The Fastest Two Minutes in Sports is perennially set on the first Saturday in May, but the day where Louisville locals really celebrate is the previous afternoon. “Oaks Day” at Churchill Downs is one of the biggest events in River City, with many locals enjoying a quality bourbon while wearing their finest.
And while over 100,000 people at a horse race meet isn’t normal, it’s a downright serene scene compared to the chaos to come just a sunrise later.
The Kentucky Oaks is open to three-year-old fillies, with participants going nine furlongs (or 1 1/8 mile). $1.5 million is added to the prize pool for the Grade 1 stakes race.
Kentucky Oaks post positions and morning line odds
2025 Kentucky Oaks
| Post Position | Horse | Trainer | Jockey | Morning Line Odds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Post Position | Horse | Trainer | Jockey | Morning Line Odds |
| 1 | Early On | Saffie Joseph Jr. | Edgard Zayas | 30-1 |
| 2 | Simply Joking | Whit Beckman | Florent Geroux | 10-1 |
| 3 | Fondly | Graham Motion | Irad Ortiz Jr. | 30-1 |
| 4 | Drexel Hill | Whit Beckman | Ben Curtis | 30-1 |
| 5 | Quickick | Thomas Amoss | Umberto Rispoli | 30-1 |
| 6 | Ballerina d’Oro | Chad Brown | Flavien Prat | 10-1 |
| 7 | La Cara | Mark Casse | Dylan Davis | 6-1 |
| 8 | Tenma | Bob Baffert | Juan Hernandez | 12-1 |
| 9 | Take Charge Milady | Kenny McPeek | Brian Hernandez Jr. | 12-1 |
| 10 | Good Cheer | Brad Cox | Luis Saez | 6-5 |
| 11 | Anna’s Promise | Carlos David | Junior Alvarado | 30-1 |
| 12 | Bless the Broken | William Walden | John Velazquez | 30-1 |
| 13 | Quietside | John Ortiz | Jose Ortiz | 8-1 |
* Five G was originally set as the No. 8 horse, but was scratched on Thursday.
Kentucky Oaks predictions
The chalk is the No. 10 Good Cheer, who has yet to lose a race in six career starts. Trained by Louisville’s own Brad Cox, three of those mounts were at Churchill Downs, including her Grade 2 win in the Golden Rod Stakes last November. Her last outing in March was the Grade 2 Fasig-Tipton Fair Grounds Oaks in New Orleans, which came from the No. 11 post position, and was an easy 3.5 length win with a 102 Speed Figure.
This is a filly that certainly could have run the Derby if Cox wanted, and should be favored every time she steps on the track right through the Breeders Cup Distaff at Del Mar in November.
La Cara comes in as the early second choice, following what might be the best previous performance of the Oaks field at Keeneland’s Grade 1 Ashland Stakes on April 7. The Mark Casse trainee led wire-to-wire while holding off a threatening Take Charge Milady down the stretch, and paid $20.16 for a gaudy 105 Speed Figure. But The Ashland is a half-furlong less than the Oaks, and that 330 foot difference likely would have been enough for Milady to win at Keeneland.
Casse lacks a Derby or Oaks win on his lengthy resume, and while he’ll be a favorite to take home a check, the field is all still looking up at Good Cheer for good reason.
You never want to count out a Chad Brown horse with Flavien Prat aboard, and Ballerina d’Oro will look to make some noise as well. The 10-1 morning line ride won the Grade 3 Gazelle Stakes on April 5, holding off Early On by a nose at the tape. But prior to the Gazelle she had finished eighth, third, and second at the Grade 2 level without showing great raw speed. Dylan Davis was the jockey for the win, but now he’s one gate over on La Cara for The Oaks.
And for all the races at Churchill Downs this weekend, FanDuel Racing is offering a fantastic rebate of a deal on horse racing betting, as new customers can place their first bet up to $500 on any race at any track. And if your first bet doesn’t win, you’ll get it back in Racing Bonus dollars for future wagers for future horse races that expire after seven days.
How to watch the Kentucky Oaks
Post time for The Oaks is 5:51 p.m. ET, with the TV broadcast on USA Network starting at 1:00 p.m. Peacock, NBCSports.com, and the NBC Sports app will all have streaming coverage of all Oaks Day races.