Larry Jones' fillies are making the self-proclaimed "dumb cowboy" resemble a genius.

Proud Spell drew away in the stretch to win the $581,650 Kentucky Oaks at sloppy Churchill Downs on Friday, giving the homespun trainer a shot at pulling off an unprecedented Oaks-Kentucky Derby double. Little Belle rallied to be second, three-quarters of a length over Pure Clan.

It was the fifth victory from eight career starts for Proud Spell.

Proud Spell stalked pacesetter Bsharpsonata around the far turn in one of the most important races for 3-year-old fillies and ran away from the rest of the field to win by 5 lengths — and set the stage for stablemate Eight Belles, who will take on the boys today in the Derby.

No trainer has won the Oaks and the Derby in the same year since 1952, and none has done it with two fillies. But Jones seems to have a deft touch with fillies, and has spent the last year turning a horse nobody wanted as a yearling into an elite performer.

"This filly can run all day long," Jones said of Proud Spell.

Proud Spell went off as the favourite and paid $8.80, $4.80 and $3.20. Little Belle returned $6.40 and $4, and Pure Clan paid $3.80 to show.

An afternoon downpour turned the track sloppy, though Proud Spell seemed right at home in the mud. After Bsharpsonata bolted to the lead, jockey Gabriel Saez simply kept Proud Spell under wraps over Bsharpsonata's right should, then poured it on to post her fifth career victory, covering the 1 1-8th course in 1:50.01.

Elusive Lady was scratched by trainer John Kimmel two hours before the race due to the deteriorating conditions at the track.

Churchill Downs announced an Oaks Day crowd of 100,046, the ninth time in the last 10 years the day drew more than 100,000 fans.

Source: NTRA, AP and others