There were two road to Kentucky Oaks 2026 prep races on March 21 and Life of Joy was the big winner of the week in the Grade 2 Fair Grounds Oaks. In this report, I will recap the FG Oaks and Bourbonette Oaks, update the points standings, and share my top five Oaks fillies.
I cover all of the Kentucky Oaks points race on my Runaway Horse YouTube channel, and through the first 27 points races, my top choices have 12 wins, 5 runner-up finishes, and 5 show finishes. The next Kentucky Oaks points race is the Fantasy Stakes at Oaklawn on Friday, March 27 and Explora is the even money favorite. The Gulfstream Park Oaks will be run on March 28 and Davona Dale winner She Be Smooth will probably go favored.
Fantasy Stakes field (race 11): 1 – Search Party (6-1), 2 – Empath (30-1), 3 – Counting Stars (5-2), 4 – Taken by the Wind (15-1), 5 – Sticker Shock (3-1), 6 – Explora (1-1).
Gulfstream Park Oaks field (race 9): 1 – Betty’s Pearl, 2 – My Miss Mo, 3 – Nasti Z, 4 – Just Singing, 5 – Prom Queen, 6 – She Be Smooth, 7 – Haute Diva.
Kentucky Oaks 2026 Points Race Recaps
Fair Grounds Oaks at Fair Grounds (3-21-26): 19-1 longshot Maximum Offer had a slim early advantage and race favorite Bella Ballerina pressed from second. The latter got to the front around the far turn and heading into the stretch, but Life of Joy ($9.40) made a wide move from off the pace turning for home and had all the momentum, and she won by 3 3/4 lengths (86 BSF). Bella Ballerina never stopped trying and was clearly second best, and Luv Your Neighbor weakened in the lane and held the show by a half-length over closer Newtown Pike. Maximum Offer weakened to 5th and Love and Trust and Miss Metoyer trailed. Flavien Prat rode the winner for Brad Cox. Fractions: 23.24, 46.83, 1:11.10, 1:35.85, 1:42.47.
Bourbonette Oaks at Turfway Park (3-21-26): Lorelei Lee ($23.98) won this race at the break in this all-weather route. Expected inside pace player Resplendence ceded the early lead to Lorelei Lee and the latter was clear throughout and won by 3/4ths of a length over midpack stalker Lovely Grey. Resist stalked the pace and was best of the rest in third, and La Ville Lumiere rallied to nip fellow closer Bless Her for fourth. Resplendence chased from second and weakened to 6th, and Scratch It, Beara Peninsula, and Wonzee Weather also ran. Blazing Brat, Callmeyourmajesty, and Maximum Offer scratched. Fernando De La Cruz rode the winner for Michael Maker and the winning BSF was 80. Fractions: 24.07, 49.77, 1:13.89, 1:38.38, 1:44.81.
Kentucky Oaks 2026 Points Race Results
Pocahontas (10-5-3-2-1) – Sep. 13 – Winner: Taken by the Wind ($14.10)
Alcibiades (10-5-3-2-1) – Oct. 3 – Winner: Tommy Jo ($2.88)
Frizette (10-5-3-2-1) – Oct. 4 – Winner: Iron Orchard ($6.90)
Oak Leaf (10-5-3-2-1) – Oct. 4 – Winner: Explora ($2.80)
Rags to Riches (10-5-3-2-1) – Oct. 26 – Winner: Life of Joy ($3.68)
BC Juvenile Fillies (30-15-9-6-3) – Oct. 31 – Winner: Super Corredora ($19.60)
Golden Rod (10-5-3-2-1) – Nov. 29 – Winner: Bella Ballerina ($10.28)
Demoiselle (10-5-3-2-1) – Dec. 6 – Winner: Zany ($3.50)
Starlet (10-5-3-2-1) – Dec. 6 – Winner: Consequent ($7.60)
Untapable (10-5-3-2-1) – Dec. 20 – Winner: Hit Parade ($6.60)
Busanda (20-10-6-4-2) – Jan. 3 – Winner: Dazzling Dame ($6.24)
Santa Ynez (10-5-3-2-1) – Jan. 10 – Winner: Explora ($2.10)
Silverbulletday (20-10-6-4-2) – Jan. 17 – Winner: Taken by the Wind ($10.80)
Forward Gal (20-10-6-4-2) – Jan. 31 – Winner: On Time Girl ($4.20)
Martha Washington (20-10-6-4-2) – Feb. 6 – Winner: Search Party ($10.20)
Suncoast (20-10-6-4-2) – Feb. 7 – Winner: Zany ($2.40)
Las Virgenes (20-10-6-4-2) – Feb. 8 – Winner: Meaning ($7.80)
Rachel Alexandra (50-25-15-10-5) – Feb. 14 – Bella Ballerina ($3.60)
Sunland Park Oaks (20-10-6-4-2) – Feb. 15 – Bottle of Rouge ($2.80)
Cincinnati Trophy (20-10-6-4-2) – Feb. 20 – Winner: Resplendence ($25.42)
