The Kentucky Oaks has traditionally rung in Kentucky Derby weekend at Churchill Downs, and while it's still taking place on the day before the "Run for the Roses," this year the three-year-old fillies will run for the lilies under the lights.
There's a lineup of 14 horses worthy of a prime time stage, but only one can win. My Kentucky Oaks predictions and win, place, and show picks tell you why Percy's Bar will prevail.
Read on for my free betting picks for Friday, May 1.
Kentucky Oaks prediction and picks: Win, Place, & Show
Best bet: Percy's Bar to win
Win prediction: Percy's Bar
No. 11 Percy's Bar (+600 at FanDuel) has raced only once this year, and it was a show-stopping score in the Grade I Ashland Stakes at Keeneland over Kentucky Oaks morning-line favorite Zany.
Percy's Bar has never missed hitting the board in six lifetime starts, with additional wins in the Debutante Stakes over this course, as well as the Grade I Alcibiades Stakes at Keeneland.
The daughter of Upstart has proven to be tactically versatile and could be sitting on a career-best effort going second off a layoff.
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Place prediction: Prom Queen
No. 10 Prom Queen (+800 at FanDuel) nearly went gate-to-wire at first asking, but had to settle for second. She's undefeated in two starts since for three-time Oaks-winning trainer Brad Cox.
Prom Queen crushed maidens by eight lengths two-back, and followed that up with an open-length score in the Grade II Gulfstream Park Oaks.
Being by Quality Road out of a Tapit mare, she shouldn't mind today's 1 1/8th-mile distance, and her sharp recent five-furlong drill suggests she's ready to roll.
Show prediction: Always a Runner
No. 9 Always a Runner (+1000 at FanDuel) is the lightest-raced Kentucky Oaks competitor with just two starts to her name, but both starts resulted in wins.
The Chad Brown pupil crushed overmatched maidens at Tampa Bay Downs on debut, then stepped up to stakes company and took the Grade III Gazelle at Aqueduct.
While the Gazelle has not produced any Oaks winners of late, four of the last five runnings of the Oaks have seen a Gazelle participant hit the board.
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Kentucky Oaks odds
- Race: Churchill Race 13
- Post time: 8:40 p.m. ET on Friday, May 1, 2026
- TV: NBC
| Post | Horse | Track odds |  |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Explora | 6-1 | +600 |
| 2 | Zany | 4-1 | +400 |
| 3 | Search Party | 30-1 | +3000 |
| 4 | Counting Stars | 8-1 | +800 |
| 5 | Meaning | 5-1 | +500 |
| 7 | Dazzling Dame | 30-1 | +3000 |
| 9 | Always a Runner | 10-1 | +1000 |
| 10 | Prom Queen | 8-1 | +800 |
| 11 | Percy's Bar | 6-1 | +600 |
| 13 | Pashmina | 30-1 | +3000 |
| 14 | Brooklyn Blonde | 30-1 | +3000 |
| 15 | Lovely Grey | 30-1 | +3000 |
| 16 | Nycon | 50-1 | +5000 |
| 17 | Resist | 30-1 | +3000 |
Odds at FanDuel, one of our best Kentucky Derby betting sites.
