THE KENTUCKY OAKS

The Kentucky Oaks is a Grade I stakes race for three-year-old Thoroughbred fillies staged annually in Louisville, Kentucky, United States. The race currently covers 1 1/8 miles (1811 m) at Churchill Downs; carry 121 pounds (54.9 kg). The Kentucky Oaks is held on the Friday before the Kentucky Derby each year. The winner gets a $500,000 dollar purse and a garland of lilies.

The first running of the Kentucky Oaks was on May 19, 1875 back when Churchill Downs was known as the Louisville Jockey Club. The race was founded by Meriwether Lewis Clark, Jr. along with the Kentucky Derby, the Clark Handicap, and the Falls City Handicap. The Oaks and the Derby are the oldest continuously contested sporting events in history and the only horse races to be held at its original site since its conception. The Kentucky Oaks was modeled after the British Epsom Oaks. In the first race the horse Vinaigrette won the then 1 ½ mile race in a time of 2:39.75 winning a purse of $1,175. Since that race the Kentucky Oaks has been held each year.

The Kentucky Oaks has been run at four different distances. In 1875 the race was 1½ miles and remained that way until 1890. In 1891 it was changed to 1¼ miles for a brief period until 1895. After the two changed they had a series of changes, which from 1896 to 1919 it would be 1 1/16 miles, then changed in 1920 to 1 1/8 miles until 1941 and back to 1 /16 miles in 1942 to 1981. Finally in 1982 the race would be set as 1 1/8 miles and has been that distance since.

The Kentucky Oaks is considered by some to be the second most popular horse race in the American horse racing society due to its attendance. It attracts about 100,000 people in attendance a year since 2001's 127th running of the Kentucky Oaks. In 1980 it was about 50,000 people and by 1989 it had reached about 67,000 people. The attendance at the Kentucky Oaks usually surpasses the attendance
at the Preakness Stakes, the Belmont Stakes, as well as the Breeders' Cup.

The Kentucky Oaks, the Black-Eyed Susan Stakes, and the Acorn Stakes are the counter parts to the Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing. However the "Filly Triple Crown" known as the Triple Tiara of Thoroughbred Racing is a series of three races at the Belmont and Saratoga Race courses. Some consideration has been made by the National Thoroughbred Racing Association (NTRA) to change
the Triple Tiara series to the three counter parts of the Triple Crown.