2026 Results of the Honeybee Stakes

Exotic Payouts:

• $1.00 Exacta (9-7): $17.30
• $0.50 Trifecta (9-7-2): $38.70
• $0.10 Superfecta (9-7-2-6): $25.75

Watch the 2026 Honeybee Stakes

History of the Honeybee Stakes

The Honeybee Stakes was inaugurated in 1988 at Oaklawn Park and quickly established itself as a proving ground for top three year old fillies. The inaugural running was won by Lost Kitty, trained by Hall of Famer D. Wayne Lukas, who dominated the early years of the race by training the first four winners.

The race has undergone several notable changes over time, including shifts in its grading status. It was elevated to Grade 3 status in 1990, later downgraded to listed status in 2003, and then restored to Grade 3 in 2008, reflecting its growing importance and competitiveness. Around this same period, the race gained wider attention when Eight Belles captured the 2008 edition before finishing second in the Kentucky Derby later that spring.

In more recent years, the Honeybee Stakes has become a key stop on the Road to the Kentucky Oaks, awarding qualifying points that help determine the field for the race at Churchill Downs. Its role as Oaklawn’s middle leg of the Oaks prep series places it between earlier races and the Fantasy Stakes, making it a pivotal test for fillies stretching out and building form.

The race has also produced several notable winners who went on to major success, including Shedaresthedevil, who captured the Kentucky Oaks after her Honeybee victory. With increasing purses and consistently strong fields, the Honeybee Stakes continues to serve as an important indicator of emerging talent and a key stepping stone toward the top of the three year old filly division.

All-Time Results of the Honeybee Stakes