Talented filly Nest has been installed as the 5-2 morning-line favorite ahead of Friday's 148th running of the Longines Kentucky Oaks. The Grade 1 race, with a purse of $1.25 million, is biggest event for 3-year-old female horses.
Trainer Todd Pletcher will send out Nest, who will be ridden by three-time Eclipse Award winner Irad Ortiz Jr., for her sixth career start. Nest has won four times, including an 8 1/4-length romp in the Ashland Stakes at Keeneland Race Course last time out.
Kathleen O. will break from post No. 10 in the 14-horse field, while Echo Zulu (4-1) drew the No. 7 spot for the race. The draw wasn't as kind to Secret Oath, the talented filly who finished third against the boys in the Arkansas Derby for Half of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas. The daughter of late 2016 Breeders Cup champion Arrogate is the fourth betting choice at 6-1 odds.
The Oaks comes a day before the 148th running of the Kentucky Derby, which will feature 20 of the top 3-year-old horses in the world to be run on the dirt at 1 1/4 miles. It's the first leg of horse racing's Triple Crown, which includes the Preakness and Belmont Stakes.
Zandon, who won the Toyota Blue Grass Stakes despite a difficult trip under jockey Flavien Prat, is the current favorite at 3-1 odds. Twinspires.com Louisiana Derby winner Epicenter (7-2) is next, followed by Messier (8-1) to complete the lone contenders boasting single-digit odds in the 20-horse field.
Action Network handicapper Jeremy Pond and TVG analyst Andie Biancone have provided in-depth coverage the entire Derby prep season and will be delivering their insight on the Oaks and leading up to the "The Fastest Two Minutes in Sports," with another Derby champion set to be crowned.
That said, let's take a look at the full field and betting odds.
2022 Kentucky Oaks Odds
| POST POSITION | HORSE | ODDS |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Secret Oath | 6-1 |
| 2 | Nostalgic | 15-1 |
| 3 | Hidden Connection | 10-1 |
| 4 | Nest | 5-2 |
| 5 | Goddess of Fire | 15-1 |
| 6 | Yuugiri | 30-1 |
| 7 | Echo Zulu | 4-1 |
| 8 | Venti Valentine | 20-1 |
| 9 | Desert Dawn | 20-1 |
| 10 | Kathleen O. | 7-2 |
| 11 | Cocktail Moments | 30-1 |
| 12 | Candy Raid | 30-1 |
| 13 | Shahama | 15-1 |
| 14 | Turnerloose | 20-1 |
