Kentucky Oaks 2020: Post Positions, Field and Race Preview

The 146th running of the Kentucky Derby is set to take place Saturday. But before that, there's other action that will take place at Churchill Downs later this week.

On Friday, the Kentucky Oaks will be held as nine 3-year-old fillies compete in the annual 1 1/8-mile race. Like the Derby, the Kentucky Oaks was postponed from May due to the coronavirus pandemic, so it will be taking place about four months later than usual.

The field for this year's Kentucky Oaks is the smallest since 2005. And while more eyes will be on Saturday's Kentucky Derby, the Oaks is still a great race to watch during the lead-up to one of horse racing's premiere events.

Here's a look at the field for this year's Kentucky Oaks, followed by a preview of the race.

Post Positions

1. Swiss Skydiver

2. Tempers Rising

3. Donna Veloce

4. Speech

5. Gamine

6. Bayerness

7. Shedaresthedevil

8. Hopeful Growth

9. Dream Marie

Race Preview

Longtime trainer Bob Baffert has won the Kentucky Derby five times, one shy of the record held by Ben Jones. On Saturday, he'll look to tie that mark as he has two horses (Authentic and Thousand Words) in the 18-horse Derby field.

Baffert will also be looking to emerge victorious at Friday's Kentucky Oaks, and his lone horse in the field is currently the favorite to win. Gamine, who will be starting in the middle at the No. 5 post, is looking to continue a strong start to her racing career after winning three of her first four races.

"She's fast. Really fast. She's brilliant," Baffert said, according to Lynne Snierson of US Racing. "You need to be at your best right now. She’s been training really well and she shipped well. The most important thing is that she breaks well."

Much like the Derby, Baffert has had success in the Kentucky Oaks over the years. He's had three horses previously win the race: Silverbulletday (1999), Plum Pretty (2011) and Abel Tasman (2017).

Gamine will also have an experienced jockey, as John Velazquez is set to ride the filly in the race. He is a two-time Kentucky Derby winner (Animal Kingdom in 2011 and Always Dreaming in 2017) and will be onboard Authentic in Saturday's race. He also won the Kentucky Oaks in 2004, riding Ashado to victory.

Although Gamine enters as the favorite, there are other strong contenders in this year's Oaks. The other two most likely challengers are Swiss Skydiver, who is starting at the No. 1 post, and Speech, who is alongside Gamine at No. 4.

Swiss Skydiver has won four of her past five races, which includes a victory at the Santa Anita Oaks in June. The only race she didn't win during that stretch was the Blue Grass Stakes (in which she competed against thoroughbreds), but she had an impressive showing, finishing second to Art Collector.

Speech has won three of her past six races, finishing no worse than second during that stretch. Her jockey, Javier Castellano, is a two-time Preakness Stakes winner who also won the Kentucky Oaks with Cathryn Sophia in 2016.

With only nine horses in the field, there's also a chance that an underdog upsets one of the three top contenders. It should be an exciting, competitive race that will only add to the anticipation for this year's Kentucky Derby.