by Mike Curry

Although trainer Larry Jones plans to run Grade 2 winner Eight Belles in the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (G1) on Saturday, the Kentucky trainer still has an ace up his sleeve for Friday’s Kentucky Oaks (G1) in Proud Spell.

The Proud Citizen filly breezed five furlongs in :58.40 on Sunday at Churchill Downs and galloped 1 1/2 miles on Tuesday under the 175-pound Jones, who gallops up to 12 horses daily and benefits from the instant feedback.

“She came out of her breeze good,” Jones said of Proud Spell, who drew post position eight and enters the race off a third-place finish in the Ashland Stakes (G1) on April 5 at Keeneland Race Course.

The Ashland was Proud Spell’s first race on an all-weather surface. She defeated 2007 champion two-year-old filly Indian Blessing on March 8 in the Fair Grounds Oaks (G2) after previously finishing second to that familiar foe in both the Silverbulletday Stakes (G3) and Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1).

Eight Belles drew the far outside post position in the 12-horse field for the 1 1/8-mile race for three-year-old fillies, and owner Rick Porter and Jones have said she would only run in the Oaks if she drew post position 19 or 20 for the Derby.

The Oaks also drew Grade 1 winners Little Belle, Golden Doc A, and Country Star, who enters the race off a disappointing fifth-place finish in the Ashland in her season debut for trainer Bobby Frankel.

The Empire Maker filly drew post position six for the Oaks.

“That’s a good spot for her,” Frankel said of the post position. ”She’s doing good, and she’ll ship over on Wednesday [from Keeneland].”

Little Belle earned her first career graded stakes win in the Ashland, in which she held off Oaks contender and multiple Grade 2 winner Bsharpsonata by a neck.

Golden Doc A won the Las Virgenes Stakes (G1) on February 9 at Santa Anita Park and subsequently finished second in both the Santa Anita Oaks (G1) on March 8 and Stonerside Beaumont Stakes (G2) at Keeneland on April 10.

Awesome Chic enters the Oaks off a 4 1/2-length romp in the Florida Oaks (G2).

Mike Curry is Thoroughbred Times TODAY editor

The field, in post-position order, with (sire), jockey, weight, and trainer:

1. Golden Doc A (Unusual Heat), Kent J. Desormeaux, 121, Barry Abrams;

2. Absolutely Cindy (Arch), Julien R. Leparoux, 121, Ronald Keith Kinmon;

3. Awesome Chic (Awesome Again), Robby Albarado, 121, Rafael Ramos;

4. Elusive Lady (Van Nistelrooy), Eibar Coa, 121, John C. Kimmel;

5. Rasierra (Kafwain), Jamie Theriot, 121, Ray E. Tracy, Jr.;

6. Country Star (Empire Maker), Rafael Bejarano, 121, Robert J. Frankel;

7. Little Belle (A.P. Indy), Rajiv Maragh, 121, Kiaran P. McLaughlin;

8. Proud Spell (Proud Citizen), Gabriel Saez, 121, J. Larry Jones;

9. A to the Croft (Menifee), Calvin H. Borel, 121, Kenneth G. McPeek;

10. Bsharpsonata (Pulpit), Eric Camacho, 121, Timothy E. Salzman;

11. Pure Clan (Pure Prize), Edgar S. Prado, 121, Robert E. Holthus; and

12. Eight Belles (Unbridled's Song), Ramon A. Dominguez, 121, J. Larry Jones.