Oaks Blogs

There aren't many serious Oaks contenders in New York at this time of year, but Saturday's Dearly Precious at Aqueduct could produce a few fillies with Oaks aspirations. Run at six furlongs, more likely it's a field of fillies with distance limitations.

Here's a rundown of the field:

1 - Golden Dreamer - Has won 4 of 5 starts and comes off a big win in the Ruthless, which earned her a decent speed figure. Owned by Paraneck Stable, I can see her pointing toward the Oaks with another impressive victory on Saturday. Her pedigree, however, says she may be most effective at distances of a mile or less.

 2 - Luxury Class - Graham Motion-trained filly finished a well-beaten second in a small Laurel stakes. Doesn't yet have any speed figures to indicate major talent.

3 - Special Dream - Heavily raced filly hasn't figured out a way to beat Golden Dreamer, but does show a nice pattern of improvement. Looks strictly like a sprinter.

4- Aspiring - Ships in for trainer Rusty Arnold. Sports a pedigree that says she'll handle classic distances. Her maiden win came at 5 1/2 furlongs over Polytrack. Expect her to stretch out soon if she runs well on Saturday.

5 - Miss Blue Tye Dye - Philly Park-based filly broke her maiden for a claiming tag. Unlikely to have Oaks aspirations.

6 - Hungarian Boatbaby - A strange name for this filly, but she does have talent. Last seen winning a small Delaware stakes. Expecting a big effort from her on Saturday for trainer Tony Dutrow.

Summary: Keep an eye on the well-bred Aspiring. An impressive victory could stamp her as an Oaks contender.

Betting strategy: If, for some reason, you're looking to bet this six-horse field, Hungarian Boatbaby (9-5 ML second choice) is the play. Trainer Dutrow has excellent layoff stats, and she should get a great trip from her outside post. Golden Dreamer will be overbet from the rail.