Nine fillies are lining up to run in the Kentucky Oaks tomorrow. The precursor race to the Derby looks to be a good one with experts divided on whether Gamine, Swiss Sky Diver and Speech come out on top.
Many handicappers think Gamine is as good as the boys, and wondered if she’d run in the Derby. She’s won all four of our starts, including the Acorn by 18 3/4 lengths and the Longines Test by 7. Purchased for $1.8 million, she’s the even odds favorite tomorrow. However, the Kentucky Oaks will be the longest race she’s run. The question, can she keep up her blazing speed around two turns? Gamine’s wins have come at 6 1/2 furlongs, 7 furlongs, and one mile. In her second career race at 1 1/6 miles at Oaklawn Park, one in which she was later disqualified for a medication violation (small amounts of lidocaine), her winning margin was just a neck. The runner-up that day was a fast-closing Speech — a horse that some believe will catch Gamine at the longer distance.
Like Gamine, Swiss Skydiver has ammassed enough points to run in either the Derby or the Oaks. In addition, Swiss Skydiver has already proved herself over longer distances, winning the Alabama ( 1 1/4 miles) just a few weeks ago in Saratoga. Purchased for just $35,000 as a yearling, Swiss Skydiver is by Daredevil, a stallion that also produced Shedaresthedevil and Esplanade, all of which are showing speed and determination.
Speech has been the runner up to both Gamine and Swiss Skydiver
Starting positions for the Kentucky Oaks are:
- Swiss Skydiver
- Tempers Rising
- Donna Veloce
- Speech
- Gamine
- Bayerness
- Shedaresthedevil
- Hopeful Growth
- Dream Marie
Are you going to watch the Kentucky Oaks? Post time is 5:45 tomorrow!
You better believe I”m going to watch the Oaks! It is a wonder NBC is televising it at all, but thanks to covid, I’ve gotten plenty of races in (to watch).
Swiss Skydiver is a grand filly, I think she’s going to run away from the others, but Gamine…there’s a lot of horse there. She’s not to be dismissed. It’s going to make for a really great race!
In many ways this will be a more exciting race than the Derby. Those two fillies are top notch and completely different.