Gierkink's preview: Strong cards on Oaks Day

This 11-race card is first rate. We Miss Artie, the Queen’s Plate winterbook favorite, heads the $150,000 Plate Trial Stakes in his first start since ending up 10th in the Kentucky Derby. The Todd Pletcher trainee from New York will be a key on numerous late pick four wagers.

Paladin Bay is a deserving favorite in the $500,000 Woodbine Oaks, which is another nine-furlong prep for the $1 million Queen’s Plate here July 6. However, you could make a case for several others in the nine-horse field, including Unspurned, Wild Catomine, and Hot and Spicy.

Trainer Mark Casse entered seven of the 12 3-year-old fillies in the Alywow Stakes, a six and a half-furlong turf sprint. Sorting his contingent out is a chore, but Appreciating might be the best of the lot, as she gets back on the grass for the first time since she rallied for third in the Grade 2 Natalma Stakes in September.

The Jackpot Hi 5 carryover for the 11th race is $124,687. Sparrowhawk is the type of hanger you can play around with in the secondary positions in the exotics in this Ontario-sired allowance sprint on the grass.