Kentucky Oaks Picks, Latest Odds, Expert Predictions & Horse-by-Horse Guide: Tenma takes off for Bob Baffert

Kentucky Derby hopeful, Good Cheer, trained by Brad Cox, gallops on the track at Churchill Downs.
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Andrew Wilsher

Horse Racing

Managing Editor of Pickswise. Born and raised in jolly old London, England, with an undying love for the NFL, NBA, soccer and horse racing. A big-time sports bettor who loves futures markets and backing underdogs. Long-suffering New York Jets fan. For Andrew Wilsher media enquiries, please email contact@pickswise.com.
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When is the 2025 Kentucky Oaks Race?

The Kentucky Oaks is on Friday, May 2, at Churchill Downs racetrack in Louisville, Kentucky.

2025 Kentucky Oaks Post Time

The scheduled post time for the 2025 Kentucky Oaks is 5:51 pm ET.

If you’re looking to place a bet on the Kentucky Oaks and need a racebook to sign up for, then make sure you check out FanDuel Racing! New users can secure a no-sweat first bet on the Kentucky Oaks and Kentucky Derby up to $500! Click here to sign up now, or if you’re from California or Florida, make sure you click this link to get started!

Kentucky Oaks Odds – Who is Favorite to Win the KY Oaks in 2025?

Good Cheer, trained by Brad Cox and owned by Godolphin, is the current favorite to win the Kentucky Oaks at 7-5, making her the clear favorite. From there the betting is very tight, with La Cara, Simply Joking, Tenma and Quietside all having odds between 7-1 and 9-1. Below is a list of each horse running in the 2025 Kentucky Oaks and their odds, courtesy of FanDuel Racing.

  • Good Cheer 7-5
  • La Cara 7-1
  • Simply Joking 8-1
  • Tenma 8-1
  • Quietside 9-1
  • Bless The Broken 11-1
  • Ballerina D’oro 12-1
  • Take Charge Milady 13-1
  • Fondly 22-1
  • Anna’s Promise 22-1
  • Drexel Hill 37-1
  • Early On 42-1
  • Quickick 46-1

Find out the best horse racing betting sites ahead of the Kentucky Oaks and Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs this weekend!

Kentucky Oaks 2025 Horses and Runner-by-Runner Guide

There are 13 horses declared to run in the Kentucky Oaks, along with one non-runner (Five G). Below is the name and number of each horse, as well as a quick guide to how they might perform from our horse racing expert.

1 Early On

Consistent form lately. Finished behind Ballerina d’Oro at Aqueduct last month when involved in the finish in a Grade 3.

2 Simply Joking

Related to Stakes winner Drum Roll Please and won a stakes race in January. Simply Joking ran well when beaten three-quarters of a length at Oaklawn Park 5 weeks ago in a Grade 2 and looks likely to go well.

3 Fondly

Related to Grade 3 winner Antiquarian and bids to pull off a hat-trick. Got home in front by half a length at Colonial Downs over 1m½f in a stakes race 48 days ago. Not ruled out.

4 Drexel Hill

Problems at the start (stumbled) at Aqueduct when winning by three-quarters of a length in February in a stakes race. Drexel Hill managed 2 wins in her last 4 outings but may have to settle for a supporting role despite the last-time-out success.

5 Quickick

Fair effort when beaten by 7 lengths at Fair Grounds 6 weeks ago in a Grade 2, where she finished 4th out of 8 runners. Quickick is looking for her 2nd career win and with a few rivals in good form she is hard to recommend.

6 Ballerina D’oro

Ballerina D’oro was successful twice in her last 5 starts, including when winning in front by a nose 27 days ago in a Grade 3 at Aqueduct. She could be in the thick of things.

7 La Cara

Scored by a slim margin in a Grade 1 at Keeneland last month and has now been successful 4 times in her last 6 starts. La Cara has previously won at Churchill Downs, but despite that Keeneland success she is not one to rely on.

9 Tenma

Tenma made it a hat-trick of wins last time and has now won 5 of her 6 career runs. She scored in the Santa Anita Oaks at Santa Anita last month and deserves to be respected.

10 Take Charge Milady

Take Charge Milady finished behind La Cara at Keeneland last month when beaten just over a length in a Grade 1. She has been on target twice in her last 3 outings and is likely to go well.

11 Good Cheer

Good Cheer is unbeaten through 6 career starts and extended her winning streak on her latest start. She came out on top by three-and-a-half lengths over 1m½f in a Grade 2 at Fair Grounds 41 days ago. Cannot be ignored and deserves to be the Kentucky Oaks favorite going into the race.

12 Anna’s Promise

Anna’s Promise finished behind non-runner Five G 5 weeks ago at this track, finishing second at Gulfstream Park in a Grade 2. She has secured 2 wins from her last 3 and shown all winning form at Gulfstream Park.

13 Bless The Broken

Bless The Broken scored by just under 3 lengths over 1m½f at Turfway Park in a stakes race 41 days ago. Despite that Turfway Park success, she is one to tread carefully with.

14 Quietside

Quietside has been successful twice in her last 6 starts and was a narrow winner of a Grade 2 at Oaklawn Park 5 weeks ago, finishing ahead of next-time-out winner Princess Aliyah. She should be in the mix.

New to horse racing? Learn about how to bet on horse racing with our experts’ handy guide!

2025 Kentucky Oaks Best Bet: Tenma (8-1)

The unbeaten Good Cheer is feared most and a worthy favorite of the race, while Quietside certainly isn’t out of it. But TENMA has a real chance and looks great value for the 2025 Kentucky Oaks. She was the winner of the Santa Anita Oaks last time and can follow that up by ending the winning run of Good Cheer.

You can bet on our Kentucky Oaks pick on Tenma with FanDuel Racing. And if you’re new to the racebook, even better! New users can secure a no-sweat first bet on the Kentucky Oaks and Kentucky Derby up to $500. All you have to do is click here to sign up now, or if you’re from California or Florida, make sure you click this link to get started!

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