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Nick Tammaro is making his debut as Churchill Downs' oddsmaker this spring.
The Houston, Texas, native has big shoes to fill: Mike Battaglia, who correctly identified the Kentucky Derby favorite 39 times in 51 runnings dating back to 1974 — a 76.5% success rate.
Compared to handicapping the 152nd Kentucky Oaks, however, the Run for the Roses feels like a walk in the park.
"There are three horses who sort of — they don't tower over everybody in the Derby; but they're going to garner the majority of the attention," Tammaro told The Courier Journal. "Whereas in the Oaks, that number's really probably more like five or six."
Last year's winning trainer, Louisville native Brad Cox, put it this way after Saturday's post position draw for the $1.5 million, 1⅛-mile race for 3-year-old fillies: "There's no standout; and there's no throw-out."
Now that the field of 14 is set, here are three takeaways if you're looking to wager on the first Oaks under the lights (post time: 8:40 p.m. Friday, May 1):
In morning-line favorite Zany (4-1), Tammaro is hoping bettors take a chance on a filly coming off a loss.
The Todd Pletcher-trained daughter of Triple Crown winner American Pharoah, fell to 3-1-0 across four career starts for Repole Stable with her second-place finish the Grade 1 Central Bank Ashland Stakes on April 3, crossing the wire 2¼ lengths behind Percy's Bar.
What sets Zany apart from the other contenders? Tammaro pointed to her victory last December in the Grade 2 Demoiselle Stakes at Aqueduct — "I still don't know if any of them have run that well, whether at 2 or 3 (years old)," he said.
Zany and jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. drew the No. 2 spot Saturday. Pletcher, who is one Oaks victory away from entering a three-way tie with Woody Stephens and D. Wayne Lukas for the most by a trainer with five, was not in attendance.
Tammaro ventured to guess the Hall of Famer would have preferred an outside draw. But ...
"Being outside, in the clear, last (time) out is what enabled Percy's Bar to sneak up the rail and beat them," the oddsmaker said.
After Zany, there are five horses with odds ranging from 5-1 and 10-1.
They are, in order of post position:
Cox has three Oaks victories to his name, including last year's with 6-5 favorite Good Cheer, who started in the No. 10 spot. But he's never gone back-to-back.
Maybe this was a sign that history will repeat itself? Prom Queen drew No. 10 on Saturday.
The daughter of Quality Road is 2-1-0 across three career starts and coming off a 2¾-length win in the Grade 2 Gulfstream Park Oaks with Javier Castellano in the irons on March 28.
"I'm happy with the draw," Cox told The Courier Journal on Saturday. "... Looking back at her Gulfstream Oaks, I'm hopeful she can get a similar trip."
This story will be updated.
Reach Louisville men's basketball reporter Brooks Holton at [email protected] and follow him on X at @brooksHolton.
This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Kentucky Oaks 2026 field at Churchill Downs highlighted by depth
Continue reading...
The Houston, Texas, native has big shoes to fill: Mike Battaglia, who correctly identified the Kentucky Derby favorite 39 times in 51 runnings dating back to 1974 — a 76.5% success rate.
Compared to handicapping the 152nd Kentucky Oaks, however, the Run for the Roses feels like a walk in the park.
"There are three horses who sort of — they don't tower over everybody in the Derby; but they're going to garner the majority of the attention," Tammaro told The Courier Journal. "Whereas in the Oaks, that number's really probably more like five or six."
Last year's winning trainer, Louisville native Brad Cox, put it this way after Saturday's post position draw for the $1.5 million, 1⅛-mile race for 3-year-old fillies: "There's no standout; and there's no throw-out."
Now that the field of 14 is set, here are three takeaways if you're looking to wager on the first Oaks under the lights (post time: 8:40 p.m. Friday, May 1):
Zany, Kentucky Oaks morning-line favorite, drew an inside spot
In morning-line favorite Zany (4-1), Tammaro is hoping bettors take a chance on a filly coming off a loss.
The Todd Pletcher-trained daughter of Triple Crown winner American Pharoah, fell to 3-1-0 across four career starts for Repole Stable with her second-place finish the Grade 1 Central Bank Ashland Stakes on April 3, crossing the wire 2¼ lengths behind Percy's Bar.
What sets Zany apart from the other contenders? Tammaro pointed to her victory last December in the Grade 2 Demoiselle Stakes at Aqueduct — "I still don't know if any of them have run that well, whether at 2 or 3 (years old)," he said.
Zany and jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. drew the No. 2 spot Saturday. Pletcher, who is one Oaks victory away from entering a three-way tie with Woody Stephens and D. Wayne Lukas for the most by a trainer with five, was not in attendance.
Tammaro ventured to guess the Hall of Famer would have preferred an outside draw. But ...
"Being outside, in the clear, last (time) out is what enabled Percy's Bar to sneak up the rail and beat them," the oddsmaker said.
Not sold on Zany in the Oaks? There are plenty of other options
After Zany, there are five horses with odds ranging from 5-1 and 10-1.
They are, in order of post position:
- Explora (No. 1, 6-1)
- Counting Stars (No. 4, 8-1)
- Meaning (No. 5, 5-1)
- Always a Runner (No. 9, 10-1)
- Prom Queen (No. 10, 8-1)
- Percy's Bar (No. 11, 6-1)
- Bella Ballerina (No. 12, 10-1)
Brad Cox will look to repeat in the No. 10 spot
Cox has three Oaks victories to his name, including last year's with 6-5 favorite Good Cheer, who started in the No. 10 spot. But he's never gone back-to-back.
Maybe this was a sign that history will repeat itself? Prom Queen drew No. 10 on Saturday.
The daughter of Quality Road is 2-1-0 across three career starts and coming off a 2¾-length win in the Grade 2 Gulfstream Park Oaks with Javier Castellano in the irons on March 28.
"I'm happy with the draw," Cox told The Courier Journal on Saturday. "... Looking back at her Gulfstream Oaks, I'm hopeful she can get a similar trip."
This story will be updated.
Reach Louisville men's basketball reporter Brooks Holton at [email protected] and follow him on X at @brooksHolton.
This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Kentucky Oaks 2026 field at Churchill Downs highlighted by depth
Continue reading...
