Louisville, KY (Apr. 27, 2004) -- Bruce Lunsford's Madcap Escapade, winner of the Ashland (Grade I) in her most recent start, is a tepid morning-line choice in a field of 12 3-year-old fillies entered in Friday's 130th running of the $500,000-added Kentucky Oaks (Grade i) at Churchill Downs.

The 1 1/8-mile race which, like Saturday's Kentucky Derby (GI), will be renewed for the 130th consecutive year, has grown into the nation's most coveted race for the 3-year-old filly division and has attracted a powerhouse field that includes reigning 2-year-old filly champion Halfbridled and the winners of most of this year's major stakes races for horses in that division. The Oaks, which will be televised nationally on ESPN, is scheduled as the 10th of 11 races on a racing program that includes six stakes events. Post time for the first race is 11 a.m. (all times Eastern).

Madcap Escapade, a daughter of Hennessy trained by Frank Brothers, has a perfect record in four races and will be ridden by Hall of Fame jockey Jerry Bailey. She will break from post position number six and Churchill Downs oddsmaker Mike Battaglia has installed her as a narrow 3-1 favorite.

Starlight Stable, Paul Saylor and John Martin's Ashado, winner of the Fair Grounds Oaks (GII) and runner-up by a half-length to Madcap Escapade in the Ashland, is the 4-1 second choice in the Kentucky Oaks morning line. The daughter of Saint Ballado, who is trained by Todd Pletcher and ridden by John Velazquez, has a 5-2-1 record in eight races and drew the rail post for the Oaks. Co-owner Jack Wolf of Starlight Stable was hoping for a gate that was a bit farther out.

"I would think that would be the worst one," said Wolf. "But I guess a lot of races are won from the one hole, right? I guess I'd prefer something in the middle, but it is what it is."

Wertheimer Farm's Halfbridled, the champion 2-year-old filly of 2003, is listed as the third choice for the Oaks at 9-2. The Richard Mandella-trained daughter of Unbridled was perfect in four starts in a 2003 campaign that reached its climax with a win in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies (GI), but is winless in two starts this year.

Mr. and Mrs. Martin Wygod's Santa Anita Oaks (GI) winner Silent Sighs, a California-bred daughter of Benchmark trained by Julio Canani, is listed at 6-1 for the Kentucky Oaks. She has won five of six races.

Robert and Beverly Lewis' A.P. Adventure, winner of the Las Virgenes (GI) and third in the Santa Anita Oaks for trainer Wallace Dollase, is listed as an 8-1 risk for the Oaks. Dollase had planned to outfit his filly with blinkers for the Kentucky Oaks, but had a change of heart.

"She's training very sharply now and I think we'd better leave the blinkers off," he said. "It looks like we'll be relaxing on the outside."

Mike Smith will ride A.P. Adventure from post nine.

Also listed at 8-1 are Thomas Van Meter II's Victory U.S.A., a dominating winner over Halfbridled in the Stonerside Beaumont (GIII), and Arnold Zetcher LLC's House of Fortune, winner of the Fantasy (GII) at Oaklawn Park.

All of the dozen fillies in Kentucky Oaks 130 are stakes winners. Also in the field are Buckram Oak Farm's Last Song (20-1), winner of the Bonnie Miss (GII); George Krikorian's Hollywood Story (30-1), winner of last year's Hollywood Starlet (GI); Padua Stable's Class Above; B.A. Man, Inc.'s Island Sand; and Spendthrift Farm, Kidder, Cole & Strong's Stellar Jayne.

Click here for post positions and morning line odds.

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