Looking Ahead to Next Weekend

Six days from now, the best three-year-old fillies in the Americas will contest the 141st running of the Kentucky Oaks.  Besides being a celebration of girls in racing, in recent years Oaks day has become a rallying point for the fight against breast cancer; Oaks Day is now Think Pink Day, also.  Hats will be the rage for Friday and Saturday - but my personal concentration is on the horses.  Final nominations have not yet been made, and the Oaks is not known for having a full starting gate, like the Derby.  However, these are the fillies that are the top twenty holding points for inclusion into the Oaks:  (1) Condo Commando, (2) I'm a Chatterbug, (3) Stellar Wind, (4) Birdatthewire, (5) Lovely Maria, (6) Include Betty, (7) Oceanwave, (8) Angela Renee, (9) Sarah Sis, (10) Maybellene, (11) Eskingformoney, (12) Puca, (13) Shook Up, (14) Luminance, (15) Forever Unbridled, (16) Achiever's Legacy, (17) Money'soncharlotte, (18) Danessa Deluxe, (19) Callback, and (20) Wonder Gal.  The Kentucky Oaks will be run on Friday, 1 May, and will be aired live on the NBC Sports Network.  All of the girls will carry 121 pounds in the race that covers one and one-eighth miles.
  Seven days from now, the boys will meet in the Kentucky Derby.  All twenty stalls in the starting gate are expected to be full for the mile and a quarter race.  Each colt will carry 126 pounds.  Other than Mubtaahij, none of the three-year-olds have ever raced this far.  This morning, it was announced that Madefromlucky, who was in 20th place in the points ranking, will not run in the Derby, but will be pointed at the Peter Pan Stakes, instead.  Here is a listing of the top twenty-one colts listed for the Derby, as of this morning.  I list one horse on the bubble, as he has been working for the Derby, and if another horse is scratched, he'll make the cut, and will likely run...  (1) International Star, (2) Dortmund, (3) Carpe Diem, (4) American Pharoah, (5) Frosted, (6) Mubtaahij, (7) Materiality, (8) El Kabeir, (9) Upstart, (10) Far Right, (11) Itsaknockout, (12) Firing Line, (13) Danzig Moon, (14) War Story, (15) Tencendur, (16) Stanford, (17) Mr. Z, (18) Ocho Ocho Ocho, (19) Bolo, (20) Keen Ice, and, on the bubble, (21) Frammento.
  As entries for the races are announced, along with post positions, I'll make further comments, along with presenting the morning line betting odds set by Mike Battaglia.