Established: 1875
Style: Three year old thoroughbred fillies
Type of Track/length: Left-handed over dirt for 1 1/8 miles
Stakes: 500,000 U.S.
Another impressive race spanning the course of history and the test of time is the Kentucky Oaks which was made possible by the inspiration and vision of Meriwether Lewis Clark Jr. Run at Churchill Downs like the Kentucky Derby this unique race which caters solely to fillies is run the week preceding the famous Kentucky Derby.
The Oaks and Kentucky Derby tie with the claim to fame as being the oldest consecutive running sporting event in the history of the U.S. Being held at Churchill Downs since their inaugural running. For over a century these races have been growing in popularity and prestige and remain two of the greatest Derbies in the U.S.
The distance of the race itself has changed four times throughout the races history having been run at 1 ½ miles from 1875-1890 then 1 ¼ miles in 1891-1895 then through 1896-1919 it was held at 1 1/16 for 1920-1941 it was run at 1 1/8 miles and then it was changed back to 1 1/16 miles until 1981 and then finally it was changed back to its present length of 1 1/8 miles and has been run at this length since 1982.
The official flower of this race to honor the winning filly is the lily which is made into a garland and placed around the winner’s neck.
The Kentucky Oaks has often been considered the second most popular horse race in the U.S. drawing hundreds of thousands annually.
The greatest speed record for the Kentucky Oaks was made by Bird Town (2003) for 1:48.64 and the 2008 running was held by Proud Spell with a speed of 1:50.01.
Betting the Kentucky Oaks has been a favorite and very popular pastime for decades. Since it is no longer necessary to partake of the race at the track itself don’t miss out on an exciting bet this year. Place your wager online then set back and enjoy.
