Kentucky Oaks 2012: Which Filly Will Make a Splash?

Ever heard of the term “Ladies First”?

Well Churchill Downs follows the same philosophy, which means horse racing fans will be treated to the Kentucky Oaks tonight at 5:45 p.m. ET (TV: NBCSN), when the female horses get the opportunity to race on the legendary track in Louisville.

So who should we expect at top of the leaderboard when the race ends?

The Favorites: On Fire Baby (4/1), Broadway’s Alibi (4/1), Grace Hall (5/2)

These three are by far the most popular choices, and for good reason.

On Fire Baby has lived up to her name in 2012, with only one loss in the calendar year. Nobody is hotter entering this race.

Broadway Alibi is fresh off a 20 length combined victory at the G3-Comely and the G2-Forward Gal. The filly is known for her success on a wet track, so make sure to keep an eye on the weather until post time before placing a bet on her.

Grace Hall is highly touted because of her endurance. This is going to be the longest course a lot of these horses have ever ran, and Grace Hall has already shown she’s capable of finishing the 1 and 1/8 mile track with excellent speed.

Longshots Worth a Look: Hard Not to Like (20/1), Yara (30/1)

Hard Not to Like received her name because she is the daughter of the ultra-talented Hard Spun, and has wowed on the turf tracks in her career.

This is her dirt debut so oddsmakers are skeptical, but with a mother that was so strong on dirt, there is no reason to doubt her abilities on this surface.

Yara is a filly that stunned the horse racing world when she won the G-2-Davona Dale at Gulfstream as a 65/1 longshot.

After landing a ton of new fans, she disappointed in her next race, losing by 10 lengths at G-2-Gulfstream Park Oaks. You don’t know what to expect from Yara in a given race, but she certainly has the talent to win. 

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