2022 Kentucky Oaks trail: Ashland odds, preview, more

One year ago, trainer Todd Pletcher’s filly Malathaat started her 3-year-old campaign with a late rally to win Ashland Stakes by a head. The victory launched her to an Eclipse Award-winning season that also included Grade 1 wins in the Kentucky Oaks and Alabama Stakes.

Pletcher will hope for similar things Friday and beyond with Nest (2-1), morning-line favorite for the Grade 1, $600,000 Ashland Stakes. Post time from Keeneland is 5:16 p.m. EDT, with TVG broadcasting the opening day card from Lexington, Ky.

The Ashland awards Road to the 2022 Kentucky Oaks points on a 100-40-20-10 basis. It comes one day prior to the $400,000 Santa Anita Oaks (G2) and Aqueduct’s $250,000 Gazelle Stakes (G3), both of which will also award Oaks points on that scale.

Nest brings a 3-for-4 record into the Ashland. The Curlin filly finished her juvenile campaign last December at Aqueduct with a Demoiselle Stakes (G2) win, then started her sophomore season Feb. 12 by taking the Suncoast Stakes at Tampa Bay.

Jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. will be up Friday on Nest for Pletcher and an ownership group headed by Repole Stable.

Interstatedaydream (5-2) takes on stakes flight Friday for the first time since finishing in August as runner-up at Saratoga in the Adirondack Stakes (G2). The Brad Cox trainee returned off a layoff of more than seven months March 13 at Oaklawn Park, beating allowance rivals to the tune of 8¼ lengths.

Happy Soul (5-2) makes her graded debut off a Dixie Belle Stakes on Feb. 19 at Oaklawn for trainer Wesley Ward. Doug O’Neill trains Awake At Midnyte (4-1), who was third on the Oaks trail Feb. 19 at Fair Grounds in the Rachel Alexandra Stakes (G2). Cocktail Moments (12-1) ran third March 5 at Gulfstream Park in the Davona Dale Stakes (G2).

Malathaat, Monomoy Girl (2018) and Lovely Maria (2015) all achieved the Ashland Stakes-Kentucky Oaks double within the last decade.

Related: Ashland analysis: Play these 2 fillies in Kentucky Oaks prep | Kentucky Oaks: Who's in, who's out with 1 prep weekend left

Here is a look at the field for the 2022 Ashland Stakes (trainer and jockey in parentheses) with morning-line odds:

1. Miss Mattie B (Robert Hess Jr., Joel Rosario), 15-1

2. Interstatedaydream (Brad Cox, Florent Geroux), 5-2

3. Awake At Midnyte (Doug O’Neill, Mario Gutierrez), 4-1

4. Nest (Todd Pletcher, Irad Ortiz Jr.), 2-1

5. Sterling Silver (Tom Albertrani, Jose Ortiz), 15-1

6. Happy Soul (Wesley Ward, John Velazquez), 5-2

7. Cocktail Moments (Kenny McPeek, Corey Lanerie), 12-1

8. Heavenly Hellos (Rey Hernandez, Edgar Morales), 50-1

TimeformUS’ pace projections show Happy Soul going to the lead under jockey John Velazquez, followed by Awake At Midnyte. Favorite Nest is projected to settle near the back early on.

Kentucky Oaks points standings

Fourteen spots are available on the Road to the Kentucky Oaks. Here is a look at the current projected field, with points earned:

1. Kathleen O., 150

2. Echo Zulu, 130

3. Yuugiri, 114

4. Secret Oath, 80

5. Goddess of Fire, 62

6. Turnerloose, 60

7. Hidden Connection, 57

8. Venti Valentine, 54

9. Candy Raid, 51

10. Shahama, 50

11. Bubble Rock, 30

12. Magic Circle, 23

13. Shotgun Hottie, 21

14. Nest, 20

Related: Adare Manor leads small field in Saturday's Santa Anita Oaks | Venti Valentine looks to win again in Aqueduct's Gazelle | Ky. Oaks odds: Echo Zulu is off-shore favorite among 23 fillies

Other Friday stakes

Here is a look at the two other stakes taking place Friday on the opening day of Keeneland’s spring meet. Post times are EDT, and both races can be seen on TVG.

4:12 p.m. – $400,000 Lafayette Stakes, 3-year-olds, seven furlongs

My Prankster (9-5) aims for his second stakes score in as many 2022 starts after winning the Swale Stakes (G3) on Feb. 5 at Gulfstream Park. Jockey Luis Saez will get a leg up on the Into Mischief colt for trainer Todd Pletcher. Bret Calhoun trains Tejano Twist (7-2), a stakes winner who was runner-up March 9 at Fair Grounds in an allowance race. Money Supply (9-2) makes his second career start off a debut win Feb. 12 at Tampa Bay for trainer Chad Brown.

4:44 p.m. – $400,000 Transylvania Stakes (G3), 3-year-olds, 1 1/16 miles (turf)

Verbal (2-1) makes his first start of 2022 for Brown after scoring two wins in as many starts last season. Jockey Jose Ortiz gets the call on the Flintshire colt, winner of Del Mar’s Cecil B. DeMille Stakes (G3) on Nov. 28. Pletcher trains Grand Sonata (5-2), who made the grade Feb. 5 at Gulfstream in the Kitten’s Joy Stakes (G3). Coinage (3-1) was third in the Kitten’s Joy, then won Gulfstream’s Palm Beach Stakes on March 5 for trainer Mark Casse.