Kentucky Oaks 2026: Unbeaten Bella Ballerina tops 89 nominees
Undefeated Bella Ballerina leads a list of 89 3-year-old fillies nominated to the 152nd running of the Grade 1, $1.5 million Kentucky Oaks 2026 set for Friday, May 1 at Churchill Downs.
The 89 fillies became eligible to compete in the 1 1/8-mile Kentucky Oaks through a $200 early nomination payment that closed Wednesday, Feb. 18. A $1,500 late nomination deadline remains available through Wednesday, April 8. A supplementary nomination of $15,000 may be made at the time of entry.
Bella Ballerina, owned by Godolphin, stamped herself as one of the early favorites for the Kentucky Oaks when she won the Feb. 14 Rachel Alexandra Stakes (G2) at Fair Grounds. Prior to that start, the filly trained by Brendan Walsh won the Golden Rod Stakes (G2) at Churchill Downs.
Other stakes-winning nominees include Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies winner Super Corredora; Oak Leaf (G2) winner Explora; Forward Gal (G3) winner On Time Girl; Pocahontas (G3) winner Taken by the Wind; Las Virgenes (Listed) winner Meaning and Suncoast (Listed) winner Zany.
Like the $5 million Kentucky Derby, the Kentucky Oaks has been held annually since 1875. For the first time in 2026, the Kentucky Oaks will take place in prime time during an 8 p.m. EDT broadcast on NBC.
| Horse | Trainer |
|---|---|
| A. P.'s Girl | Peter Eurton |
| Agrippina | Lindsay Schultz |
| Always a Runner | Chad Brown |
| Bad Manners | Richard Mandella |
| Bank Shot | Ryan Hanson |
| Bella Ballerina | Brendan Walsh |
| Belle of the Barn | Caio Caramori |
| Blazing Brat | D. Whitworth Beckman |
| Bossy Candy | Mark Casse |
| Bottle of Rouge | Bob Baffert |
| Brooklyn Blonde | Michael McCarthy |
| Cashed | Doug O'Neill |
| Cee Drew | Dan Blacker |
| Classic Glide | Robert Medina |
| Coco Connect | John Ennis |
| Coffee Connection | Todd Fincher |
| Counting Stars | Mark Casse |
| Current Yield | Chad Brown |
| Dare Greatly | Peter Miller |
| Daring Pursuit | Dan Blacker |
| Dazzling Dame | Brittany Russell |
| Dunmore Beach | Josie Carroll |
| Easter Promise | Justin Wojczynski |
| Explora | Bob Baffert |
| Flawless Road | Dallas Stewart |
| Forced Entry | Bob Baffert |
| Fortunate Truth | Dan Blacker |
| French Blue | Bob Baffert |
| French Friction | Mark Casse |
| Galinda | Miguel Clement |
| Haute Diva | Patrick Biancone |
| Hit Parade | Brad Cox |
| Hypergamy | Doug O'Neill |
| Imperatrice | Todd Pletcher |
| Just Singing | J. Kent Sweezey |
| Kadabra | Todd Pletcher |
| Knickleandime | Randy Morse |
| La Ville Lumiere | Michael McCarthy |
| Labwah | Salem bin Ghadayer |
| Law School | Jamie Ness |
| Life of Joy | Brad Cox |
| Love and Trust | Cherie DeVaux |
| Luv Your Neighbor | Michael Stidham |
| Map of the Moon | Kelsey Danner |
| Market Chill | Chad Brown |
| Mass | Michael McCarthy |
| Mathea | Mark Hennig |
| Maximum Offer | Kenneth McPeek |
| Meaning | Michael McCarthy |
| Mo' Em Down | Peter Miller |
| My Miss Mo | Saffie Joseph Jr. |
| Newtown Pike | Lindsay Schultz |
| Nimah | Bob Baffert |
| Nycon | D. Whitworth Beckman |
| Omaha Bay | Ian Wilkes |
| On Time Girl | Brad Cox |
| Paradise | Brad Cox |
| Pashmina | Rob Atras |
| Peanutbutterbombe | Philip D'Amato |
| Percy's Bar | Ben Colebrook |
| Perfect Town | Steven Asmussen |
| Piney Woods | Michael McCarthy |
| Powered by Family | Cherie DeVaux |
| Prom Queen | Brad Cox |
| Ready Comete | Dallas Stewart |
| Ready for a Title | Dallas Stewart |
| Resist | Thomas Drury Jr. |
| Resplendence | Paulo H. Lobo |
| Search Party | Mark Casse |
| She Be Smooth | Todd Pletcher |
| Sister Troienne | Brian Lynch |
| Slice | Michael McCarthy |
| Slow Kara | Saffie Joseph Jr. |
| Sneaky Good | Brad Cox |
| Soloist | Kenneth McPeek |
| Spicy Princess | Patrick Biancone |
| Star Actress | William Mott |
| Sticker Shock | Brad Cox |
| Summer Grey | Todd Pletcher |
| Super Corredora | John Sadler |
| Swing Vote | William Mott |
| Take Charge Macy | Peter Miller |
| Taken by the Wind | Kenneth McPeek |
| The Grumpy Rabbit | Kenneth McPeek |
| Two Bits | Amelia Green |
| Via de la Valle | Michael McCarthy |
| Wonzee Weather | Darrin Miller |
| You're in Heaven | Dallas Stewart |
| Zany | Todd Pletcher |