This week we’ll be heading up North a little bit to the horse-racing capital of the United States. We won’t be in the heart of the great state, staying off into the region of Eastern Kentucky. We’ll be covering the premier stakes race of the day, the Grade I lool Oaks, a race open to three-year-old fillies. The famous race will be run over the main track at a distance of a mile and one sixteenth. Last year’s winner of the lool Oaks (G1), Star Of The Sea, owned and trained by focussed, went on to make a start in the Bluegrass Oaks (G1). So this race this weekend will be an important stepping stone for these fillies if they’re going to attempt to make it into the filly Triple Tiara that will be coming up soon. It will be mostly sunny for most of the week here in Eastern Kentucky, although by the time Saturday rolls around we’re likely to have some cloud cover here at the track, though no rain will be accompanying it. We’ll have a fast dirt track to set the stage for drama this weekend, as the fourteen fillies take to the track to try to accomplish greatness. Let’s take a look at the fantastic fillies that will be making starts here in the lool Oaks (G1) this weekend.

1. Brush With A Skunk - (Congrats x Broad Brush x Forty Niner) - skunktime of Skunkbarn Stables - E. Martinsen - 14/1

A homebred bred and raised in Florida, the brown filly will be making her third consecutive start in a graded stakes race this weekend. The three-year-old has made seven lifetime starts, winning three times in her career. Recently, she has just come off a start in the Amber Waves Of Grain Restricted (G1) over nine furlongs in Vermont. After breaking at the back of the pack in the race, she rallied late in the stretch to cross the wire in third, just a length and a quarter off the winner, setting a speed figure of ninety-five. Her only other graded stakes start, ended in a sixth place finish during the Reflection Futurity (G3) over a mile. Prior to her two stakes starts, the filly won two consecutive allowance races. Likely to break mid-pack at the start of the race on Saturday, we can probably expect her around the fifth or sixth position out of the gate, although if it is beneficial with the pace, the connections may decide to hold the filly back towards the rear of the field, as she has already shown she can do successfully in two previous starts.

2. Epsilon Cat - (Eddington x Storm Cat x Grey Dawn II) - wortud of Lilbitfarm Stables - P. McGaunn - 7/1

Out of the stakes winning broodmare Alpha Cat, the brown three-year-old filly has made twelve lifetime starts, winning half of these starts. She too made her most recent start during the California Oaks (G1). The filly broke out of the gate towards the middle of the pack, unfortunately she didn’t gain much ground in the race, and finished sixth in the race, back off the race by five and a half lengths. She set a speed figure of ninety-one. Prior to this the filly won two races consecutively, The Exbourne’s Asia Special and The Lakehouse Stakes, both listed stakes races. Her best finish in a graded stakes start was a third place finish as a two-year-old in the Movieland Starlet (G1). The filly will either be out of the gate early on and run towards the front of the pack, or she may be out later out of the gate and run towards the middle of the pack for the majority of the race.

3. Haack’s Brown - (Big Brown x Mr. Prospector x Northern Dancer) - xhaack of Otto Haack - D. Balderas - 11/1

Making her fourth consecutive graded stakes start this weekend. She made her most recent start in The Lady Bourbon (G3) over a mile here in Eastern Kentucky. The brown Kentucky-bred filly would break towards the tail end of the field in that race, but would start to gain some ground in the stretch. However, she was a little too late as she came home to finish ninth in the race, nine lengths back in the pack with a speed figure of ninety-one.. Her most recent victory was in the Reflection Futurity (G3) as a two-year-old, which she won by a length and a half. The filly will probably play the role as a late closer on Saturday, not making any definite moves to advance until the latter stages of the race.

4. Grand Mom - (Suave x Grand Slam x Dixieland Band) - graywolf8 of Wolf’s Den - J. Gomez - 14/1

Out of the top caliber Grade I winning broodmare, Land Slam, the three-year-old chestnut filly is one of the more experienced starters going to the gate this weekend. With sixteen career starts, the chestnut filly has won three times so far in her career, although she needs to improve off her last start to get the job done here in the lool Oaks (G1). She last finished thirteenth in The Lady Bourbon (G3) over eight furlongs right here in Eastern Kentucky. She broke well out of the gate and sat off the pace behind a few front runners in third, however, once they reached the turn the filly burnt out, which ultimately led to her finishing thirteenth, with a speed figure of eighty-six. She hasn’t fared overly well in her graded stakes starts, her best finishes coming in the California Oaks (G1) and the Getaway Stakes (G1), in which she finished fifth in both races. The most recent win for the filly was last September during the Meet The Legend Challenge, a listed stakes race over a mile in which she won going wire to wire. The filly would probably like to go out to the lead in this race, and will likely be back no further than third out of the gate.

