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The Oaks is of course the main attraction but the undercard is not without interest.
Brad Cox's pair of Wet Paint and Botanical are the top picks. Wet Paint (does the name mean "do not touch"?) has won her last three starts at Oaklawn. Flavian Prat will ride the Godolphin homebred who has drawn gate 7 and is known for her ability to put in a great closing rally. They are on 5/2.
Botanical will be ridden by Chris Landeros and she has won 4 on the tapeta at Turfway so her ability to handle the dirt at Churchill is a question mark so for us 4/1 is too short.
We have a couple of roughies here – And Tell Me Nolies got our attention after spending time on trying to work out her name. Peter Miller trains with Vazques riding and 15/1 is the quote. She's had two good seconds coming in to this but there could be a question over the trip. However on Thursday morning she ditched her trackwork rider as they were coming off the track and made a beeline for Barn 24 and presumably her breakfast.
Dorth Vader won a Gr 2 and Luis Saez rides for Michael Yates and 20/1 looks value.
Mimi Kakushi won the UAE Oaks and has travelled over well from Dubai. She's quite a handy filly and will have Barzalona riding for bin Ghadayer.
The undercard has the Alysheba Gr 2 over 1700m with 7 runners. Art Collector (Mott-Alvarado) is on 5/2 and West Will Power (Cox-Prat) 2/1 the picks.
The Eight Belles Gr2 is over 1400m with 9 3yo fillies lining up: Munny's Girl is by Munnings and is trained by Todd Pletcher with Irad Ortiz riding and they top the call on 6/5. Red Carpet Ready is by Oscar Performance and on 3/1 for Arnold-Saez, with Accede by Into Mischief on 5/1 (Brown-Prat).
La Troienne is Gr 1 over 1700m and has 10 starters. Secret Oath is the 3/1 favourite for D Wayne Lukas and Tyler Gaffalione. The Asmussen trained Society is on 4/1 with J-L Ortiz on board and we rather like A Mo Ready 5/1 Cox-Geroux.
The Edgewood Gr 2 for 3yo fillies over 1700m is on the turf track and has 11 starters. Cairo
Consort is by Cairo Prince and is on 3/1 for Pletcher-Gaffalione. Papilio is by Starspangled Banner and is on 7/2 for Mark Casse/Geroux. Preliminary is by Lope de Vega and trained by Chad Brown with Irad Ortiz riding.
