Lovely Maria wins the 2015 Kentucky Oaks: 7-1 choice surges ahead at final turn for methodical Oaks win

Lovely Maria opened the throttle after the final turn and won the 141st Kentucky Oaks on Friday at Churchill Downs. Jockey Kerwin Clark won his first Oaks at age 56, and trainer Larry Jones won his third Oaks.

Lovely Maria, at 7-1 odds, won with a time of 1:50.45. Shook Up was second, followed by I’m a Chatterbox and Stellar Wind, the 3-1 favorite.

Condo Commando took an early lead on the inside rail, and she kept pace for the first half-mile and then some. Angela Renee made her move at the final turn, briefly taking the lead before Lovely Maria surged ahead in the final two furlongs. Lovely Maria was methodical all the way, and Clark knew how much Lovely Maria had to give when he held and held until the final turn.

The Kentucky Oaks, a $1 million Grade I stakes run at 1 1/8 miles, is the premier race for 3-year-old fillies, and Lovely Maria did not disappoint given the size of Friday’s stage. A total of 123,763 were in attendance at Churchill Downs, setting an Oaks record.

Stellar Wind went off as the favorite at 3-1, and Condo Commando surged during the week and eventually raced as the second choice at 4-1. Condo Commando and I’m a Chatterbox were morning line co-second choices, but the latter fell back in the odds after a week’s worth of betting; I’m a Chatterbox was at 5-1 by post time. Birdatthewire was the third choice at 9-2.

With Lovely Maria’s Oaks victory Friday, the Churchill Downs stage is now set for the first jewel of 2015’s Triple Crown and the biggest race in American thoroughbred racing. Saturday’s Kentucky Derby posts at 6:24 p.m. ET on NBC and NBC Sports Live Extra.