5. Incredible Rippa - (Ghostzapper x Gone West x Summer Squall) - tg1 of Tg Stables - R. Zamora - 8/1

Out of the graded winning broodmare Incredible Rip, this filly has accumulated career earnings of $516,000 for her total twelve lifetime starts. The Kentucky-bred is coming off a one length victory in the eight and half furlong Louisiana Oaks (G2) in her most recent start. She was held up close to the pace out of the gate during the race, off a few pacesetters, and made her way to the lead in the final turn. The filly also recorded the best speed figure of her career in this race, a one hundred three. She has a lot of promise, and amazingly the Louisiana Oaks (G2) was the first race this filly has won since she broke her maiden as a two-year-old in the second start of her career. The filly will probably be forwardly placed on Saturday, though likely set back behind a few pacesetters again. Ideally, she’ll probably be third out of the gate at the break.

6. Pejorative T - (Johar x Fusaichi Pegasus x Secretariat) - tedstables of Tedstables Stables - J. Sorrell - 13/1

Making her lucky thirteenth career start this weekend, the chestnut filly has only won one race so far in her twelve start career. The Kentucky-bred three-year-old is out of the stakes winning broodmare Pegatariat T. The filly is going to have to improve this weekend though to get to where the connections would like her to be this weekend. She recently finished last, thirteen and three-fourth lengths off the pace, during the nine furlong Florida Derby (G1), a Derby lock prep race. Though probably not gunning to run with the boys again, the filly, if she rebounds and improves with her next starts, could be under consideration for other reputable races in the future. The fillies only win came when she broke her maiden as a two-year-old, however, she has come close to clinching victory again. Most recently, the filly finished second, back by only half a length in the Gold River II (IRE) Challenge, a listed stakes race over a mile. She also finished second in The Sell The Queen (G2) at nine furlongs. The filly will probably want to be up very close to the pace this weekend, likely either first out of the gate or right behind the front-runner in second.

7. Causeway Queen - (Giant’s Causeway (IRE) x Smart Strike x Seattle Slew) - goldsmith of Goldsmith Stables - R. Moffett - 9/1

Lightly raced with six career starts, the Kentucky-bred filly is out of the stakes placed broodmare That Smarts. The brown filly has won two races in her career, with her total of six lifetime starts. She too, like many of the other starters this weekend, made her last race the Louisiana Oaks (G2). The filly broke second out of the gate in the eight and a half furlong race, in what was to be her first graded stakes appearance. She gained ground briefly as the field went into the final turn, but was pushed back as they went down the stretch. The brown filly would still finish on the board, crossing the wire in third with a speed figure of ninety-six, but she was five and a half lengths off the pace of the winner of the race. Her most recent win came in a seven and a half furlong allowance race overseas in India. The filly took the race in wire to wire fashion, winning by a quarter of a length. The filly has definite speed and would probably like to go out on the lead this weekend, but she can also set off the pace of a few horses successfully if need be without ruining her chances.

8. Taylor’s Story - (Distorted Humor x Hennessy x Private Account) - deyoto3 of Champion Lodge - W. Mauriello - 8/1

One lightly raced filly in the field, like many has made her last start in the Lousiana Oaks (G2). The chestnut filly, bred in Kentucky, is out of the Grade I winning broodmare Carol Of The Bells. The filly finished second in her Louisiana Oaks (G2) start, after breaking from back in the middle of the pack, though she quickly started picking off other horses right from the start, working her way to the lead with every stride. She set a lifetime best speed figure for this race, a one hundred two. Late last year the filly also won the Mistaken Soda Identity Stakes (G3) by two and three-fourths of a length as a two-year-old. Unlike a lot of the field running this weekend, this filly likes to set pretty far off the pace in her races, which may be good for her if there is a speed dual or the other fillies get bunt up on a fast pace this weekend. She will likely sit around eighth at the gate, but has also ran mid-pack before in a few of her starts.

9. Realms Of Fear - (Value Plus x Ghostzapper x Saint Ballado) - sdmf2 of Black Label Stables - K. Chesterman - 12/1

Returning to graded stakes competition this weekend, the three-year-old dark gray filly is out of the broodmare What I’ve Become. The Kentucky-bred filly has had a total of ten lifetime starts, winning a total of four races. She’s coming off a one and three-fourth length win in The Military Horse Special, a listed stakes race over eight and a half furlongs in Massachusetts. In her prior start, she didn’t fare very well when she finished sixteenth in the Ohio Luck Restricted (G1), in her most recent graded stakes start. Her best finish so far in a graded stakes start has been a second place finish in the DPCD VIII Mother Story Handicap (G1). The filly will probably break towards the front of the field this weekend in lool Oaks (G1), possibly even go out to the lead, although she can be rated back slightly off the pace.

