Undefeated filly Bella Ballerina leads the nominations for the 152nd running of the Grade 1, $1.5 million Kentucky Oaks, set for May 1, 2026, at Churchill Downs. The three-year-old earned her status with wins in the Golden Rod Stakes and Rachel Alexandra Stakes. Labwah has risen to second on the leaderboard after a dominant victory in the UAE Oaks.
The Kentucky Oaks, held annually since 1875 alongside the Kentucky Derby, will feature a prime-time broadcast for the first time in 2026, airing at 8 p.m. EDT on NBC. A total of 89 three-year-old fillies became eligible for the 1 1/8-mile race through a $200 early nomination payment, which closed on February 18. Late nominations remain open until April 8 for $1,500, with a $15,000 supplementary fee available at entry.
Bella Ballerina, owned by Godolphin and trained by Brendan Walsh, tops the leaderboard with 60 points. The filly secured her points from victories in the Golden Rod Stakes (G2) at Churchill Downs and the Rachel Alexandra Stakes (G2) at Fair Grounds on February 14. She is expected to next compete in the Fair Grounds Oaks (G2) on March 21, a 1 1/16-mile prep offering 100-50-25-15-10 points toward the Kentucky Oaks.
Labwah, a daughter of Charlatan trained by Salem bin Ghadayer, joined at No. 2 with 50 points from her 7 1/2-length win in the Grade 3 UAE Oaks on Friday. Owned by Sheikh Hamdan Bin Mohammed Al Maktoum, the filly's connections are considering whether she will target the Kentucky Oaks or face colts in the UAE Derby (G2). Bin Ghadayer stated, "She is ready for both options."
Other notable nominees include Super Corredora, winner of the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies; Explora, victor in the Oak Leaf (G2); On Time Girl, who took the Forward Gal (G3); Taken by the Wind, winner of the Pocahontas (G3); Meaning, from the Las Virgenes (Listed); and Zany, who won the Suncoast (Listed).
Upcoming prep races this weekend include the Davona Dale (G2) at Gulfstream Park and the Busher (Listed) at Aqueduct on Saturday, followed by the Honeybee (G3) at Oaklawn and Santa Ysabel (G3) at Santa Anita on Sunday. Each distributes 50-25-15-10-5 points.
