Kentucky Oaks 2012 Odds: On Fire Baby a Good Bet to Upset Favorite Grace Hall

If any horse can upset favorite Grace Hall in Friday's Kentucky Oaks, it will be local favorite On Fire Baby.

Friday marks the 138th running of the race, a 1 1/8-mile affair conducted at the main track and worth a $1 million pot.

Grace Hall is the morning line favorite at 5-2 and won at Churchill Downs last year in the Spinaway last summer. Most recently, she achieved a 6 1/2-length win in the Gulfstreak Park Oaks.

Though On Fire Baby's odds are tied for second with Broadway Alibi at 4-1, she is looking more and more like a favorite after winning the Pocahontas and the Golden Rod at Churchill Downs in the fall. In her most recent start, she won the Honeybee at Oaklawn Park and is primed to overtake Grace Hall with the help of trainer Gary Hartlage and jockey Joe Johnson.

On Fire Baby will break from post position one while Grace Hall will be right behind her at position two.

On Friday at Churchill Downs, On Fire Baby showed her mettle, running seven furlongs in 1:27 and ran the mile in 1:40.6.

Grace Hall will be stiff competition, as she's 4-2-0 lifetime at Churchill Downs, and trainer Tony Dutrow said he isn't concerned about the horse's pole positioning, given her proven consistency, according to the Louisville Courier-Journal's Jason Frakes.

Grace Hall has $809,000 in career earnings.

Though On Fire Baby didn't run in the Fantasy Stakes at Oaklawn Parks in preparation for the Kentucky Oaks, owner Anita Cauley is confident in the filly's abilities. Despite rumors that she didn't run in the Fantasy Stakes because of a health issue, On Fire Baby is good to go.

Cauley told DRF.com's Marty McGee, "I went back-and-forth on whether to run there or not before I just finally decided to wait for the Oaks. I’m happy with my decision."

And if On Fire Baby takes down Grace Hall on Friday, it will all pay off.