Always a Runner gets up in 152nd Kentucky Oaks

May 01, 2026 Kellie Reilly/Brisnet.com

Always a Runner wins the Kentucky Oaks (Photo by Horsephotos.com)

Douglas Scharbauer and Three Chimneys Farm’s undefeated Always a Runner kicked into high gear late to get up in Friday night’s $1.5 million Kentucky Oaks (G1) at Churchill Downs.

The Chad Brown trainee overhauled Meaning in a final time of 1:48.82 for 1 1/8 miles, paying $13.04 as the slight third choice at 5.52-1. The top two were both sired by Hall of Famer Gun Runner.

Counting Stars finished third, followed by pacesetter Explora and Prom Queen, who rounded out the top five. Zany, the lukewarm 5.11-1 favorite, checked in sixth.

The first Oaks winner for Brown, Always a Runner, is the second for jockey Jose Ortiz, who also rode Serengeti Empress (2019). Ortiz was capping a banner five-win day at the historic Louisville track, including the Alysheba (G2) aboard Corporate Power and the Modesty (G3) with the Brown-trained Kathynmarissa.

'I'm so proud of this horse,' Brown said of Always a Runner. 'She’s overcome so much, and to be able to be rewarded this way is unbelievable. She had a very serious case of pneumonia. When horses experience things like that, we just had to take things day by day. Her career was really up in the air. I never imagined she’d get to this day.'

Explora dashed to the early lead from her rail post and set fractions of :23.08, :46.85, and 1:10.78, pressed all the while by Dazzling Dame. Meaning made her move from just off the pace to challenge down the lane, gradually wearing down Explora.

By that point, Always a Runner was closing from further back. Staying on strongly in deep stretch, she drove 1 1/4 lengths clear.

Meaning was best of the rest by a length from Counting Stars, who collared Explora for third. Prom Queen, Zany, Percy's Bar, Dazzling Dame, Resist, Search Party, Pashmina, Lovely Grey, and Brooklyn Blonde concluded the order of finish. Bella Ballerina, Bottle of Rouge, My Miss Mo, and  Nycon were scratched.

𝗔𝗟𝗪𝗔𝗬𝗦 𝗔 𝗥𝗨𝗡𝗡𝗘𝗥 wins the 152nd running of the Kentucky Oaks under the lights.

Jockey @jose93_ortiz makes it 5 wins on the day. Chad Brown trains the filly by Gun Runner.

🎥#TwinSpiresReplay pic.twitter.com/lhhDgtkIPZ

— TwinSpires Racing 🏇 (@TwinSpires) May 2, 2026

Always a Runner, now a perfect 3-for-3, has bankrolled $984,800. Unraced at two because of her illness, the dark bay romped in her Feb. 6 unveiling at Tampa Bay Downs. She booked her Oaks ticket next time out in the Gazelle (G3) at Aqueduct.

At that time, Brown drew interesting parallels between Always a Runner and his unbeaten Louisiana Derby (G2) winner Emerging Market, who runs in Saturday's Kentucky Derby (G1).

Bred by Three Chimneys in Kentucky, Always a Runner was sold to Scharbauer for $1.05 million as a yearling at Keeneland September. But her breeder retained an interest in the well-bred filly out of the Grade 2-placed Malibu Moon mare Always Carina.

Scharbauer’s family campaigned 1987 Derby and Preakness (G1) star Alysheba, who was commemorated by the stakes earlier on Friday, and his maternal grandfather raced 1959 Derby winner *Tomy Lee.