Kentucky Oaks Roundup: Bella Ballerina leaps up Leaderboard; only international contest Friday

The 2026 Kentucky Oaks, which will be broadcast in primetime for the first time, is 71 days away. Here’s a look at the latest news and notes as the Road to the Kentucky Oaks continues.

Bella Ballerina wins first 50-point race

Bella Ballerina was on point in the Rachel Alexandra (G2), yielding the lead briefly to Luv Your Neighbor mid-stretch but regaining it to win the 1 1/16 mile prep by half a length. Since the Rachel Alexandra was the first race offering 50 qualifying points to the winner, Bella Ballerina leapt to the top of the leaderboard. She is a half-sister to 2023 Kentucky Oaks winner Pretty Mischievous, and they share the connections of trainer Brendan Walsh, owners Godolphin, and jockey Tyler Gaffalione. In the race after the Rachel Alexandra, Gaffalione guided Paladin to victory in the Risen Star (G2), a Kentucky Derby prep race.

Baffert Takes Record Ninth Running of Sunland Park Oaks

Shipping Bottle of Rouge to the Sunland Park Oaks paid off for trainer Bob Baffert and his wife, owner Jill Baffert. The daughter of 2019 Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) winner Vino Rosso survived an inquiry to earn 20 points in her two-turn debut and give Baffert a record ninth victory in the contest. The gray filly likely needs one more points-earning finish to assure herself a place in the Oaks starting gate. 

Next Up: Stops at Turfway Park and Dubai

The Road to the Kentucky Oaks makes a stop in Dubai on Friday morning and at Turfway Park later in the evening.  

Eleven fillies race for the points offered in the Cincinnati Trophy S. on the Florence, Ky., oval. They are led by Dame Laura, another contender for Walsh and Godolphin. In her last out, she blitzed the field by 5 3/4 lengths in an allowance optional claiming race on the same track at the same distance. Her rivals include two Turfway Park stakes winners: Coco Connect (Valdale S.) and Map of the Moon (Goswell S.). 

The UAE Oaks (G3) drew a field of seven, and they are all American-bred fillies. Five of them finished in the top six in their last race, Meydan’s Cocoa Beach S. They include one-two finishers Labwah and Tjareed. 

Road to the Kentucky Oaks Leaderboard Top Five

1. Bella Ballerina (60 points)
2. Explora (45 points)
3. Luv Your Neighbor (40 points)
4. Super Corredora (34 points)
5. Taken by the Wind (30 points)