Critter Sitter's Blog: Kentucky Oaks Is One Week Away

A week from today, the "Lillies for the Fillies" race will be run. The Kentucky Oaks is always run the day before the Kentucky Derby, and highlights the girls instead of the boys. The race is now limited to 14 entries, as the Derby is limited to 20. The Oaks covers a distance of 9 furlongs, or 1 1/8 miles, on the main track; all fillies will carry 121 pounds; and the purse is a guaranteed $1.25 million, with $750,000 going to the winner. The current fastest time for the Oaks was set in 2003, when Bird Town covered the distance in 1:48.64.
The Kentucky Oaks has been run at four different distances since it's inception in 1875. The first winner was Vinaigrette, who covered 1 1/2 miles in 2:39 3/4. The Oaks was run at 1 and 1/2 miles from 1875 through 1890; from 1891 through 1895, it was 1 1/4 miles; in 1896 through 1919, the distance was 1 1/16 miles; from 1920 through 1941 it covered 1 1/8 miles; it changed again in 1942 through 1981 to 1 and 1/16 miles; and, once again, in 1982 it was switched back to a distance of 1 and 1/8 miles.
The entries for the Kentucky Oaks race for qualifying points, as do the Kentucky Derby contenders. There are currently 16 fillies on the list for the 14 entries allowed. I will list them by highest to lowest amounts of points, as I did the Derby contenders. Of the 16 fillies, 14 were bred in Kentucky, with Out for a Spin bred in Virginia, and Cookie Dough being a Florida-bred. There are 2 greys or roans, 2 chestnuts, and 12 bays, dark bays, or brown coat colors. Two of the fillies are sired by Quality Road, and two are sired by Candy Ride (ARG) - so, 14 stallions for 16 possible contenders.
Here is the list of the top 16 contenders for the 2019 Kentucky Oaks:
1. Bellafina Quality Road, out of Akron Moon, by Malibu Moon
2. Champagne Anyone Street Sense, out of Lucevan, by Ghostzapper
3. Street Band Istan, out of Street Minstrel, by Street Cry
4. Lady Apple Curlin, out of Miss Mary Apples, by Clever Trick
5. Out for a Spin Hard Spun, out of My Mammy, by Came Home
6. Liora Candy Ride (ARG), out of Giant Mover, by Giant's Causeway
7. Restless Rider Distorted Humor, out of Silky Serenade, by Unbridled's Song
8. Serengeti Empress Alternation out of Havisham, by Bernardini
9. Motion Emotion Take Charge Indy, out of Golden Motion, by Smart Strike
10. Jaywalk Cross Traffic, out of Lady Pewitt, by Orientate
11. Chocolate Kisses Candy Ride (ARG), out of Brownie Points, by Forest Wildcat
12. Jeltrin Tapizar, out of Song to the Moon, by Successful Appeal
13. Positive Spirit Pioneerof the Nile, out of Above Perfection, by In Excess
14. Flor de La Mar Tiznow, out of Sacristy, by Pulpit
15. Cookie Dough Brethren, out of Brooke's Valentine, by Fusaichi Pegasus
16. Dunbar Road Quality Road, out of Gift List, by Bernardini

A few photos of some of the fillies, in alphabetical order: