Kentucky Oaks field taking shape
While the Kentucky Derby points list continues to take shape, so too are horsemen assessing the prospective field for its sister race, the May 1 Kentucky Oaks.
As of Friday, following defections, these are the 14 fillies (in order) atop the points list for the Oaks: Condo Commando, I’m a Chatterbox, Stellar Wind, Birdatthewire, Lovely Maria, Include Betty, Oceanwave, Angela Renee, Sarah Sis, Maybellene, Ekati’s Phaeton, Eskenformoney, Puca, and Shook Up. The first three alternates would be Luminance, Forever Unbridled, and Achiever’s Legacy.
The 14-horse limit has not had to be invoked for the Oaks since the points system became effective in 2013.
◗ Entries for the rescheduled Transylvania Stakes were to be drawn Saturday, with the core of favorites likely to be back: Luck of the Kitten, Night Prowler, A Lot, and Divisidero. The 1 1/16-mile turf race will be run Wednesday after being one of four races canceled opening day, April 3, amid perilous weather conditions.
After the Grade 3 Transylvania, only three stakes remain at this 15-day meet: the Doubledogdare and Elkorn next weekend and the Bewitch on closing day, April 24.
◗ Joel Rosario figures to hit the 2,000-win milestone before leaving Kentucky. Heading into Friday’s action at Keeneland, the star jockey from the Dominican Republic stood at 1,993 wins.
Rosario, 30, set a spring-meet record here two years ago when riding 38 winners. Pat Day holds Keeneland’s single-meet record with 45 wins at the 1991 fall meet.
◗ Tickets remain available for the fifth annual “It’s My Derby” event, presented by the Kentucky Derby Museum on April 17 in the Keeneland sales pavilion. An all-jockey panel of Laffit Pincay Jr., Angel Cordero Jr., Jorge Velasquez, Pat Day, and Chris McCarron will be prompted by questions from event host D. Wayne Lukas.
Tickets range from $15 for walk-ins to $150 for the VIP experience, with a portion of ticket sales going to the Permanently Disabled Jockeys Fund. Go to http://derbymuseum.org or call (502) 992-5905. Doors open at 6 p.m. Eastern, and the event starts at 7.