Fourteen top 3-year-old fillies competed in the 133rd edition of the $500,000 Kentucky Oaks (G1), traditionally held on the Friday before the Kentucky Derby. With heavy rains overnight and dark clouds all day, the track was sloppy during the undercard and was downgraded to muddy and sealed for the main event. 100,075 fans came out to Churchill Downs braved the weather and bet down Todd Pletcher trainee and Santa Anita Oaks winner Rags to Riches to 3-2 favoritism over 5-1 second choice Dreaming of Anna, returning to the track where she won the Breeders' Cup Juvenile last November. Fantasy Stakes winner High Heels and Ashland Stakes runner-up Octave rounded out the top four on the board at just over 6-1.
Expected pacesetter Dreaming of Anna was gunned to the lead by regular rider Rene Douglas and, under pressure from 24-1 Mistical Plan and jockey David Flores, set a brisk pace of 23.25, 47.89, and 1:12.69 over the muddy, tiring surface. Octave stayed in contact in seventh in the tightly bunched field, while High Heels sat back in tenth early on. Garrett Gomez kept Rags to Riches in fifth down the backstretch, staying out five wide avoiding the deep rail and traffic trouble. Turning for home, Rags to Riches easily moved up on the field, picking off the tiring pacesetters and taking over the lead with 1 1/2 furlongs to go. Octave put in a late run between horses but was left with too much to do, as Rags to Riches drew off to win by 4 1/4 lengths in 1:49.99. It was 3 1/2 lengths back from Octave to late closing High Heels in third, while Dreaming of Anna faded from her fast early pace to finish sixth.
