Kentucky Oaks 2025: Notes and quotes from Sunday morning
Sunday activity for fillies entered in the Grade 1 Kentucky Oaks, which will be run Friday at 5:51 p.m. EDT Churchill Downs.
Anna’s Promise. Bell Racing’s Anna’s Promise had a scheduled walk day in barn 3 after her five-furlong move in 1:00.4 Saturday morning.
Kentucky Oaks 2025 draw and morning-line odds.
Ballerina d’Oro. Rodeo Creek Racing’s Gazelle (G3) winner Ballerina d’Oro walked the shed row in barn 25 following her half-mile move in 48.0 seconds Saturday morning. She drew post 6 for the Oaks and will be ridden by Flavien Prat. “When she first came into the barn, she didn’t have a whole lot of early speed,” trainer Chad Brown said. “She has some turf breeding, and I didn’t want her going too short early on in her career. It was really because of the distance why she debuted on turf. Then she ran well in her second start, and I decided to keep her on there until she didn’t run well. I’m very happy that she turned into an Oaks contender. I’m really happy with her development. She’s going to have to work through the field being a deep closer. I hope having a positive effort on a demanding track like Aqueduct will serve her well.” Ballerina d’Oro was tabbed at odds of 10-1.
Bless the Broken. Cypress Creek Equine and Madaket Stables’ Bless the Broken galloped 1 1/2 miles under Genis Bracho during the 7:15-7:30 a.m. PDT training window for Derby and Oaks horses. Bless the Broken drew post 13 for the 14-horse Oaks with morning line odds of 30-1. Trainer Will Walden hopes some recent history with outside draws in the Oaks holds true for Bless the Broken, winner of the listed Bourbonette Oaks at Turfway Park in her most recent start. In the past eight years, two Oaks winners have come from post 13. They were Serengeti Empress in 2019 and Abel Tasman in 2017. Going back to 2014, two winners came out of the 12 hole and two from post 14 with the most recent being Pretty Mischievous in 2023. “I didn’t know that until after the draw,” Walden said. Two-time Oaks-winning rider John Velázquez has the mount on Bless the Broken, who will have a visit to the starting gate on her morning itinerary Monday or Tuesday.
Drexel Hill and Simply Joking. Trainer Whit Beckman seemed pleased following the post-position draw for the Oaks where Drexel Hill drew post 4 and Simply Joking post 2. “Simply Joking is the furthest inside speed, which isn’t the worst thing in the world,” Beckman said. “Would I have liked to draw a little more to the outside? Sure. We’re going to make the best of it and I won’t worry about it. Drexel Hill’s post won’t matter too much with her running style. I think no matter where she drew it would’ve been conducive to her running style.” Simply Joking will be ridden by Florent Géroux, and Drexel Hill will have Ben Curtis in the irons.
Five G. Gatsas Stables’ Five G made her first appearance on the main track at Churchill Downs Sunday at 7:25 a.m. EDT, galloping 1 1/4 miles under Raúl Alejandro for trainer George Weaver. Listed at 12-1 on the morning line, the winner of the Gulfstream Park Oaks (G2) will exit post 8 under Manny Franco. “The post is fine,” said Weaver, who arrived in his hometown Saturday night after a two-day drive from his winter base at Palm Beach Downs in South Florida. Five G is scheduled for some paddock schooling as part of her preparations this week for the Oaks.
Fondly. Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners and Madaket Stables’ Fondly had a combined jog and gallop of a mile at 8:15 a.m. EDT on Sunday, a day after working five furlongs in 1:02.2 for trainer Graham Motion. Undefeated in two starts, Fondly will exit post 3 under Irad Ortiz Jr. as a 30-1 morning-line proposition. “I’m perfectly happy with the post,” Motion said. “I would rather be there than stuck on the outside.”
Good Cheer. Godolphin’s Oaks favorite Good Cheer drew post 11 for Friday’s race as she attempts to keep her unbeaten record intact. Jockey Luis Sáez will have the call. “I think it’s a good spot,” Sáez said. “She’s doing well, and we’re ready for a big effort.”
La Cara. Tracy Farmer’s La Cara galloped 1 1/2 miles during the 7:15-7:30 a.m. EDT training window under Kevin Donnis for trainer Mark Casse. Second choice on the morning line at 6-1 for the Oaks, La Cara will exit post 7 under Dylan Davis. “The 7 is a great post for her,” Casse said of the recent Ashland (G1) winner.
Quickick. Greenwell Thoroughbreds’ Quickick galloped 1 1/2 miles under Rafael Rustrian at 7:15 a.m. EDT for trainer Tom Amoss. Two times Grade 1-placed, Quickick will exit post 5 under Umberto Rispoli as a 30-1 proposition.
Quietside. Fantasy (G2) winner Quietside drew the widest post 14 for the Kentucky Oaks and was tabbed as the 8-1 third choice. “I feel pretty good about her post,” said trainer John Ortiz, who schooled his filly in the paddock after training Sunday. “I was hoping to be a little bit more in the middle, but if we couldn’t go there, this is the next best option to draw.” José Ortiz has the mount in the Oaks.
Tenma. The multiple stakes winner from California Tenma merely walked the shed row Sunday following her final drill of 48.4 seconds covering a half-mile Saturday at Churchill Downs. The daughter of Nyquist drew post 9 for trainer Bob Baffert and will have California’s top rider Juan Hernández in the saddle.