UAE Oaks (50-25-15-10-5) – Feb. 21 – Winner: Labwah
Busher (50-25-15-10-5) – Feb. 28 – Winner: Paradise ($4.72)
Davona Dale (50-25-15-10-5) – Feb. 28 – Winner: She Be Smooth ($13.60)
Honeybee (50-25-15-10-5) – March 1 – Winner: Explora ($4.00)
Santa Ysabel (50-25-15-10-5) – March 8 – Winner: Forced Entry ($7.60)
Virginia Oaks (50-25-15-10-5) – March 14 – Winner: Bottle of Rouge ($3.60)
Bourbonette Oaks (50-25-15-10-5) – March 21 – Winner: Lorelei Lee ($23.98)
FG Oaks (100-50-25-15-10) – March 21 – Winner: Life of Joy ($9.40)
Fantasy (100-50-25-15-10) – March 27
GP Oaks (100-50-25-15-10) – March 28
Ashland (100-50-25-15-10) – April 3
Gazelle (100-50-25-15-10) – April 4
SA Oaks (100-50-25-15-10) – April 4
Top 20 Kentucky Oaks 2026 Points Leaders (thru 3-22-26):
Life of Joy (122 points)
Bella Ballerina (110 points)
Explora (95 points)
Luv Your Neighbor (65 points)
Bottle of Rouge (57.5 points)
Lorelei Lee (50 points)
Labwah (50 points)
She Be Smooth (50 points)
Forced Entry (50 points)
Dazzling Dame (40.75 points)
Paradise (37.5 points)
On Time Girl (35 points)
Bank Shot (31 points)
Taken by the Wind (30 points)
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Search Party (30 points)
Zany (30 points)
Meaning (26 points)
Counting Stars (25 points)
Newtown Pike (25 points)
My Miss Mo (25 points)
Jarrod Horak’s Fabulous Five Kentucky Oaks 2026 Contenders (3-22-26)
#1 – ZANY (American Pharoah – Mo’ Green, by Uncle Mo) – Trainer: Todd Pletcher – Last Ranking (2)
Comments: This unbeaten filly can solidify her status as the early Kentucky Oaks favorite with a victory in her next start in the Grade 1 Ashland at Keeneland on Friday, April 3. She started her sophomore campaign with a win as the favorite in the Suncoast Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs on Feb. 7 (81 BSF), and that effort looks even better now following Life of Joy’s decisive score in the FG Oaks. She has worked four times since winning the Suncoast. Her last move was a 5f breeze in 1:00.60 (1/2) at Palm Beach Downs on March 19.
#2 – BELLA BALLERINA (Street Sense – Pretty City Dancer, by Tapit) – Trainer: Brendan Walsh – Last Ranking (1)
Comments: My longtime top ranked Oaks contender loses her number one ranking after finishing second as the beaten favorite in the FG Oaks. She was her own worst enemy as the beaten even money favorite in the latter event. She was too keen early and tugged her way to the front, and she switched to her wrong lead in the stretch in a clear runner-up finish. She galloped out in front around the clubhouse turn. Her connections will need to work on getting her to relax better and changing leads on cue.
#3 – MEANING (Gun Runner – Figure of Speech, by Into Mischief) – Trainer: Michael McCarthy – Last Ranking (3)
Comments: She beat next-out Honeybee (G3) winner Explora in the Las Virgenes at Santa Anita on Feb. 8 (79 BSF). She has worked five times since her last start including a 5f move in 1:00.20 (3/29) at Santa Anita on March 20. She might run next in the Santa Anita Oaks (G2) on April 4.
#4 – EXPLORA (Blame – Collections Choice, by Bernardini) – Trainer: Bob Baffert – Last Ranking (4)
Comments: She looked good capturing the Honeybee (G3) at Oaklawn on March 1 (88 BSF). She worked 5f in 1:01.40 (17/29) on March 20 and is entered in the Grade 2, $1 million Fantasy Stakes at Oaklawn on March 27.
#5 – SHE BE SMOOTH (Lexitonian – Seattle Smooth, by Quiet American) – Trainer: Todd Pletcher – Last Ranking (5)
Comments: She smartly rallied to win the Davona Dale (G2) at one mile (one turn) Feb. 28 (91 BSF). She breezed an easy half-mile in 51.66 (15/16) at Palm Beach Downs on March 21. She is entered in the Grade 2 GP Oaks on March 28.
Next Nine: (6) Counting Stars, (7) Life of Joy, (8) Bottle of Rouge, (9) Forced Entry, (10) Search Party, (11) Dazzling Dame, (12) Luv Your Neighbor, (13) On Time Girl, (14) Paradise
