Rowan Ward
Whether you are a professional or you bet the races a few times a year, betting the Kentucky Oaks is a time-honored tradition and a great chance for value. The 1 ⅛-mile race for the best three-year-old fillies in the country is coming up Friday, May 5, 2023 at Churchill Downs. At stake are a $1.25 million purse, the iconic blanket of lilies, and a place in horse racing history!
Betting the Kentucky Oaks Online
Even if you cannot make it to Churchill Downs for the race, you can be a part of the action by betting the Kentucky Oaks online! You have many options for betting on the race, but our online racebook reviews are here to help you make the most profitable decision quickly.
All of our recommended sportsbooks offer market-leading odds on the Kentucky Oaks and other racing and sports events, trusted payouts, and great user interfaces. Each site offers great incentives as well, such as horse racing rebates, deposit bonuses, and sign-up bonuses. Taking a few minutes now to pick the best sportsbook for you can help you build your bankroll quickly!
Kentucky Oaks Entries and Odds
This is the official field for the 2023 Kentucky Oaks including post positions, trainers, and jockeys:
- Mimi Kakushi (Salem bin Ghadayer / Mickael Barzalona) – 20/1
- The Alys Look (Brad Cox / Javier Castellano) – 15/1
- Gambling Girl (Todd Pletcher / Irad Ortiz, Jr.) – 15/1
- Southlawn (Norm Casse / Reylu Gutierrez) – 8/1
- Wonder Wheel (Mark Casse / Joel Rosario) – 12/1
- Botanical (Brad Cox / Chris Landeros) – 4/1
- Wet Paint (Brad Cox / Flavien Prat) – 5/2
- Promiseher America (Raymond Handal / Jorge Vargas, Jr.) – 30/1
- And Tell Me Nolise (Peter Miller / Ramon Vazquez) – 15/1
- Flying Connection (Todd Fincher / Florent Geroux) – 15/1
- Defining Purpose (Kenny McPeek / Brian Hernandez, Jr.) – 12/1
- Dorth Vader (Michael Yates / Luis Saez) – 20/1
- Affirmative Lady (Graham Motion / John Velazquez) – 10/1
- Pretty Mischievous (Brendan Walsh / Tyler Gaffalione) – 10/1
- Taxed (Randy Morse / Rafael Bejarano) – 20/1 – ALSO ELIGIBLE
- Julia Shining (Todd Pletcher / Luis Saez) – 15/1 – ALSO ELIGIBLE
- Hoosier Philly (Tom Amoss / Edgar Morales) – 30/1 – ALSO ELIGIBLE
If horses scratch from the Oaks field before 9:00 a.m. Eastern on Friday, then Taxed, Julia Shining, and Hooser Philly can get into the field, in that order of priority. If Julia Shining draws into the field, Luis Saez will ride her and Jose Ortiz takes over the mount on Dorth Vader.
Keep in mind that these morning-line odds are just the track’s estimate, and that betting the Kentucky Oaks at the track does not guarantee you these prices. They will change until post time. Instead, your best bet is to bet the Kentucky Oaks online. Online sportsbooks offer fixed-odds betting on major races, meaning you can lock in the best odds the moment you bet.
 |  |  |
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| Wet Paint | +300 | +350 | +350 |
| Botanical | +500 | +500 | +500 |
| Southlawn | +700 | +900 | +900 |
| Affirmative Lady | +1000 | +1100 | +1100 |
| Pretty Mischievous | +1100 | +1100 | +1100 |
| Wonder Wheel | +1200 | +1300 | +1300 |
Free Kentucky Oaks Picks
Now that you have set up your wagering account, it is time to get to know the field for the Kentucky Oaks! With a big field, building tickets around a mix of proven favorites and up-and-coming long shots can be the recipe for a big score, so it makes sense to meet horses at a range of price points.
Kentucky Oaks Top Contenders
Wet Paint is the morning-line favorite, but she deserves that status. She romped in three prep races at Oaklawn, a track with increasing importance in Kentucky Oaks prep season. She won two of them on rain-affected tracks, a positive given the likely rain on Oaks day. Wet Paint is undefeated on dirt and will probably continue that streak through the Kentucky Oaks.
Affirmative Lady showed enough promise at two that trainer Graham Motion ran her in a pair of Oaks points races last year as a maiden. She finished second beaten only a neck in the Demoiselle going 1 ⅛ miles over a sloppy track last year — something she may have to do again on Oaks day! Coming off of two sharp wins at Gulfstream she looks as good as ever; as long as she can get a decent spot from the wide draw she can be a factor.
Southlawn is the up-and-comer, off of a pair of strong victories at Fair Grounds. She is a better horse now than she was at two, and there is a good chance she can keep this going at nine furlongs given her pedigree. The biggest question is her form at Churchill: she came up flat in a pair of races on their dirt course last year, though there is a chance that she can reverse that now that she is a better horse.
Kentucky Oaks Bet-Against
Take a stand against Botanical, the second choice on the morning line. She won both of her points races impressively: but, both of those points races came on a synthetic surface at Turfway. If she were a long shot, her races would be good enough to consider if she can get the job done in the Oaks. But, at such a short price, other horses are much better bets.
Kentucky Oaks Longshots
Promiseher America won the Gazelle (G3) in a 26-1 shocker in her first race in almost two months, and her first start against winners. She needs to prove that she won’t regress off that effort. But, the price will be enormous, and everything about her pedigree suggests that time and distance will move her forward. And, if the Gazelle was just the real Promiseher America, anyone who believes that is going to get paid on Oaks Day.
Gambling Girl has only won races against New York-breds, making her unappealing on top. However, she is a great candidate for the underneath rungs of exotics. This Todd Pletcher trainee has hit the board three times in points races at a mile and an eighth, doing so over sloppy or fast going. This consistency and her pace versatility make her appealing underneath.
Kentucky Oaks Picks
These are the best bets for the Kentucky Oaks.
- $30 to win: #7 Wet Paint
- $10 to win/place/show: #8 Promiseher America
- $1 exacta key: #7 Wet Paint with #3 Gambling Girl, #8 Promiseher America
- $1 trifecta key: #7 Wet Paint with #3 Gambling Girl, #8 Promiseher America, #13 Affirmative Lady
- $1 superfecta key: #7 Wet Paint with #3 Gambling Girl, #4 Southlawn, #8 Promiseher America, #13 Affirmative Lady
Kentucky Oaks Day Picks
The Kentucky Oaks is Friday’s feature at Churchill Downs, but it is not the only important race of the day. The day features six other stakes races for top contenders in a wide range of divisions. These are the horses to consider in multi-race wagers including the Pick 6, or in other bets throughout the day.
- $600,000 Alysheba Stakes (G2): #4 West Will Power
- $300,000 Modesty Stakes (G3): #7 Shantisara, #4 Sparkle Blue
- $500,000 Eight Belles Stakes (G2): #9 Munnys Gold
- $300,000 Unbridled Sidney Stakes: #11 Caravel, #8 Oeuvre
- $750,000 La Troienne Stakes (G1): #10 A Mo Reay, #4 Secret Oath, #9 Pauline’s Pearl
- $500,000 Edgewood Stakes (G2): #10 Flashy Gem, #3 Cairo Consort, #8 Heavenly Sunday
