Kentucky Oaks 2023: See the 14 fillies who will run for lilies

Louisville, Ky.

The luck of the draw Monday put the top two morning-line choices for the Grade 1, $1.25 million Kentucky Oaks next to each other in the starting gate.

The fact that Wet Paint and Botanical share a barn might add some intrigue to their gate assignments Friday afternoon. But their trainer Brad Cox was quick to remind that they will not be in lockstep going the 1 1/8 miles around the main track at Churchill Downs.

“I don’t know if it helps, really,” Cox said. “I mean they’re two totally different horses with regards to how they run.”

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Wet Paint, a deep closer whose victory in the Fantasy (G3) last month was his third in a row, all at Oaklawn, drew post 7 in the field of 14 and was made the 5-2 program favorite. Botanical, who has won four in a row, drew post 6 and was installed as the 4-1 second choice.

“Botanical will break and go forward with Wet Paint,” Cox said, “but they’ll probably get away from (Wet Paint) going into the first turn based off what we’ve seen from her all winter.”

Neither filly has much fast-dirt experience.

Wet Paint, a Blame filly bred and owned by Godolphin, finished first in January in the Martha Washington Stakes on a track rated wet-fast. In February she made up more than 10 lengths of ground in the slop to win the Honeybee (G3). Last month she made her first start on a fast dirt, winning by 2 1/2 lengths in the Fantasy (G3). Flavien Prat rode all three victories and will have the Oaks assignment, too.

Botanical, the winner of the Bourbonette Oaks on March 25, built her entire winning streak on the synthetic track at Turfway Park near Cincinnati. Her only two races before that were turf losses, namely a debut eighth at Kentucky Downs and a second-place result last fall at Keeneland.

“Botanical needs to step up on the dirt, but I like what I am seeing,” Cox said. “Physically, she looks great. She’s doing really well.”

Looking for his third Oaks win since 2018, Cox also entered listed-stakes winner The Alys Look, who was drawn into post 2 at 15-1.

The Kentucky Oaks is the 11th of 13 races Friday at Churchill Downs. It has a post time of 5:51 p.m. EDT and will be part of a USA Network telecast produced by NBC Sports that starts at 1 p.m. Friday’s first post is at 10:30 a.m.