Post position draw sets field for Kentucky Oaks 147 | Sports

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) — The Todd Pletcher-trained Malathaat is the morning line 5-2 favorite in Friday’s Kentucky Oaks. Malathaat drew post 10 and will have John Valazequez aboard.

Pletcher is going for his fourth Oaks victory and first since 2013 with Princess of Sylmar.

“I’m basically fine with the draw,” Pletcher said. “I probably would have preferred to be a bit more toward the middle. But if it was a case of drawing inside or outside, I’ll take the outside. It’ll work out fine.”

Search Results, winner of all three races and trained by Chad Brown, and Travel Column, trained by Cox, are co-second choices at 3-1. They drew, respectively, the No. 12 and No. 6 posts Monday for the 1 1/8-mile race. Clairiere, trained by Steve Asmussen, is the 5-1 third choice from the No. 3 post in the $1.25 million race.

Malathaat’s victories include the Ashland at Keeneland on April 3 in which she beat fellow Oaks entrant Pass the Champagne by a head with Joel Rosario aboard. Rosario has Millefeuille, a 20-1 choice from the No. 14 and last slot.

Cox, a Louisville native, has two chances to earn his second consecutive Oaks victory and third in four years. He is also saddling Coach, who will start from the No. 9 post as one of three 50-1 longshots.

Travel Column finished 18 points behind in second to Search Results on the Oaks trail and has a Churchill Downs win among three in her career, with a second and a third in five starts.

Cox figures to have the Kentucky Derby favorite in Essential Quality when that 20-horse field is drawn Tuesday.

In the Oaks, he believes Travel Column can navigate from her post with jockey Florent Geroux. He says the filly has enough speed and doesn’t necessarily need to be on the lead.

“But we’ll see how it unfolds and what other horses are doing,” he said. “Florent knows her very well and how she gets away. We’re in a good position with her.”

Clariere has alternated victories and seconds in her four starts, including two this year. She won the Grade 2 Rachel Alexandra at Fair Grounds in February and finished 2 ¾ lengths behind Travel Column in the Fair Grounds Oaks on March 20.

Here’s the full field for Friday’s running of the Oaks. Post time is 5:51pm.

1. Pauline’s Pearl 20-1
2. Maracujá 20-1
3. Clairière  5-1
4. Crazy Beautiful 15-1
5. Pass the Champagne 15-1
6. Travel Column 3-1
7. Ava’s Grace 50-1
8. Moraz 30-1
9. Coach 50-1
10. Malathaat 5-2
11. Will’s Secret 30-1
12. Search Results 3-1
13. Competitive Speed 50-1
14. Millefeuille 20-1

Kentucky Oaks entrants by post position, with jockey and odds from the rail out:

1. Pauline’s Pearl (Ricardo Santana Jr.), 20-1; 2. Maracuja (Kendrick Carmouche), 20-1; 3. Clariere (Tyler Gaffalione), 5-1; 4. Crazy Beautiful (Jose Ortiz), 15-1; 5. Pass the Champagne (Javier Castellano), 15-1; 6. Travel Column (Florent Geroux), 3-1; 7. Ava’s Grace (David Cohen), 50-1; 8. Moraz (Flavien Prat), 30-1; 9. Coach (Luis Saez), 50-1; 10. Malathaat (John Velazquez), 5-2; 11. Will’s Secret (Jon Court), 30-1; 12. earch Results (Irad Ortiz Jr.) 3-1; 13. Competitive Speed (Chris Landeros), 50-1; 14. Millefeuille (Joel Rosario), 20-1.

Copyright 2021 WDRB Media. The Associated Press contributed to this story.  All Rights Reserved.