2012 Prestigious Kentucky Oaks Now Accepts Future Wagers

The Kentucky Oaks, the filly counterpart to the Kentucky Derby, is annually the main spring-time goal for the country's best 3-year-old female racehorses. Bettors looking to peg the winner in advance of the race, which is likely to equate to higher odds, will get their opportunity the weekend of March 2-4 in the Kentucky Oaks Future Wager. Unlike the Kentucky Derby, which has three separate future wager pools in the lead-up to the first Saturday in May, there is just one future pool for the Kentucky Oaks, which is contested at 1 1/8-miles on the Friday before the Derby. In the 2012 Kentucky Oaks Future Wager, bettors can choose from 23 listed contenders or bet the “mutuel field,” which encompasses all other 3-year-old fillies not listed among the individual betting interests. This year's Kentucky Oaks is shaping up as a wide-open affair. The only true standout to this point, last year's undefeated champion 2-year-old filly My Miss Aurelia, has yet to return to training for her 3-year-old season and is not listed among the betting interests in the Kentucky Oaks Future Wager. As a result, Mike Battaglia, the morning line oddsmaker for host track Churchill Downs, has installed the “field” as the solid 3-to-1 favorite in the 2012 Kentucky Oaks Future Wager. Favored among the individual betting interests is Grace Hall at 10-to-1. The daughter of Empire Maker is the second-choice on the morning line despite being defeated in the Grade 2 Davona Dale at Gulfstream Park in her first start as a 3-year-old on Feb. 25. Grace Hall built her reputation last year with a win in the Grade 1 Spinaway Stakes at Saratoga and a solid second behind champion My Miss Aurelia in the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies. Trained by Anthony Dutrow, Grace Hall is being pointed to the Grade 2 Gulfstream Oaks on March 31 for her next start. Also expected to garner support in the Kentucky Oaks Future Wager is Summer Applause, who is 12-to-1 on the morning line. Summer Applause has won three of her last four starts for trainer Josie Carroll and is exiting a win in the Grade 3 Risen Star Stakes at Fair Grounds. There is one major prep for the Kentucky Oaks this weekend, the Grade 1 Las Virgenes Stakes at Santa Anita. The race will feature two horses listed in the future wager—Reneesgotzip, who is undefeated in two starts and the morning line favorite; and Charm the Maker, who exits a fourth in the Grade 3 Santa Ysabel at Santa Anita. A strong performance by either of those fillies in the Las Virgenes figures to knock their odds down significantly. Participating in future pools can produce big payouts. So spend some time this weekend analyzing the contenders, see what you come up with. Here is the complete field for the 2012 Kentucky Oaks Future Wager with morning line odds:rn1. Amie's Dini, 30-to-1rn2. And Why Not, 50-to-1rn3. Avie's Sense, 20-to-1rn4. Believe You Can, 30-to-1rn5. Captivating Lass, 15-to-1rn6. Charm The Maker, 20-to-1rn7. Disposablepleasure, 20-to-1rn8. Dixie Strike, 20-to-1rn9. Eden's Moon, 15-to-1rn10. Grace Hall, 10-to-1rn11. In Lingerie, 30-to-1rn12. Inny Minnie, 30-to-1rn13. Karlovy Vary, 30-to-1rn14. Killer Graces, 20-to-1rn15. Mamma Kimbo, 20-to-1rn16. Off Limits, 30-to-1rn17. On Fire Baby, 15-to-1rn18. Princess Arabella, 15-to-1rn19. Reneesgotzip, 15-to-1rn20. Summer Applause, 12-to-1rn21. Sweet Seventeen, 30-to-1rn22. Yara, 20-to-1rn23. Zo Impressive, 30-to-1rn24. Mutuel Field (all others), 3-to-1