2023 Kentucky Oaks exotics wagers

A total of 17 three-year-old fillies, three of which are on the also-eligible list, will travel 1 1/8 miles over the Churchill Downs dirt in Friday’s $1.25 million Kentucky Oaks (G1).

The field features numerous talented runners, though I will be focusing mostly on the morning line choices that appear to be very strong in the contest.

Kentucky Oaks Exotics Wagers

• $10 Exacta: key box 7 with 4,6 ($40)
• $5 Exacta: 7 with 1,3,5 ($15)
• $2 Trifecta: box 4,6,7 ($12)
• $1 Trifecta: key 7 with 3,4,5,6 ($12)
• 50-cent Trifecta: 4,6 with 7 with all ($12)
• $1 Superfecta: 4,6,7 with 4,6,7 with 1,3,4,5,6,7 with 1,3,4,5,6,7 ($72)

Conditioner Brad Cox holds a heavy hand in the race, led by the flashy #7 Wet Paint (5-2). Unbeaten in four starts on dirt, the Blame filly swept the Road to the Kentucky Oaks prep races at Oaklawn Park this season, capped by a last-to-first romp in the Fantasy (G3). The Godolphin homebred has little early speed but more than makes up for that deficiency with a potent turn-of-foot, and she will be commencing her run approaching the turn for home while making her debut beneath the Twin Spires. Regular pilot Flavien Prat retains the mount.

#6 Botanical (4-1), also from the Cox shedrow, has improved with each lifetime performance and rides in on a dominant four-race win streak. The daughter of Medaglia d’Oro has yet to race on the dirt, but she trains well over the surface and also has the early speed to be in the mix from the opening bell. Botanical will be prominent throughout with Chris Landeros in the silks, and she will be formidable if the dirt is to her liking.

#4 Southlawn (8-1) has shown marked improvement following minor throat surgery in advance of her 2023 debut, and the daughter of Pioneerof the Nile has turned into a new animal since. Trained by Norm Casse, the $290,000 yearling purchase decimated allowance foes in her seasonal bow prior to driving home a clear winner in the Fair Grounds Oaks (G2) last time out. The bay has trained well in the interim and will have Reylu Gutierrez in the silks once again. She will track the pace early on.

I will also include trainer Todd Pletcher’s Gazelle (G3) runner-up #3 Gambling Girl (15-1), Mark Casse’s champion two-year-old filly #5 Wonder Wheel (12-1), and to a lesser extent Dubai import #1 Mimi Kakushi (20-1) in the lower rungs of my vertical exotics.

Find expert analysis and overviews of all the contenders for the Kentucky Derby on our News & Notes page here on TwinSpires.com!