The Grade I Yolkshire Oaks

A field of nine fillies and mares three years old and up will enter the Surrey starting gate for the eleventh running of the $500,000 Grade I Yolkshire Oaks . The race will be run at one mile and one half over the Firm Turf Course.

JULIA’S DREAM(KY) – kingab’s four-year old filly out of Dynaformer certainly knows her way around the mile and a half circuit winning five of seven at this distance. Yet to capture that elusive Graded Stakes, the chestnut homebred has been no closer than third in both attempts, and might have accomplished that feat last time out had it not been for a poor decision by jockey T Heck getting too far back in the early going leaving the dynamic filly with too much work for the stretch drive. Jockey switch should get this filly closer today for first graded stakes score…graduation day

COLD EMPIRE(KY) – Empire Maker filly from the bigrick stables hasn’t seen the winners circle since November but did show signs of life last time out with a furious finish in The Pamona-G2. Another filly who likes to settle behind the leaders early, she might have to settle in closer behind the leaders this time around much the way she did when she rolled past a field of thirteen in the G1-The Vicky Oaks. The fields second highest money earner will benefit from her last outing, but this field has little speed and sixteen lengths back at the last call might be a huge undertaking this time around…chance off best

HALLOWEEN NIGHT(KY) – one of a trio of runners from the qwikvett stables, this four-year old Point Given filly has been on quite a roll for her connections winning five of her last six starts, the last being her first career stakes win in the mile and one half St-Mango Tootsie Turf Mare Stayer. Lone Graded appearance found her distanced over an off track and may hobbled after that race resulting in a two month layoff. Here to make amends, this filly might be a bit overmatched with these and might be in here to soften up the speed on the front end…happy with part

DUBAI DESERT STAR(KY) – number two of the qwikvett trio, this North Light(IRE) filly appears to have put her best racing behind her. Winless in all her stakes starts, the gritty four-year old still managed to amass over 250k in earnings throughout her career, but will be hard pressed to add to that income against these…another rabbit?…look elsewhere

MAXIMUM IMPACT(KY) – third and probably the best of the qwikvett trinity, the Mineshaft four-year old looks to have found her best stride and certainly does her best running at this distance. Third on Christmas Day at this distance in the G3-Penn Test, this precocious filly proved she fits with these, and her stalking running style will have her well within striking distance should the speed falter. An overlay at 10-1 this filly never turns in a dull effort…watch

GET A LOAD OF ME(KY) – wearing the shamrock of the mtk stables this four year old Giant’s Causeway filly might be aggressively placed by her ambitious connections. A good second in the St-Flat World Turf Mare Stayer four back, this brown homebred was soundly beaten in her only graded stakes appearance albeit over a yielding racetrack. Making up ground in her last, she would have to run the race of her life on Saturday, then she can really boast GET A LOAD OF ME…must show more

OUT OF SPITE(KY) – lenny’s 5yo evil empire entry out of Dynaformer is the fields top money getter with career earnings of over $3.5 million. The talented chestnut mare might be a questionable opponent on Saturday since the multi-graded stakes winner does her best racing going longer and has only one win at this distance coming in allowance company. Another that likes a good view of the field in the early going, the 5-2 morning line favorite is not coming into this race off her best form and might be a bit of an underlay in here in what appears to be a paceless race…proceed with caution

BJ’S PRAYER(KY) – wearing the black and white stripes of the punter stables, the four-year old Rock Hard Ten filly has been lighting it up since hitting the stakes circuit. First or second in her last three, all graded events, this chestnut filly has speed to spare and will be hard to catch in a race where she appears to be the lone speed. Look for this filly to open up daylight on this field and leave the rest battling for second place…clearly the one to beat

CHRONIK(IRE) – three year old Cape Cross(IRE) from the tees stables filly took on the boys last time out when she finished an impressive second in the G1 French Grand Prix. Try’s her hand against older fillies and mares this time, and off that last performance who can knock her. This filly is the number one ranked three year old of her class and is a formidable opponent in here at odds of 13-1. I don’t ordinarily like younger horses against older horses this time of year at this level, but this is a special filly and will sit a perfect trip in this field, and if she’s as good as she advertised, she just might pull off the upset of the day…dangerous

BJ’S PRAYER(KY) looks like the lone speed in this race and is going to leave the main contenders far back with too much to do in the final stages of the race. MAXIMUM IMPACT(KY) will get a good trip and with a little help from his stable mates might have a gambler’s chance if BJ weakens, but I don’t think she has enough class to win it. If CHRONIK(IRE) runs back to her Japanese Oaks race, she will be in perfect position to pull of the upset.