins and a second place finish in three career starts. She enters off a runner-up finish in the Grade 3 Fantasy Stakes at Oaklawn Park April 9 after an Allowance Optional Claiming score March 11 on that track and a win at first asking way back last June. Taxable has been good in limited action and hopes for a first stakes score from the outside post 14. Mike Smith has been tabbed to ride.

Mokat 20-1 - has a win, two seconds and two third place finishes in seven career starts for trainer Richard Baltas. Last time out was a respectable second behind Songbird in the Grade 1 Santa Anita Oak April 9 which followed consecutive third place finishes - the Grade 3 Santa Ysabel Stakes March 5 and in an Allowance Optional Claiming February 5. Before that was a fourth in a similar race January 8 and a respectable second in the Grade 3 Jimmy Durante Stakes at Del Mar November 28. Mokat will be after her first stakes win Friday when she departs from gate 6 with Flavien Prat in the irons.

Dream Dance 30-1 - has nine career starts already for trainer Neil Howard with two wins and four second place finishes. She finished second in the Grade 2 Pocahontas Stake in September and also had a runner-up finish in the Grade 2 Fair Grounds Oaks two starts back but has also posted a ninth in the Grade 2 Golden Rod Stakes here in November and a fifth in the Grade 1 Darley Alcibiades Stakes in October. She arrives on the heels of an Allowance score at Keeneland April 16 but has mostly been a tad difficult to figure out. She aims for her first stakes score from post 5 Friday with Brian Joseph Hernandez in the reins.

Mo d'Amour 30-1 - Todd Pletcher trained filly has three wins and two second place finishes in six career starts. Last time out was a third place finish in the Grade 2 Gazelle Stakes at Aqueduct April 9 after a win in the minor Busher Stakes on that track February 27 and an Allowance Optional Claiming score at Laurel Park in February. She also recorded a disappointing seventh in the Grade 2 Demoiselle Stakes at Aqueduct in November in her second career start. Mo d'Amour has been OK so far and will be looking for a major breakthrough from post 7 Friday. Jose Rosario has the mount.

Royal Obsession 30-1 - Steve Asmussen trained filly has two wins and a second place finish in four career starts. She won her first two - the best of which was an Allowance Optional Claiming at Fair Ground in January and has since posted a fourth in the Grade 2 Rachel Alexandra Stakes at Fair Grounds in February and a respectable second last time out in the Grade 2 Gazelle Stakes at Aqueduct April 9. Royal Obsession looks for her first stakes win Friday and enters in so-so form. Florent Geroux has been scheduled to ride from gate 8.

Paola Queen 30-1 - has five career starts for trainer Gustavo Delgado with a win, two seconds and a third place finish. She made her stakes debut April 2 and finished a good second in the Grade 2 Gulfstream Park Oaks after having finally broken maiden February 14 in her fourth career start. Before that was a second, a third and a fifth to start her career. Paola Queen has improved every time out and hopes to maintain that trend from post 9. Emisael Jaramillo has the mount.

Venus Valentine 30-1 - Has just two wins in six career starts for trainer Tom Amoss but one of the victories was huge - the Grade 2 Rachel Alexandra Stakes at Fair Grounds February 20. She finished fifth last time out in the Grade 2 Fair Ground Oaks however and failed to place in three starts prior to the impressive win. Venus Valentine hopes to channel her Rachel Alexandra form when she leaves from gate 10 with Shaun Bridgmohan in the saddle.

Dothraki Queen 30-1 - Alternate Entry Kenneth McPeek trained filly placed in her first five career starts - two wins, a second and two third place finishes. She enters off an ugly eighth however in the Grade 3 Appalachian Stakes at Keeneland April 14. She won the Grade 2 Pocahontas Stakes here in September and went on to a couple of good results - a second in the Grade 1 Darley Alcibiades Stakes in October and a third in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies. Two starts back was another decent result - a third in the Grade 2 Golden Rod Stakes on this track November 28. Dothraki Queen will be looking for a strong bounce back if she does indeed draw the start.

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2016 Kentucky Oaks Entries & Odds

Race 11 on Churchill Downs's Friday card with a Post Time of 5:49 PM.