

Along with the Derby as the main event, the Kentucky Oaks is this country’s longest-running continuous sporting contest. Almost a century and a half before Chappell Roan showed up, this was the original “Pink Pony Club.” Friday’s lily-tinted festivities include the moving Survivor’s Parade celebrating breast and ovarian cancer survivors. On Friday at Churchill Downs, we wear pink.
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How to watch the 2025 Kentucky Oaks
- Venue: Churchill Downs — Louisville, Ky.
- Time: Live coverage begins at 1 p.m. ET, Friday; Kentucky Oaks race at 5:51 p.m.
- TV: USA Network
- Streaming: Fubo (try for free)
- Watching in-person? Get tickets on StubHub.
The total purse is $1.5 million, with the first-place finisher take a large chunk of the prize and a blanket of 133 stargazer lilies. The flamingo flowers honor women fighting breast and ovarian cancers. It originated as a 1 1/2-mile race in 1875, and has been set at 1 1/8 since 1982.
Last year’s installment, the 150th running, was marked by intermittent rain and soggy track conditions. Thorpedo Anna (and jockey Brian Hernandez) won by four lengths on 4-1 odds. Unfortunately, it may be more of the same this time around — current Louisville forecasts for Friday predict cloudy skies in the morning and scattered thunderstorms in the afternoon. Churchill Downs gates open at 9 a.m. ET.
The favorite in this year’s field is Good Cheer, an undefeated filly going for her seventh win in Friday’s Grade 1 gallop. Her morning line odds are 6-5. Second-best odds belong to La Cara (6-1), followed by Quietside (8-1). Post position No. 1 Early On is far behind at 30-1 odds.
Every winner since 2018 has finished between 1:48 and 1:51. The all-time record at this current race length is held by Shedaresthedevil (2020). On a personal note, this correspondent’s all-time favorite name for a winning horse is Lemons Forever (2006).
Kentucky Oaks capsules from the NYT archives
1977 — “While the big boys were back in the barn resting for the Kentucky Derby, a dozen of the fanciest fillies in the land competed today in the 103d Kentucky Oaks — the ‘sister race’ to the classic — and they were led home by a 10‐to‐1 outsider named Sweet Alliance…”
1982 — “On the ladies’ day before the Kentucky Derby, the grand old gentleman of racing, Bill Shoemaker, rode Blush With Pride to a three-quarter-length victory over Before Dawn today before a record Kentucky Oaks crowd of 52,430…”
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1992 — “Two of the country’s star fillies were outrun today when the long shot Luv Me Luv Me Not survived a tight photo finish to win the 118th Kentucky Oaks, the premier race for 3-year-old fillies at Churchill Downs…”
2001 — “Flute finished in 1:48.85, the second-fastest Oaks since it was lengthened to a mile and an eighth in 1981. Second choice among 13 starters, Flute, the daughter of Seattle Slew, returned $8.60 on a $2 bet to win. The long shots Real Cozzy and Collect Call were second and third. Fleet Renee, the 8-5 favorite, ran fourth. The crowd of 102,904 was the second highest in Oaks history…”
(Photo of 2024 Kentucky Oaks: Leandro Lozada / Getty Images)
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