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KENTUCKY OAKS 141 PREVIEW Friday's $1 million Kentucky Oaks (G1) at Churchill Downs has come up very tough. A case may be made for nearly every runner in the field of 14, and there are quite a few who could go off at long odds. We're going with one of those who might offer a price in Birdatthewire (Summer Bird), who is listed at 6-1 on the morning line. The bay miss may not have attracted as much attention as the Larry Jones-trained duo, or the phenon from Santa Anita Park, but the hard-knocking miss has the ability to get the job done on the big day. 1ST -- Trained by Dale Romans, who is based at Churchill Downs for much of the year, Birdatthewire actually began her career under the Twin Spires as a two-year-old. She finished third in her debut, shipped to Keeneland for last fall's meet to be second and fourth on two occasions, then headed back to Churchill for a first career victory in late November. Instead of sticking around for the frigid Kentucky winter, Romans sent Birdatthewire to Florida, and that's where the filly did all of her Oaks preparations. She captured her sophomore debut at 12-1 while making her stakes bow in the Forward Gal S. (G2) in late January, and wouldn't see double-digit odds again in her next two starts. Birdatthewire just missed by a neck in the Davona Dale S. (G2) at Gulfstream one month later, but earned a stellar 104 BRIS Speed rating, which is only equaled by Eskenformoney (Eskendereya) in Friday's Oaks field. Eskenformoney earned that same number when running third behind Birdatthewire in the Davona Dale and chased her home once again next out in the Gulfstream Park Oaks (G2). Birdatthewire was the 8-5 favorite in that 1 1/16-mile contest and lived up to those odds when overcoming a bit of trouble to prevail by 1 1/4 lengths on the wire. She came from last, her preferred running style which could serve her well in Friday's speed-laden Oaks field. Irad Ortiz Jr. has been aboard for both of Birdatthewire's wins thus far this year, and keeps the mount as the powerful filly stretches out to nine furlongs for the first time in the Kentucky Oaks. 2ND -- While we're willing to take a shot with a price horse, we're not totally discounting 7-2 favorite Stellar Wind (Curlin). The Santa Anita Oaks (G1) heroine has more than earned her early favoritism after capturing three of her four lifetime starts. The chestnut miss actually began her career with Donald Barr, but was transferred to John Sadler after being privately purchased by Peter and Kosta Hronis following an 8 3/4-length maiden romp in her second career race at Laurel Park. Stellar Wind immediately proved to be a smart buy when cruising to an effortless victory in her three-year-old debut at Santa Anita Park, the Santa Ysabel S. (G3), by 2 3/4 lengths. She followed up two months later in the Santa Anita Oaks, this time sailing home by 5 1/4 lengths. Our biggest knock against Stellar Wind is that she was never tested in her past three races. The filly is versatile, proving capable of winning as a front runner and as a closer, but she's not going to get away without a challenge in the Kentucky Oaks, and that could prove to be her downfall under regular rider Victor Espinoza. 3RD -- A Kentucky Oaks top three is not complete without a Jones filly thrown in somewhere. I'm a Chatterbox (Munnings) is our choice over her Ashland S. (G1)-winning stablemate Lovely Maria (Majesticperfection). The pair met up in the Rachel Alexandra S. (G3) two back, and I'm a Chatterbox easily pulled away to a 2 1/2-length score in that Fair Grounds feature. In fact, she's another who has yet to face true adversity this season. I'm a Chatterbox was transferred to Jones' shedrow for her sophomore campaign and immediately stepped up to wire the Silverbulletday S. by eight lengths on January 17 in New Orleans. She followed up in the Rachel Alexandra and Fair Grounds Oaks (G2), and enters Friday's Kentucky Oaks the 4-1 co-second choice in the field with New York-powerhouse Condo Commando (Tiz Wonderful). I'm a Chatterbox could easily follow in the hoofsteps of many a Fair Grounds Oaks winner and parlay that into a Kentucky Oaks victory, but she was unable to factor in her two tries over the Churchill main track as a juvenile, including a fourth-placing in the Golden Rod S. (G2) last November. Florent Geroux has been aboard since the chestnut miss arrived in Jones' barn and retains the mount Friday. LONGSHOT -- Considering only five of the 14-filly Kentucky Oaks field is listed at single-digit odds on the morning-line, there is plenty of room for picking a longshot in this talented bunch. We're going with Oceanwave (Harlan's Holiday), who will open the wagering at 30-1 while seeking her first stakes score on Friday. The gray miss earned her shot at Oaks glory by way of Oaklawn Park. The Wayne Catalano trainee finished second in her March 7 stakes debut, the Honeybee S. (G3), and took a step forward to fill that same spot, but only a neck behind the winner, in the Fantasy S. (G3) last out. Oceanwave has valuable experience at Churchill, making her career bow at the track and rallying from sixth to be a fast-closing third, beaten just a length, while going seven furlongs. She obviously appreciates extra distance and could come flying late once again to shock them all under Rafael Bejarano.
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