The short answer
The 153rd Kentucky Oaks is set for Friday 30 April 2027 at Churchill Downs, the day before the Kentucky Derby. It is a Grade 1 race for three-year-old fillies over 1⅛ miles of dirt, worth $1.5 million. Fillies qualify on points through the Road to the Kentucky Oaks, and you can bet it in the same pari-mutuel pools as the Derby: at the track, at a simulcast venue or through a licensed ADW account where your state allows it.
The 2027 Kentucky Oaks at a glance
| Item | 2027 detail |
|---|---|
| Running | 153rd Kentucky Oaks |
| Date | Friday 30 April 2027 |
| Track | Churchill Downs, Louisville, Kentucky |
| Conditions | Grade 1, three-year-old fillies, 121 lb |
| Distance | 1⅛ miles on dirt (the distance since 1982) |
| Purse | $1.5 million |
| Post time | Not yet announced; the 2026 Oaks went off at 8:40 pm ET in primetime |
The Oaks was first run on 19 May 1875, four days after the first Kentucky Derby. If you are looking for the race rather than the shopping mall in Paducah that shares its name, you are in the right place.
How fillies qualify: the Road to the Kentucky Oaks
The 2026-27 Road to the Kentucky Oaks has 33 races at 13 tracks, including the UAE Oaks in Dubai. It opened on 12 September 2026 with the Pocahontas Stakes at Churchill Downs. The first five finishers in each race earn points, and the scale rises as the season goes on.
| Points (1st-2nd-3rd-4th-5th) | Races |
|---|---|
| 10-5-3-2-1 | Early two-year-old preps such as the Pocahontas, Alcibiades, Frizette, Demoiselle and Starlet |
| 30-15-9-6-3 | Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies, 30 October 2026 |
| 20-10-6-4-2 | Winter preps such as the Silverbulletday, Forward Gal and Martha Washington |
| 50-25-15-10-5 | Championship Series races such as the Rachel Alexandra, Davona Dale, Honeybee and UAE Oaks |
| 100-50-25-15-10 | Final major preps: Gazelle, Fair Grounds Oaks, Gulfstream Park Oaks, Ashland, Fantasy and Santa Anita Oaks |
The colts’ equivalent works the same way; our Road to the Kentucky Derby guide explains it race by race. The first big points of the season come at the Breeders’ Cup.
How to bet the Kentucky Oaks
The Oaks is bet exactly like the Derby. All wagers go into pari-mutuel pools run by Churchill Downs, so the final odds are set by other bettors and keep changing until the gates open. You can bet at Churchill Downs on Oaks Day, at a licensed off-track or simulcast venue, or through an ADW account that is licensed in the state you are in when you bet. Our guide to betting legally covers each route.
Oaks Day is a full card with its own multi-race bets, such as daily doubles and Pick 4s. Our bet types guide explains how doubles, exactas and trifectas work and what they cost.
How much is bet on Oaks Day
Oaks Day keeps growing. In 2026 the full card drew about $89 million from all sources, a record and 18% above the previous high, and the Oaks race alone took more than $29 million, up 29% on 2025. Attendance was 103,290.
The 2026 Kentucky Oaks result
Always a Runner, a daughter of Gun Runner, won the 152nd Oaks on 1 May 2026 under José Ortiz for trainer Chad Brown, in 1:48.82 on a fast track. Meaning was second and Counting Stars third.
| Ticket | Combination | Stake | Paid |
|---|---|---|---|
| Win | 9 (Always a Runner) | $2 | $13.04 |
| Exacta | 9-5 | $2 | $97.58 |
| Trifecta | 9-5-4 | $1 | $193.87 |
| Superfecta | 9-5-4-1 | $1 | $1,845.74 |
Recent Kentucky Oaks winners
| Year | Winner | Jockey | Trainer |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Always a Runner | José Ortiz | Chad Brown |
| 2025 | Good Cheer | Luis Saez | Brad Cox |
| 2024 | Thorpedo Anna | Brian Hernandez Jr. | Kenny McPeek |
| 2023 | Pretty Mischievous | Tyler Gaffalione | Brendan Walsh |
| 2022 | Secret Oath | Luis Saez | D. Wayne Lukas |
| 2021 | Malathaat | John Velazquez | Todd Pletcher |
Oaks Day traditions
- Lilies for the Fillies. The winner receives a garland of stargazer lilies, the race’s official flower since 1991.
- Pink Out. Fans wear pink and the track is decorated pink to support breast cancer awareness.
- Survivors Parade. Breast and ovarian cancer survivors walk the track before the Oaks.
- The Oaks Lily. The day’s signature cocktail, the Oaks counterpart to the Derby’s mint julep.
Planning to go? Our Churchill Downs guide covers the track and race-day logistics.
Kentucky Oaks questions
When is the 2027 Kentucky Oaks?
Friday 30 April 2027 at Churchill Downs, the day before the 153rd Kentucky Derby.
What time is the Kentucky Oaks post time?
The 2027 post time has not been announced. In 2026 the Oaks moved into primetime and went off at 8:40 pm ET.
How long is the Kentucky Oaks?
1⅛ miles on dirt, for three-year-old fillies.
How much is the Kentucky Oaks purse?
$1.5 million, the same as in 2026.
How do fillies qualify for the Kentucky Oaks?
Through points on the Road to the Kentucky Oaks, 33 races in which the top five finishers score. The Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies is worth 30-15-9-6-3.
Why do people wear pink on Oaks Day?
The Pink Out supports breast cancer awareness, and survivors walk the track before the race.
Sources
- BloodHorse via TrueNicks: Road to Kentucky Derby 153 and Kentucky Oaks prep series
- Churchill Downs: Kentucky Oaks
- BloodHorse via TrueNicks: record handle on Oaks Day 2026
- Louisville Public Media: Always a Runner wins the 2026 Oaks
- Bleacher Nation: 2026 Kentucky Oaks results and payouts
- America's Best Racing: Lilies for the Fillies