The fillies for the lilies set the stage for Saturday’s Kentucky Derby with a tradition-rich Friday feature program at Churchill Downs, headlined by the Kentucky Oaks. A capacity field of 14 entered, including 6-5 morning line favorite Good Cheer in her quest to remain undefeated.

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Let’s meet the contenders for the Kentucky Oaks (Race 11):

#1-EARLY ON: Runner-up in the Virginia Oaks at Colonial Downs and Aqueduct’s Gazelle most recently by a nose, this Florida-based filly has a maiden win at home at Gulfstream Park from 6 starts. Saffie Joseph Jr. trains the daughter of Belmont winner Union Rags and turns to Gulfstream rider Edgard Zayas for the first time aboard this longshot.

#2-SIMPLY JOKING: Two-time Fair Grounds stakes winner to open her career, this Whit Beckman trainee exits a hard-fought runner-up in the Fantasy Stakes at Oaklawn. Gets a rematch with Quietside as well as a rider change to 2-time Kentucky Oaks winner Florent Geroux. Practical Joke filly has won on fast and sloppy tracks.

#3-FONDLY: Most inexperienced filly in the Oaks field has won both career starts, including the Virginia Oaks last out. The daughter of Upstart has raced around 1 turn in each of her races and will be asked a new challenge while light on foundation. Graham Motion trains and Virginia Oaks-winning jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. is back aboard. Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners co-owns this filly as well as Kentucky Derby favorite Journalism.

#4-DREXEL HILL: Whit Beckman’s second Oaks shot in the lineup has yet to test the graded stakes ranks. She exits a victory in the Busher Invitational at Aqueduct, one race after a third-place Silverbulletday bid at Fair Grounds behind fellow return rivals Simply Joking and Bless the Broken. Ben Curtis has the call on the Bolt d’Oro filly.

#5-QUICKICK: Saratoga maiden breaker last September has had 4 straight top-5 graded stakes finishes since without a repeat victory. Second in the Ashland and third in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies, her 3-year-old pair of races haven’t had the improvement attached while outrun by Quietside and Good Cheer in her last couple of starts. 2019 Kentucky Oaks winner Tom Amoss trains the McKinzie filly, who gets the services of Umberto Rispoli – pilot of Kentucky Derby favorite Journalism – for the first time.

#6-BALLERINA D’ORO: Odds-on favorite in the Gazelle at Aqueduct survived the nosebob vs. return rival Early On while notching her first stakes victory. The Chad Brown trainee is a daughter of Medaglia d’Oro, who already has sired Kentucky Oaks winners Plum Pretty and the legend Rachel Alexandra. Ballerina d’Oro has transitioned from turf to dirt after her first 3 starts came on grass. Brown seeks his first Oaks and turns the reins over on this filly to Flavien Prat for the first time on Friday.

#7-LA CARA: Wire-to-wire winner of Keeneland’s Ashland 25 days prior to the Oaks after that race was delayed by weather. She’s come to hand at age 3, winning 2 of 3 with a runner-up in Gulfstream’s Davona Dale around 1 turn her only blemish. She won Churchill Downs’ Pocahontas Stakes last September before disappointing in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies at Del Mar. Daughter of Kentucky Derby winner Street Sense gets a home game now for Mark Casse and Dylan Davis.

#8-FIVE G: Gulfstream Park Oaks winner has alternated first and second-place finishes in her last 5 starts. Versatile sort has carried her form on turf and dirt, around 1 turn and 2, for George Weaver. Her wins in the Cash Run and GP Oaks were wire-to-wire … in-between was a game second to Quietside in Oaklawn’s Honeybee when tackling that one on the road. Manny Franco rides the daughter of red-hot young sire Vekoma.

#9-TENMA: California’s top filly ran the table in the Starlet, Las Virgenes and Santa Anita Oaks since December. She’s won 5 of 6 overall, including the Del Mar Debutante. Bob Baffert bids for a fourth Kentucky Oaks score following Silverbulletday (1999), Plum Pretty (2011) and Abel Tasman (2017). Top Santa Anita pilot Juan Hernandez returns aboard the daughter of 2016 Kentucky Derby victor Nyquist.

#10-TAKE CHARGE MILADY: Jockey-trainer Brian Hernandez Jr. and Kenny McPeek look for their follow-up to 2024 Kentucky Oaks winner Thorpedo Anna. The last time the same combo scored successive Kentucky Oaks was Eddie Arcaro-Horace Jones in 1952-’53. This Ashland Stakes’ rallying runner-up has been battling a hoof injury in the weeks leading up to the Kentucky Oaks, leaving her status tenuous.

#11-GOOD CHEER (pictured): Six wins from 6 starts, including a trio at Churchill Downs, highlight the Kentucky Oaks favorite’s ledger. The impeccably bred daughter of Medaglia d’Oro-Wedding Toast has yet to come even close to defeat – all wins by 2-1/2 lengths or more. She’s been heavily favored in each start, including odds-on propositions in the Golden Rod locally (when besting Oaks return rival Quietside) and most recently the Fair Grounds Oaks. Brad Cox has a pair of Oaks on his resume, as does sire Medaglia d’Oro. Luis Saez rode his first Oaks winner in 2022 with Secret Oath.

#12-ANNA’S PROMISE: After losing her first 5 starts, she was claimed for $50,000 at Gulfstream Park in February while breaking her maiden. New trainer Carlos David has moved her up considerably with an allowance win and a runner-up to Kentucky Oaks rival Five G in the Gulfstream Park Oaks. Filly went 0-3 at Churchill Downs last season while in the Dale Romans barn. Junior Alvarado, who rides Sovereignty in the Derby, has the call.

#13-BLESS THE BROKEN: After chasing Kentucky Oaks rivals Good Cheer and Simply Joking in separate Fair Grounds stakes bids on the trail, this filly found success on the class drop at Turfway in the listed Bourbonette Oaks. Daughter of Laoban appears to handle more distance with enthusiasm despite debuting at Evangline Downs a romping winner at 4-1/2 furlongs. Will Walden trains as Bourbonette winning rider John Velazquez seeks his third Oaks victory.

#14-QUIETSIDE: Oaklawn Park’s determined winner of the Honeybee and the Fantasy Stakes has never misfired in 7 starts, hitting the board each time with 3 wins and 3 seconds. Trainer John Ortiz had a poor showing at OP, but his barn picked up steam at Keeneland and this filly has been oblivious to all that in going 3: 2-1-0 on the season. Daughter of Malibu Moon is 2-for-2 since joining forces with jockey Jose Ortiz.