Dirt Stakes Spot Plays for Churchill Downs on Oaks Day

The 149th Kentucky Oaks (G1) is the headliner on a huge day of racing at Churchill Downs on Friday, with a total of seven black-type events on the slate. In this piece I will turn my attention to the fantastic dirt stakes races on the Kentucky Oaks undercard.

Race 5 – Alysheba S. (G2)

Some of the top handicap horses in training will compete in the 1 1/16-mile endeavor, which includes 2022 Kentucky Derby (G1) hero #3 Rich Strike (7-2). But I will look outside of the box and side with a horse that I fancied in the Run for the Roses last year, #5 Smile Happy (8-1). Trained by Kenny McPeek, the four-year-old son of Runhappy is a Grade 2 winner on the oval, and while his most recent outing wasn’t his best, I am expecting the colt to fire big on this occasion. The dark bay will peak in his third run off the layoff, and he will also sit a perfect trip from the third spot to the top of the lane. Brian Hernandez, Jr. picks up the mount.

Race 7 – Eight Belles S. (G2)

A field of nine sophomore fillies will travel seven-eighths on the main strip in the lucrative $500,000 tilt. The unbeaten and exciting #9 Munnys Gold (6-5) has been superb in each of her trio of lifetime engagements to date for conditioner Todd Pletcher and exits a 17-length tour-de-force at Tampa Bay Downs last time out. The Florida-bred filly has imposing early speed and has displayed a massive closing kick, so I envision that she will run her unblemished mark to four after drawing clear on the outside of the field.

But, Rusty Arnold’s #6 Red Carpet Ready (3-1) is no slouch and will give the impressive favorite her toughest test to date with her best performance. The Oscar Performance sophomore is two-for-two locally, led by a fine Fern Creek S. triumph in November, and I’m willing to overlook her subpar showing in the Davona Dale S. (G2) most recently. Luis Saez will guide the $180,000 yearling purchase and have her poised at the top of the lane.

Race 9 – La Troienne S. (G1)

Five of the 10 fillies and mares entered for the 1 1/16-mile event are Grade-1 winners, but I have interest in one that has yet to achieve success at the highest level. I’m not sure that the Phil D’Amato-trained #8 Desert Dawn (20-1) can upset this deep cast, but she will be on all of my tickets at a nice price nonetheless. Third in the Kentucky Oaks (G1) on the oval last season, the bay daughter of Cupid seems ready for a big showing from off the pace while making her second try of 2023. The Arizona-bred has not always endured the most favorable of setups in her lifetime, but I expect her to rally into a contested pace on Friday and challenge for the win beneath Umberto Rispoli.