KY Oaks Top 10 4/1

With final preps starting this past weekend, a good time to look at who will be the favorites for the Run to the Lillies.

1. Grace Hall (Empire Maker): She was able to bounce back from an odd 1st race of the year to reclaim her top spot in the Gulfstream Oaks. While her final time wasn't impressive it was a big effort and she showed it's going to be very hard to be near her.

2. Princess Arabella (Any Given Saturday): She really hasn't faced much, but in all three starts she's run away and hid. Last year's Oaks winner Plum Pretty came out of the same prep, Sunland Oaks that she will be.

3. On Fire Baby (Smoke Glacken): There is a chance she could be AR Derby bound, however I feel that she's more likely Fantasy bound. Won both the Pocahontas and the Golden Rod as a 2yo. Her half sister High Heels was third in the Oaks when she was three.

4. Believe You Can (Proud Citizen): The last time that a Proud Citizen filly won FG Oaks and KY Oaks, Proud Spell in 2008. Her trainer, Larry Jones. This time, she's one upped by winning the Silverbulletday (formally the Tiffany Lass), and the FG Oaks. Believe You Can's trainer? Larry Jones.

5. Willa B Awesome (Awesome Gambler): If it wheren't for both My Miss Aurliea and Weemissfrankie being out, this filly prob. wouldn't even be on the list. However, with her upset win in the SA Oaks, she is able to sneak into the top 5.

6. In Lingerie (Empire Maker): She's 2 for 2 on the poly, including a very impressive win in the Bourbonette. However, she does have a good second place finish on dirt behind #8.

7. Summer Applause (Harlan's Holiday): The reason why she is ranked so low is that the Harlan's Holidays tend to be hit or miss. Still, she had an awesome winter campagin in Louisana winning the Rachel Alexandra and finishing second behind Believe You Can in the other two races.

8. Zo Impressive (Hard Spun): If I where her connections, I would wait until the Acorn, a race her big sister Zaftig won as a 3yo. Still she was very impressive in her first 2 starts before falling to Grace Hall in the Gulfstream Oaks.

9. Glinda the Good (Hard Spun): Yes she was second behind Princess Arabella, yes she was third behind On Fire Baby. However, a mile and eighth might just be the distance for her, she hails from the same family as Papa Clem.

10. Reneesgotzip (City Zip): Her pedigree says that she can't go a mile and eighth. However, a nose lost yesterday might prove people wrong. Her sire is afterall a half brother to Ghostzapper and her broodmare sire has had several foals of his win at the Oaks distance (Including the sire of #2).