How to bet the 2019 Woodbine Oaks

The C$500,000 Woodbine Oaks, for Canadian-bred three-year-old fillies, is the most lucrative of the three stakes at Woodbine on Saturday, and often serves as a crucial prep for the prestigious Queen's Plate. The last two winners of the Plate, Holy Helena and Wonder Gadot, both ran in the Woodbine Oaks. Here's a brief look at this year's field: #1 LADY AZALEA, though stakes-placed last season, lost ground in the final furlong in both of her entry-level allowance preps this year. Doesn't seem classy or quick enough. #2 FALCON'S VIEW has been unplaced in her last two starts when racing for a $40,000 tag, so hard to envision her upsetting these. #3 PREFERRED GUEST has been effective in both of her two-turn outings on Tapeta, winning the C$100,000 South Ocean in November and a rallying second last out in the Selene (G3) against open company. Gets extra ground to work with here stretching out to 1 1/8 miles. #4 DESERT RIDE hails from the powerful Sam-Son Farm and makes her stakes debut after winning two of three on the grass to start her career. Daughter of Candy Ride figures to thrive stretching out beyond a mile for the first time. Her second dam, Eye of the Sphynx, won the Woodbine Oaks and produced Queen's Plate winner Eye of the Leopard. #5 SPEEDY SOUL has won three of four starts, including the C$125,000 Fury last out in her first attempt wearing blinkers. Was more forwardly placed that day and should be so again. Has yet to race beyond seven furlongs. #6 ARTILENA backed out of contention in the May 12 Fury in what was her first start since December. She's capable of much better and should contest the pace here. Whether she can last nine furlongs is another matter. #7 INTANGA ROSE was the beaten favorite in the Fury after taking the early lead, which was unusual for her. By Animal Kingdom, she's out of multiple Grade 1-winning sprinter Intangaroo, and perhaps is taking more after her dam than her sire. #8 HASTALAVISTABABY charged late to finish a close second in both the Fury and the C$125,000 Ontario Lassie in each of her past two starts. Daughter of Drosselmeyer is probably crying for more distance and gets it here. #9 BOLD SCRIPT, the morning line favorite at 5-2, has won or placed in six stakes, though her lone success came in the C$225,000 Princess Elizabeth in November. Weakened late to be third in the Selene as the even-money favorite, a useful tightener for this. #10 SOUCIOLOGIST was an even third in her May 5 comeback against entry-level allowance company. Concedes experience against a field of this caliber, though she has raced exclusively in open company to this point. From a pedigree and upside perspective, the Churchill Downs-based DESERT RIDE (6-1) has the makings of an intriguing newcomer to the stakes ranks and it would be no surprise is she fits right in against these rivals. HASTALAVISTABABY (8-1), from the barn of Mark Casse, has a right to progress in her second start of the season. Early favorites BOLD SCRIPT (5-2) and SPEEDY SOUL (7-2) both look vulnerable at short odds. The plays: #4 to WIN EXACTOR wheel 4,8 with 4,5,8,9   (c) Coady Photography