Oaks hopeful’s breeder talks ahead of the prestigious race

SHELBYVILLE, Ky. (WAVE) – Friday night time, 14 fillies will take the monitor at Churchill Downs for the Kentucky Oaks.

For one Shelby County breeder, one of these horses can be his first to compete in the prestigious competitors.

Driving round Shelbyville, you may see dozens of horse farms. If you see Jim Paliafito’s farm, you could discover it unassuming.

“We are small…we are. I mean, we have seven, eight seas,” mentioned Paliafito.

But that farm is the place this hopeful Oaks, Lovely Grey, was raised.

Paliafito has been breeding horses for round 35 years. In that point, many of them have raced, however none have made it to the Oaks, till now.

Up till a couple of months in the past, Paliafito and his workforce of companions, Paul and Anna-Marie Carrico and Joe and Joann Adams, have been elevating Lovely Grey.

“To get to this point, to have a filly running at this level, it’s very rewarding,” mentioned Paliafito.

Last 12 months, Lovely Gray gained the Colonial Downs and got here second in the Bourbonette Oaks and the Cincinnati Trophy Stakes.

While she’s not the favourite to win the Oaks, Paliafito says her being in the race is sufficient.

“They have her very much of a long shot, but you know, she’s a very hard trying, and you know, hey, they run the race for a reason, so fingers crossed,” he mentioned.

At the starting of March, Barstool Sports founder Dave Portnoy purchased Lovely Grey. She’s now in the fingers of coach Kelsey Danner and jockey Dylan Davis.

While her future is out of Paliafito’s management, he advised WAVE he trusts they will do proper by her.

When WAVE requested him if he’ll be on the monitor tomorrow, he mentioned, “8:30 at night…I’d rather watch it on TV, to be honest with you. You get better coverage, you know. She’ll do her best, that we know.”

Lovely Grey’s put up place for Friday is the fifteenth.