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When is the 2022 Kentucky Oaks Race?
The Kentucky Oaks is on Friday, May 6, at Churchill Downs racetrack in Louisville, Kentucky.
2022 Kentucky Oaks Post Time
Post time for the 2022 Kentucky Oaks is 5:51 pm ET.
Kentucky Oaks Odds – Who is Favorite to win the KY Oaks in 2022
Nest is the current favorite to win the Kentucky Oaks at 11/4, but not far behind in the betting are Echo Zulu and Kathleen O. Below is a list of each horse running in the Kentucky Oaks and their odds.
Nest 11/4
Echo Zulu 4/1
Kathleen O. 9/2
Secret Oath 7/1
Hidden Connection 14/1
Desert Dawn 16/1
Shahama 16/1
Nostalgic 20/1
Venti Valentine 20/1
Goddess Of Fire 25/1
Cocktail Moments 33/1
Yuugiri 33/1
Turnerloose 33/1
Beguine 66/1
Candy Raid 66/1
Get all the need-to-know info for the 2022 Kentucky Derby, including when post time is, TV channel details and how to bet on it
Kentucky Oaks 2022 Horses and Runner-by-Runner Guide
There are 14 horses declared to run in the Kentucky Oaks and a reserve in case one of the horses does not run. Below is the name and number of each horse, as well as a quick guide to how they might perform.
1 Secret Oath
Maiden win came here; progressed to land 8.5f Grade 3 Honeybee before creditable third against males in 1m1f Grade 1 Arkansas Derby at Oaklawn. Big contender back against her own sex. Trainer Wayne Lukas has won this four times but not since 1990.
2 Nostalgic
Has won 3 of 4 races on dirt, most recently winning the 1m1f Grade 3 Gazelle at Aqueduct but the time was slow.
3 Hidden Connection
Won 8.5f Grade 3 last year on only previous start at Churchill Downs, but has since finished behind some of these rivals in three Graded races. She did however lose by just a nose to Echo Zulu in her latest race in the Fair Grounds Oaks, and has a chance of reversing that form here.
4 Nest
Sister to 1m2f Grade 1 winner Idol and has won 4 of 5 races. She won the 1m1f Grade 2 Demoiselle at Aqueduct last year and was most recently a clear winner of 8.5f Grade 1 Ashland at Keeneland, where the ground was described as wet-fast. She is a strong contender for a trainer who has won this race four times, including last year.
5 Goddess Of Fire
Half-sister to 7f Grade 1 winner Mind Control. She has been beaten by some of these rivals and was most recently second to Kathleen O. in the 8.5f Gulfstream Park Oaks. She is however showing improvement with every race.
6 Yuugiri
Maiden winner and was placed in a stakes race at this track. She was a well-held third behind Secret Oath in the Honeybee at Oaklawn on reappearance but improved with a narrow front-running win in the 8.5f Grade 3 Fantasy there. This race is more competitive though.
7 Echo Zulu
Front-runner who has won on all 5 starts. Won three Grade 1s last year including one on a wet (good) track and the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies. However, she did win by only a nose in the 8.5f Grade 2 Fair Grounds Oaks on reappearance in March. It will be no easy task to boss this field, and she may not want the extra half-furlong. Her trainer has won this twice.
8 Venti Valentine
Front-running second to Nostalgic in the 1m1f Gazelle at Aqueduct on her latest start. More is needed here and she has won on a sloppy track.
9 Desert Dawn
Improved with a narrow win in the 8.5f Grade 2 Santa Anita Oaks on her latest start. She is a possible contender.
10 Kathleen O.
Has won all 4 starts and won 1m/8.5f Grade 2s at Gulfstream on her last two runs. She is a likely contender and has won on a muddy track. Her trainer won this in 1993.
11 Cocktail Moments
Maiden win came here but she was behind two of these rivals in a couple of Graded races this year.
12 Candy Raid
Had a spell racing in claimers; went from last to first for surprise win in 8.5f stakes race at Turfway on her latest start, but that was on the all-weather — her dirt form doesn’t match up.
13 Shahama
Half-sister to multiple Grade 1 winner Lookin At Lucky. Won on all 4 starts in Dubai, winning the Listed UAE 1,000 Guineas and 9.5f Group 3 UAE Oaks, but those were weak races and she didn’t show a lot of early speed. She looked a tad green in her latest start, climbing over the kickback early.
14 Turnerloose
Won 8.5f Grade 2 at Fair Grounds when she was switched to dirt on reappearance, but the time was slow. She was behind two of these in the Fair Grounds Oaks on her next start, but her trainer has won two of the last four runnings of this race.
R15 Beguine
Showing improvement after winning a maiden on her third start before finishing a neck second to Yuugiri in the 8.5f Fantasy at Oaklawn. She could progress yet again and could be one to take seriously if she makes it off the reserve list.
2022 Kentucky Oaks Picks, Predictions & Best Bets
There’s a lot of rain in the forecast so this might be run on a wet track. NEST could prove to be the pick, as a well-bred filly who has already won over this trip and who improved with a smart performance on her latest start, likely with more still to come. Kathleen O. is the second choice, with Echo Zulu being unappealing. Beguine will be worth considering if she makes the field.
Check out Jared Smith’s preview and best bets for the Kentucky Derby from a TwinSpires oddsmaker
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