TDN's Chief Correspondent Bill Finley is joined by Senior Contributing Editor Alan Carasso and Senior Racing Editor Steve Sherack to handicap Friday's GI Longines Kentucky Oaks at Churchill Downs.FINLEY: As a whole, this is not a particularly fast group, which is why the focus here is on horses who have cracked the 90 Beyer level. Note that the Beyer par for the Kentucky Oaks is a 94. 'TDN Rising Star, presented by Hagyard' Prom Queen (Quality Road) earned a 90 Beyer when winning the GII Gulfstream Park Oaks and has improved figure-wise with every start. No one is better when it comes to winning this race than Brad Cox, who has won the Oaks three times since 2018. Prom Queen might be the best horse in this race as it is, and she's only going to get better.The top Beyer in this field belongs to Counting Stars (Honor A. P.), who earned a 92 when winning the GIII Fantasy Stakes in a romp. She may improve, and if she doesn't, a repeat of that effort might be good enough.'TDN Rising Star, presented by Hagyard' Percy's Bar (Upstart) had a lot to overcome when running in the GI Ashland Stakes in her first start off a five-month layoff. She responded beautifully with a 2 1/4-length win over heavy favorite Zany (American Pharoah). Can she move forward off that race?'TDN Rising Star, presented by Hagyard' Bella Ballerina (Street Sense) regressed when finishing second in the GII Fasig-Tipton Fair Grounds Oaks, but trainer Brendan Walsh had Pretty Mischievous (Into Mischief) ready for her best on Oaks day off a similar pattern. Zany isn't running as fast at three as she did at two. That usually isn't a good sign.CARASSO: Hopefully we'll be counting dollars should West Point Thoroughbreds' Counting Stars (Honor A. P.) get the better of a full field of 14 3-year-old fillies beneath the Friday night lights at Churchill Downs.A two-time winner from three tries around one turn, including a debut victory going 6 1/2 furlongs here last September, the $13,000 Keeneland September bargain turned $150,000 OBS April breezer has really stepped up her game going long. Bar the Martha Washington Stakes in February, when wintry weather wreaked havoc on horses' training schedules and Counting Stars trailed in, she has handled the stretchout with aplomb, showing versatility in the process.An on-pace winner of the Dec. 27 Year's End Stakes going a mile, the bay came from behind midfield and just failed to reel in the tactically advantaged 'TDN Rising Star' presented by Hagyard Explora (Blame) in the GIII Honeybee Stakes on Mar. 1. Handier to a slower tempo in the GII Fantasy Stakes last time, Counting Stars was asked to take it up a long way from home, but finished full of run (final five-sixteenths in :30.79) to lead home a Mark Casse 1-2 over Search Party (Gun Runner), who is drawn just to her inside Friday.An expected hot pace would also suit the likes of 'TDN Rising Star' Prom Queen (Quality Road), convincing winner of the GII Gulfstream Park Oaks, as well as 'Rising Star' Percy's Bar (Upstart), who got through inside to win the GI Central Bank Ashland Stakes when making her first start since her eventful third in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies. Luan Machado will have to work some magic from gate 11 here.SHERACK: Found my Kentucky Oaks filly after Prom Queen (Quality Road)'s 'TDN Rising Star, presented by Hagyard' maiden win at second asking at Gulfstream Park Feb. 12. After closing at an unbelievable 83-1 in the lone Oaks Future Wager pool (I typically stay away from futures, but liked her enough to take a rare swing), she took it to the next level with a powerful win in the GII Gulfstream Park Oaks. Drawn well on the outside with Hall of Famer Javier Castellano and she's gonna want every bit of this 1 1/8-mile distance. From the female family of G1 Dubai World Cup winner Hit Show (Candy Ride {Arg}), there's no shortage of stamina in her family. In addition, Quality Road is the sire of 2017 Kentucky Oaks winner Abel Tasman and her broodmare sire Tapit is responsible for 2023 Kentucky Oaks winner Pretty Mischievous. Having three-time Kentucky Oaks-winning trainer Brad Cox in your corner doesn't exactly hurt either.California invader Meaning (Gun Runner) held her own with a solid fourth in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies in just her second career start and has looked fantastic in a pair of subsequent wins at three, led by the GII Santa Anita Oaks. Wouldn't be surprised to see her go off favored.Zany (American Pharoah) is capable of much better than her second-place finish with a less-than-ideal trip into the short stretch at Keeneland in the GI Central Bak Ashland S. Last year's daylight GII Demoiselle S. heroine will greatly appreciate this return to nine furlongs.After a complete no-show in the Martha Washington S., hard to ignore how Counting Stars (Honor A. P.) has responded in both the GIII Honeybee S. and GII Fantasy S. Live at a price.The post Who Do You Like? Carasso, Finley and Sherack Handicap the Kentucky Oaks appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.