'All Others' Narrow Choice Over Princess Arabella in 2012 Kentucky Oaks Futures

Mar 05, 2012 John Asher

Although fans of the $1 million Kentucky Oaks (Grade I) made the “All Others” (#24) betting interest the overall favorite in Churchill Downs’ 2012 Kentucky Oaks Future Wager (“KOFW”), they recognized Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert’s opportunities to win America’s premier race for 3-year-old fillies for a second consecutive year by placing his young stars Princess Arabella (#18) and Eden’s Moon (#9) among the individual favorites when the Oaks Future pool ended its three-day run Sunday evening.

The mutuel field, known to many fans as “All Others” because it includes all 3-year-old fillies other than the 23 individual horses in the Oaks Future bet, was the 4-1 fan’s choice when wagering concluded in the lone Kentucky Oaks future pool.  But Baffert’s stars occupied two of the next three spots on the betting roster as Peachtree Stable’s unbeaten Princess Arabella closed as the 6-1 favored individual and Kaleem Shah’s Eden’s Moon, winner of Saturday’s Las Virgenes (GI) at Santa Anita, was made the pool’s fourth betting choice at 9-1.  Baffert won last year’s Kentucky Oaks with Peachtree’s Plum Pretty, and also took the the race in 1999 with Mike Pegram’s multiple champion and Hall of Fame filly Silverbulletday.  Baffert and Peachtree had a third betting interest in the 2012 Oaks pool in Mamma Kimbo, a dazzling winner in her only race and a 26-1 risk in the pari-mutuel Oaks Future pool.

Separating the Baffert stars was the steady Grace Hall, winner of the Spinaway (GI) and runner-up to unbeaten 2-year-old filly champion My Miss Aurelia in the Grey Goose Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (GI).  The Anthony Dutrow-trained daughter of Empire Maker was an 8-1 risk when wagering at racetracks, off-track betting and TwinSpires.com and other online wagering platforms closed at 6:30 p.m. (Eastern) on Sunday.

The Kentucky Oaks Future Wager, now in its ninth year, offers fans an opportunity to wager on possible contenders for the 138^th running of the $1 million Kentucky Oaks (GI) weeks in advance of the race at odds that could be more attractive than those available on race day.  The 1 1/8-mile Oaks, America’s premier race for 3-year-old fillies, is scheduled for Friday, May 4, at Churchill Downs.

Kentucky Oaks fans wagered $92,476 during the three days of 2012 Kentucky Oaks Future betting, with $63,960 of that total ending up in win betting and $28,516 in exacta wagering.  The Oaks Future bet is a $2 minimum wager, and $1 exacta boxes and wheels are offered.

The “All Others” bet became a winner in last year’s Oaks Future Bet when Plum Pretty and St. John’s River, both members of the 2011 mutuel field, finished 1-2 in the main event.  It was just the second time that a filly in the “All Others” wagering interest had won the Oaks.  Lemons Forever (2006) was the only previous Oaks winner to be a member of a KOFW mutuel field.

Other Kentucky Oaks Future fillies that drew solid support during the just-completed pool include Zo Impressive (#23, 12-1), an unbeaten daughter of Hard Spun who easily won a Gulfstream Park allowance race last week for trainer Tom Albertrani;  On Fire Baby (#17, 13-1), winner of Churchill Downs’ Pocahontas (GII) and Golden Rod (GII) for Louisville-based trainer Gary Hartlage; trainer Bret Calhoun’s Rachel Alexandra (GIII) winner Summer Applause (#20, 16-1); the Michael Matz-trained And Why Not (#2, 19-1), runner-up in the Pocahontas; and the Todd Pletcher-trained Demoiselle (GII) winner Disposablepleasure (#7, 23-1).

Information on the Kentucky Oaks Future Wager and the Kentucky Oaks can be found on the official event Web site at www.KentuckyOaks.com.

Click here for a look at final odds and $2 mutuel will-pays in the 2012 Kentucky Oaks Future Wager.

Click here to see $2 exacta payouts for the 2012 Kentucky Oaks Future Wager.