There’s only one Midlantic-bred slated to be in action in Kentucky Oaks day stakes, but she’ll be in the biggest race of the day.

Grantley Acres, Ryan Conner, Berkels0813, and CMNWLTH’s promising filly Simply Joking is set to take her place in the starting gate for the Grade 1 Kentucky Oaks on Friday, May 2, at Churchill Downs. Trained by D. Whitworth Beckman and ridden by Florent Geroux, the bay filly enters off three strong outings and carries a morning-line price of 10-1.

Bred in Pennsylvania by Barlar, LLC, Simply Joking is a daughter of Practical Joke, a multiple Grade 1-winning son of Into Mischief known for producing sharp, versatile runners. She is out of the stakes-winning mare Imply, a daughter of E Dubai, adding further class to her pedigree.

Simply Joking made an immediate impact in her debut, winning in stakes company, and followed that with a victory in the Silverbulletday Stakes at the Fair Grounds. Last seen setting the pace in the Grade 2 Fantasy Stakes before narrowly being run down late, she sports a record of two wins and one second from three career starts, with earnings of $288,000.

In the first edition of the Mid-Atlantic Thoroughbred/The Racing Biz Top Midlantic-bred Poll of 2025, Simply Joking was the choice of voters as the top Midlantic-bred three-year-old of 2025 to date.

In the Kentucky Oaks, Simply Joking is expected to be part of a lively early pace scenario, joined by Ashland (G1) winner La Cara and Gulfstream Park Oaks (G2) winner Five G. Together, they will look to hold off late runners like the undefeated Good Cheer, who is favored and comes in 6-for-6 for trainer Brad Cox and Godolphin LLC.

KENTUCKY OAKS FIELD