10. Hard Indian - (Hard Spun x Mr. Greeley x A.P. Indy) - taylormade of Universal Stables - J. Caves - 7/1

One of the most successful fillies coming to the lool Oaks (G1) field this weekend is this Kentucky-bred filly who was out of the freshman crop of the new sire Hard Spun. The chestnut filly has made ten lifetime starts, and has only finished off the board in one of her races throughout her career so far. She has also accumulated a total of $1,232,250 in career earnings. She’s coming off of an impressive two length win in the California Oaks (G1) over eight and a half furlongs. The filly set a lifetime best speed figure of ninety-eight for this race. She has also placed in several other stakes races throughout her career. The filly will likely be set off the pace from a few front runners at the start, likely around the fourth or fifth position at the start of the race.

11. Awesome Chance - (Awesome Again x Distorted Humor x Dynaformer) - bandinni of Right At Home Stables - J. Guiterrez - 18/1

A late entry into the field this weekend, the Kentucky-bred filly will be making just her fifth career start over the dirt. The blue-blooded filly began her racing career on the turf, coming out of the stakes placed broodmare Fighting Chance. The filly made her most recent start over the dirt during the Happy Honeymoon Stakes, a listed stakes race over eight and a half furlongs. She began her race at the back of the pack, not making advancements in position until the final furlongs of the race. The brown filly eventually came in ninth at the wire with a speed figure of ninety. She’s only made one start at graded stakes level over the dirt. This came a few months ago during the Davola Dane South (G3). She again began her race at the back of the field, but moved up impressively in the final furlongs, finishing second by just a head at the wire. The filly seems to prefer to run in a closing position, though she has also done well running on the pace before, so it wouldn’t be wrong not rule out any possibility with this filly.

12. Ignorify - (Mineshaft x Danzig x Secretariat) - squirrel of The Squirrel Empire - B. Obwan - 9/1

One of the most winning fillies in the race this weekend, with a total of four career wins so far, is out of the graded placed broodmare Mud And Suds. The Kentucky-bred filly, who has ten lifetime starts, is coming off of a second place finish in the Ruby Round Table Memorial, a listed stakes race over nine furlongs. The brown filly broke first out of the gate and went straight to the lead in the race, but surrendered her lead as she started to fade in the turn. She would finish second at the wire, four lengths back, with a speed figure of ninety-two. Her prior race resulted in a half length win in another listed stakes race, The Gold River II (IRE) Challenge. She set a lifetime best speed figure in this race, a one hundred. Though none of them are very recent, the filly has made graded stakes starts before in her career. The most recent of these is the DPCD VIII Mother Story Handicap (G1) over a mile. The filly finished third, only a half length off from the win. Though the filly sometimes goes to the lead out of the gates in her races, she is usually more content to set back off a few horses, generally around the fourth position.

13. Glorious Moon - (Malibu Moon x Storm Cat x Octagonal (NZ)) - broohar of Broohar Stables - T. West - 9/1

Nearing the half a million dollar mark in career earnings, the three-year-old filly made her most recent start in The Chicago (G3) over six furlongs in New York. The Kentucky-bred filly broke out of the starting gate towards the middle of the pack, going on to gain ground in the final half of the race. The filly would eventually cross the wire in fourth, off the pace by one and three-fourth lengths, with a speed figure of ninety-four. Her most recent win was last December as a two-year-old during the DPCD VIII Thxmssslew Handicap (G1). The brown filly will likely be off the pace at the start of the lool Oaks (G1) this weekend, probably back around seventh or eighth out of the gate this weekend.

14. Hawaiian Gold - (Touch Gold x Hennessy x Event Of The Year) - jeffsbarn of Jeffsbarn Stables - W. Desantis - 11/1

Winning four times in her nine rare career, the brown filly is out of the stakes winning broodmare Aloha. The Kentucky-bred filly is coming off a third place finish in the eight and a half furling California Oaks (G1). She was off out of the gate towards the rear of the field, not making a definite move in the race until the field entered the stretch. She would eventually finish third in the race with a speed figure of ninety-six. Her most recent win was in the Los Vinegrette Stakes (G1) at eight furlongs in just his prior start. She too, in this race, came from off the pace, though started moving earlier on in the race for the lead. Lately the filly has been running mid-pack to a closing position, though earlier in her career she was also running towards the front of the pack. So the filly is versatile and could be found anywhere at the break of the race on Saturday, however she will likely be towards the rear of the field to try to throw in a good closing punch in the final furlongs.