It's a huge weekend at Churchill Downs but it may be damp.

There's a possibility of rain and thunderstorms on Friday and showers on Saturday which is disappointing – let's hope they don't cause too many problems.

This will be in two sections and so we start with Friday's card which has five graded 2 or higher stakes races finishing with the Oaks.

First off is the Edgewood, Gr 2 over 1700m turf for 3yo fillies and 8 runners.  Nitrogen, trained by Mark Casse with Jose Ortiz riding, is going for her fourth consecutive win and is on 8/5 in the Morning Line.  She's by Medaglia d'Oro.  Stablemate Vixen will be ridden by the other Ortiz brother Irad, and she's by Vekoma and is on 3/1 and is usually at the right end of the field in the finish.  Lush Lips, 7/2, by Ten Sovereigns is with Brendon Walsh who has Flavian Prat riding.

The Alysheba Gr 2 is over 1700m and Todd Pletcher's Fierceness is back, hoping to do better this year that he did in last year's Derby.  Since he's on 6/5 most people seem to think he will.  Johnny Velazques will ride.  He's up against stablemate Locked who will be ridden by J-L Ortiz and is very consistent thus gets a 2/1 quote.

La Troienne sees another "royal" visit from Thorpedo Anna who has had her two prep races this year and this should be another Churchill Downs trophy to add to her Oaks one from last year.  There's only 7 runners in this f&m 1700m race.  Raging Sea is having her first start for this prep and is on 9/2 for Brown-Prat.  Of course Thorpedo Anna is with McPeek- B Hernandez as usual.

The Eight Belles Gr 2 is for 3yo fillies over 1400m and will have a field of 12.  Eclatant, by Into Mischief, is current favourite on 5/2 for Cox-Saez and Godolphin's Verity, a Nyquist filly is on 3/1 for Harty-Cheminaud.  Impulse Buy is by Speightstown and on 7/2 for Rodolphe Brisset and Flavian Prat.

And so to the Oaks which is over 1800m and has a full field of 14.  Godolphin's Good Cheer, a Medaglia d'Oro filly, should bring plenty if she wins here – she is unbeaten from her 6 previous starts and is on 6/5 for Cox-Saez in the Morning Line but could start shorter.  Looking forward to seeing her as she seems special. 

La Cara seems to be her main rival.  She's a Street Sense filly with Casse and D Davis rides and she's on 6/1.  She's had three races so far this prep for 1-2-1 finishes.  Quietside is on 8/1 for J A Ortiz with J L Ortiz riding and the Malibu Moon daughter is on 8/1.

There are two fillies on 10/1 and should at least go into the multiples – Ballerina d'Oro by Vekoma (Brown-Prat) and Simply Joking by Practical Joke for Beckman-Geroux.