The Run for the Lilies: the 152nd Kentucky Oaks

With the 152nd Kentucky Oaks just hours away, all eyes are on Churchill Downs to see which three-year-old filly will bring home the coveted garland of lilies.

The 2026 field is anchored by heavy hitters like Zany, trained by Hall of Famer Todd Pletcher, and the remarkably consistent Meaning and the ascendant Percy’s Bar. In a field that feels like it could be anyone’s race, this year's "Lilies for the Fillies" promises a high-stakes showdown that sets the stage for the Kentucky Derby.

Explora (6-1) – Flavian Prat/Bob Baffert 

A daughter of 2010 Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) victor Blame, Explora enters the Kentucky Oaks starting gate off a win in the Honeybee (G3) at Oaklawn Park on March 1. There, she beat a field that included Counting Stars and Search Party by three-quarters of a length after taking over the lead in the early stretch and holding off a late bid from Counting Stars. She comes to the 152nd Oaks with the team of Flavien Prat and Bob Baffert behind her. Though Prat has yet to win the Lilies, Baffert is a three-time winner of this distaff classic, starting with Silverbulletday in 1999, Plum Pretty in 2011, and Abel Tasman in 2017. Prat is no stranger to big days like the first Friday in May: he was aboard Country House in 2019 when he was promoted to first place in the Kentucky Derby after the disqualification of Maximum Security and then secured a Preakness (G1) victory with Rombauer in 2021.

Zany (4-1) – Irad Ortiz Jr./Todd Pletcher

Zany comes to Louisville with a gaudy record of three wins in four starts, her only blemish a second to Percy’s Bar in the Ashland (G1) at Keeneland on April 3. Though her resume might be a tad lighter than other starters like Explora, Zany boasts quite the pedigree for the 1 1/8 miles: her sire happens to be Triple Crown winner American Pharoah, and her damsire Uncle Mo has sired classic winners Nyquist and Mo Donegal. Even better, her trainer, Todd Pletcher, knows exactly how to bring a filly to the first Friday in May and how to prepare them to win. He has four Oaks wins on his Hall of Fame resume, starting with Ashado in 2004, Rags to Riches in 2007, Princess of Sylmar in 2013, and Malathaat in 2021. Her other teammate, jockey Irad Ortiz Jr., has his share of Breeders’ Cup wins plus two editions of the Belmont (G1), but has yet to score a victory in the Run for the Lilies.

Search Party (30-1) – Cristian Torres/Mark Casse

With two wins in eight starts, Search Party’s win in the Martha Washington S. is her lone stakes win to date, defeating fellow Casse trainee Counting Stars, who then turned the tables on her in the Fantasy (G2) at Oaklawn Park. Though she is not quite as accomplished as others in the Oaks field, Search Party counts the great Gun Runner as her sire and Into Mischief, who has also sired Oaks winner Pretty Mischievous in 2023, as her damsire, her pedigree spelling potential at this distance. Add to that her team of jockey Cristian Torres and trainer Mark Casse, and her potential claim to Oaks glory grows. Torres is a rising star in the saddle, and Casse, of course, is a dual Hall of Famer, earning spots in both the American and Canadian. Both seek their first Kentucky Oaks victory.

Counting Stars (8-1) – Francisco Arrieta/Mark Casse 

Counting Stars is another Mark Casse contender for the 2026 Kentucky Oaks, coming into the 1 1/8-mile test with significant momentum after a dominant 5 1/2-length victory in the Fantasy at Oaklawn Park five weeks ago. This daughter of Honor A. P. has proven her affinity for the Churchill Downs surface, winning her debut here in late September 2025. Alongside Casse, her team includes rider Francisco Arrieta, who is also seeking his first Oaks victory.

Meaning (5-1) – Juan Hernandez/Michael McCarthy

Michael McCarthy returns to Churchill Downs, this time in search of his first Kentucky Oaks win with Meaning, a daughter of Gun Runner out of the Into Mischief mare Figure of Speech. Winner of three of her four starts, Meaning’s only blemish is her fourth behind Super Corredora, Explora, and Percy’s Bar in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1) at Del Mar. She opened her three-year-old season with a win in the Las Virgenes S. over Explora and then notched a victory over Brooklyn Blonde in the Santa Anita Oaks (G2) on April 4. Jockey Juan Hernandez is a veteran with multiple graded stakes victories who is still in search of a victory in the Run for the Lilies.

