A crowd of 104,867, up 4.8 percent over the 2008 crowd of 100,046, witnessed
a sublime performance in Friday’s Kentucky Oaks (G1), as favored RACHEL
ALEXANDRA (Medaglia d’Oro) cruised to a record 20 1/4-length victory in a field
of seven three-year-old fillies at Churchill Downs. Kentucky Oaks 135 also
featured a day of events to raise funds for Susan G. Komen for the Cure,
including a “pink out” among race fans and a special one-hour program on NBC’s
sister cable network, Bravo, focusing on the food, fashion, and celebrity
experience associated with Kentucky Oaks Day.
All sources wagering on the 12-race Kentucky Oaks 135 card was $30,020,877, a
3.9 percent decrease from the 2008 total of $31,231,991. On-track wagering for
the entire Kentucky Oaks card was $10,475,352, a decrease of 6.6 percent from
the $11,217,756 wagered by patrons at Churchill Downs during the previous year.
Off-track wagering on the Kentucky Oaks card was $19,545,525, a 2.3 percent
decrease over the 2008 figure of $20,014,235.
Total wagering from all sources on the Kentucky Oaks was $6,839,926, a 25.2
percent decrease over the $9,138,950 wagered on the Kentucky Oaks in 2008.
The 2009 race featured a seven-horse field with an overwhelming favorite, versus
a 10-horse field in 2008 without a prohibitive betting choice.
“We are extremely pleased with how the fans, especially our Louisville
community, turned out for the 135th running of the Kentucky Oaks,” Churchill
Downs Inc. Chief Operating Officer Bill Carstanjen said. “We fielded a solid
card that delivered strong handle figures in a very tough economy. With an
incredible horse in Rachel Alexandra established as the heavy favorite in
Kentucky Oaks 135, we expected handle to be down on that race — but
fortunately, the rest of the card held up well as our fans turned out in force.
We were thrilled with the coverage of the Kentucky Oaks on NBC’s sister cable
network, Bravo, and by our fans’ support of the ‘pink out’ we conducted with our
partner, Susan G. Komen for the Cure. We were also glad to welcome back
customers around the country who wagered on the Kentucky Oaks Day card through
national advance-deposit wagering companies such as TwinSpires.com.”
Churchill Downs returned $24,453,120 to bettors, which amounts to 81.5
percent of total wagering. The Commonwealth of Kentucky received $382,205
in revenues generated through the state’s excise tax on pari-mutuel wagering.
Rachel Alexandra’s spectacular victory in Kentucky Oaks 135 gave owners L and
M Partners LLC, trainer Hal Wiggins and jockey Calvin Borel their first garland
of lilies. Rachel Alexandra extended her winning streak to five and returned
$2.60 on a $2 wager as the 3-10 betting choice. The bay filly completed the 1
1/8-mile distance over a fast track in 1:48.87.