Kentucky Oaks Roundup: Bottle of Rouge jumps to #3, 100-point races begin

The 2026 Kentucky Oaks, which will be broadcast in primetime for the first time, is 43 days away. Here’s a look at the latest news and notes as the Road to the Kentucky Oaks continues:

Bottle of Rouge pops in the Virginia Oaks

Bottle of Rouge uncorked a big run in the Virginia Oaks, winning by 4 1/4 lengths. The morning-line favorite took control in the stretch, passing second-place finisher Dazzling Dame. The win vaulted her to #3 on the Kentucky Oaks leaderboard. 

Bob Baffert trains Bottle of Rouge for his wife, Jill. The daughter of 2019 Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) winner Vino Rosso entered the race off a win in the Sunland Park Oaks. Her resume also includes a Grade 1 victory in the Del Mar Debutante and a sixth-place finish in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1).

Dazzling Dame is trained by Brittany Russell. In 2023, Russell became the first female trainer to lead Maryland’s year-end standings by wins, and she repeated the feat in 2024 and 2025.

Bella Ballerina tops field in Fair Ground Oaks

The first of six 100-point races—the Fair Grounds Oaks (G2)—is Saturday. Rachel Alexandra (G2) victress Bella Ballerina returns to prove she is the best filly on the Louisiana path to the Kentucky Oaks. Currently sitting at number two on the Oaks leaderboard behind Explora, she is trained by Brendan Walsh and owned by Godolphin, who won the 2025 Kentucky Oaks with Good Cheer. Bella Ballerina also captured the Golden Rod (G2) at Churchill.

Luv Your Neighbor, second in the Rachel Alexandra, attempts to turn the tables. She is trained by Michael Stidham and will be ridden by Luis Saez. Trainer Lindsey Schultz ships Newton Pike from Oaklawn, where she was second by a neck in the Martha Washington S. 

Full field vies for Bourbonette points

A full field of twelve is entered in the Bourbonette Oaks at Turfway Park, offering 50-25-15-10-5 points to the top five finishers, respectively. Brad Cox-trained Scratch It tops the field. She scored a pair of seconds in her last two starts: stakes races in Santa Anita and Saratoga. Resplendence is a local challenger with two big Turfway wins on her resume. She is trained by Brazilian-born Paulo Lobo, who won the 2002 Kentucky Oaks with Farda Amiga in his second year of training in the United States.

Road to the Kentucky Oaks Leaderboard top five

1. Explora (95 points)
2. Bella Ballerina (60 points)
3. Bottle of Rouge (57.50 points)
4. Labwah (50 points)
5. She Be Smooth (50 points)