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The 2021 Kentucky Derby takes place on Saturday, but for true horse racing enthusiasts, Friday’s Kentucky Oaks can be nearly as exciting. Saturday brings the “Run for the Roses,” while Friday brings “Lilies for the Fillies.”
The Kentucky Oaks runs early Friday evening in Louisville at Churchill Downs. It is the 11th race on the schedule and is scheduled to start at approximately 5:51 p.m. ET. It will air live on NBC Sports and can be live streamed at NBCSports.com/live.
The race is a Grade I stakes race with $1.25 million added to the prize pool. All entrants are three-year-old fillies, and the race generally draws the best female horses in the sport. The race is 1 1/8 miles, as compared to the Derby’s 1 1/2 miles. Last year’s winner, Shedaresthedevil won in 1:48.28, which is a record for the current distance.
Malathaat is the favorite in this year’s race at 5/2 and will line up in the 10th position. She is followed by Search Results and Travel Column at 3/1, who are lined up in the 12th and 6th positions, respectively.