Dazzling Dame (30-1) – Luis Saez/Brittany Russell

Jockey Luis Saez is a veteran of these big race days. His two Oaks wins have given him the right experience to pilot the Maryland-bred Dazzling Dame for trainer Brittany Russell, who is in search of her own win in this distaff classic. This daughter of Girvin arrives as a seasoned stakes winner with victories in the Busanda S. and Sorority S. and a second behind Bottle of Rouge in the Virginia Oaks. Russell has been dominant in the Mid-Atlantic and has Dazzling Dame poised to make some noise in this year’s Oaks. 

Always a Runner (10-1) – Jose Ortiz/Chad Brown

Always a Runner arrives in Louisville as a formidable contender despite being lightly raced. She debuted in a one-mile, 40-yard maiden special weight at Tampa Bay Downs, and brought home an impressive 6 1/2-length victory before earning her first stakes win in the Gazelle (G3) at Aqueduct. There, she beat fellow Oaks starter Pashmina by 1 1/4 lengths over the same 1 1/8-mile distance as the Kentucky Oaks. Her team of Jose Ortiz and Chad Brown more than makes up for her lack of seasoning; Brown has won two Preaknesses, the first with Cloud Computing in 2017 and then with Early Voting in 2022, while jockey Ortiz won the Kentucky Oaks in 2019 with Serengeti Empress and has scored in both the Preakness and Belmont Stakes. 

Prom Queen (8-1) – Javier Castellano/Brad Cox

Gary and Mary West’s homebred Prom Queen enters the 2026 Kentucky Oaks with wins in two of her three starts, including a 2 3/4-length victory in the Gulfstream Park Oaks (G2) in late March. This daughter of Quality Road is trained by Brad Cox, who has three Oaks wins on his resume, including the 2025 edition with Good Cheer, and will be guided by Hall of Fame jockey Javier Castellano, who rode Cathryn Sophia to win the 2016 edition of the Run for the Lilies. Though Prom Queen is lightly raced, her pedigree promises that she is more than capable of getting the distance with Quality Road on top and then Tapit as her damsire, a stallion who has four Belmont Stakes winners among his progeny.

Pashmina (30-1) – Ramón Vázquez/Rob Atras

Though Pashmina only has one win on her resume, this daughter of Constitution is not one to rule out. She secured her spot in the Oaks by setting a blistering pace at Aqueduct before being caught late by Always a Runner. She also boasts two other in-the-money finishes in black-type stakes and gets jockey Ramon Vazquez in the irons. Both trainer Rob Atras and Vazquez are in search of their first Oaks win. 

Brooklyn Blonde (30-1) – Kazushi Kimura/Michael McCarthy

Brooklyn Blonde enters the starting gate alongside her shorter-priced fellow McCarthy trainee, Meaning, off a nice second in the Santa Anita Oaks. Another daughter of Gun Runner, this chestnut filly is co-owned by celebrity chef Bobby Flay and Sun-Kissed Stables. She gets veteran jockey Kazushi Kimura, who is looking for his first Oaks win.

Lovely Grey (30-1) – Dylan Davis/Kelsey Danner

The veteran Lovely Grey enters the 152nd Kentucky Oaks with one victory in seven starts, but appears primed for a big run under the Twin Spires. The gray daughter of Vekoma punched her ticket with a second-place finish in the Bourbonette Oaks at Turfway Park, demonstrating an ability to handle a high-pressure pace. Her team of rider Dylan Davis and trainer Kelsey Danner are both in search of their first Kentucky Oaks wins. 

Percy’s Bar (6-1) – Luan Machado/Ben Colebrook

Percy's Bar is a top-tier contender for the 2026 Kentucky Oaks, entering the race with momentum following a decisive 2 1/4-length victory in the Ashland. The filly has a personal connection to the sport as she was named in honor of the late, legendary Churchill Downs and Keeneland bartender Percy Pool. With a career record that includes a win in the Debutante S. at Churchill Downs, she has already proven she can handle the track for her team of Luan Machado and Ben Colebrook, both in search of their first win in the Run for the Lilies.

Resist (50-1) – Brian Hernandez Jr./Thomas Drury Jr.

Resist heads into the 152nd Kentucky Oaks off of two wins and two thirds, all at Turfway Park. Though her resume might be light for now, this daughter of Maclean’s Music may have her best races ahead of her, especially with the team of Brian Hernandez Jr., who has his own Kentucky Oaks with Thorpedo Anna in 2024, and Thomas Drury Jr., who is in search of his first Oaks victory.