Kentucky Oaks Power Rankings: Looking Forward

May 21, 2026 Alastair Bull/TwinSpires.com

Always A Runner wins the 152nd Kentucky Oaks (Photo by Doug Beigie)

As we did last week for the males, this week’s Power Rankings looks at how the race for the Eclipse Award for three-year-old fillies might pan out in the wake of the Kentucky Oaks (G1).

Unlike the males, the champion three-year-old filly award hasn’t always been won by dirt fillies best at the Oaks distance of around 1 1/8 miles. As recently as 2019, the award went to the sprinting filly Covfefe, while in 2006 it was given to Wait a While, based mostly on her turf efforts.

However, the two-turn dirt fillies have been dominant, so the Power Rankings list for Oaks fillies is as good a basis as any to try to pick which filly will come out on top come the end of the season.

As with the males, an Eclipse Award-winning three-year-old filly will need to excel in more than just the Kentucky Oaks. The key races going forward include contests for three-year-old fillies such as the Grade 1 Acorn, Coaching Club, American Oaks, and Alabama, as well as races where they take on the older females, most notably the Breeders’ Cup Distaff (G1).

Unlike with the males, there hasn’t been news of many horses dropping out of the major contests for fillies, though a few have been notably absent for a while, such as Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1) winner Super Corredora and dual Grade 1-winning juvenile filly Tommy Jo. The major horses missing from the Oaks field have been reinstated to the list moving forward if they are deemed to be genuine contenders for the Eclipse.

As always, feel free to disagree with the Power Rankings and to back your own judgment when the big races arrive.

Three-year-old fillies power rankings

1.         Always a Runner (6, +5)

Kentucky Oaks placing: 1st.

TwinSpires Horse Profile: Always a Runner

Fulfilled all her potential with a dominant effort to win the Kentucky Oaks. It was a remarkable effort at just her third raceday start, hinting that there is a lot more to come. Her victory left no excuses for the others, and you’d only expect her to improve. She’s the clear benchmark the other fillies need to run down.

Always A Runner wins the 152nd Kentucky Oaks (Photo by Doug Beigie)

2.         Meaning (1, -1)

Kentucky Oaks placing: 2nd.

TwinSpires Horse Profile: Meaning

She proved the form of the Californian three-year-old fillies was stronger than that of the Californian males with a strong second-place finish in the Kentucky Oaks. It proved her earlier victorious efforts this season – in the Las Virgenes S. and Santa Anita Oaks (G2) – were top-notch. Whether she has the goods to overturn the Kentucky Oaks result is another question.

Meaning motored late in the Santa Anita Oaks (G2) (Photo by Benoit Photos)

3.         Explora (4, +1)

Kentucky Oaks placing: 4th.

TwinSpires Horse Profile: Explora

She probably wasn’t helped by having to start from gate one in the Kentucky Oaks. It forced Flavien Prat’s hand into leading, where she may have been better having a horse to chase; it probably wouldn’t have been enough to result in a victory, but she may have been a bit closer. What she does have is consistency, and she should continue to be in the mix in any race she contests.

Expora wins the Santa Ynez at Santa Anita (Photo by Benoit Photo)

4.         Counting Stars (5, +1)

Kentucky Oaks placing: 3rd.

TwinSpires Horse Profile: Counting Stars

Hasn’t always been consistent, but she’s now put together three good efforts in a row, topped off by her Kentucky Oaks third-place finish. She could well improve as she gets more opportunities against the best fillies.

Counting Stars wins the Fantasy at Oaklawn Park. (Photo by Coady Media)

5.         Bella Ballerina (7, +2)

Kentucky Oaks placing: N/A.

TwinSpires Horse Profile: Bella Ballerina

She’d been among the best workers leading into the Kentucky Oaks, only to be forced out with injury. It was reported at the time that the injury was minor and wouldn’t keep her away for long, so she should have every chance to force her way back into the fold for the best three-year-old distaff races. It’s worth remembering that her half-sister, Pretty Mischievous, trained on to win the Acorn and Test following her Kentucky Oaks win.

Bella Ballerina wins the Golden Rod (G2) at Churchill Downs. (Photo by Coady Media)

6.         Forced Entry (re-entry)

Kentucky Oaks placing: N/A.

TwinSpires Horse Profile: Forced Entry

Given that the Californian form turned out to be solid for the fillies, Forced Entry should not be forgotten when considering the leading sophomore distaffers. She looked good winning the Santa Ysabel (G3) and was well backed when pulled up early in the Santa Anita Oaks. She has been breezing at Churchill Downs since late April, and her reappearance will be watched with interest.

Forced Entry wins the Santa Ysabel (G3) (Photo by Benoit Photo)

7.         Prom Queen (8, +1)

Kentucky Oaks placing: 5th.

TwinSpires Horse Profile: Prom Queen

The Gulfstream Park Oaks (G2) winner ran well without ever threatening in the Kentucky Oaks, closing better than any filly bar Always a Runner. It was her fourth raceday start, and she will probably be better for it. Looks like a decent prospect

Prom Queen wins the Gulfstream Park Oaks at Gulfstream Park. (Photo by Coglianeses Photo)

8.         Zany (3, -5)

Kentucky Oaks placing: 6th.

TwinSpires Horse Profile: Zany

Zany started as the favorite for the Kentucky Oaks, and though she stuck on well, she made very little headway in the final stages. It’s possible she needs a bit more time to mature, but equally possible she’s not quite up to the best.

Zany wins the Demoiselle at Aqueduct. (Photo by Coglianese Photo / Credit to Joe Labozzetta)

9.         Percy’s Bar (2, -7)

Kentucky Oaks placing: 7th.

TwinSpires Horse Profile: Percy's Bar

It was a long time before Percy’s Bar returned to the racetrack this season following her Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies third-place finish, but she then spectacularly won the Ashland (G1) after a dream rail run. Her seventh placing in the Kentucky Oaks was a little disappointing in comparison, but she had a much less favorable run in transit, and it’s possible she was feeling the effects of her first-up Ashland effort four weeks prior. She’s a solid bounce-back candidate.

Percy's Bar wins the Ashland Stakes at Keeneland. (Photo by Coady Media)

10.   Mashallah (new entry)

Kentucky Oaks placing: N/A.

The only filly on this list that didn’t run on the Oaks trail is a stable companion of Bella Ballerina, who may yet prove better. She didn’t make her debut until April 23 at Keeneland, but it was a spectacular effort, leading all the way to run a fantastic Brisnet Speed Rating of 102 – a figure rarely seen by a filly at her first start. It was only six furlongs, but she is a half-sister by Maxfield to Hard Aces, a Grade 1 winner at 1 1/4 miles, so she has every chance of excelling in two-turn races. Keep an eye on her.

Mashallah wins at Keeneland. (Photo by Coady Media)

11.   She Be Smooth (re-entry)

Kentucky Oaks placing: N/A.\

TwinSpires Horse Profile: She Be Smooth

After beating Prom Queen on debut, she then won the Davona Dale (G2) in great style before disappointing when third in the Gulfstream Park Oaks. She missed the Kentucky Oaks and hasn’t been on the worktab since April 23, but the potential she flashed in Florida this year suggests we haven’t heard the last of her.

She Be Smooth wins the Davona Dale at Gulfstream Park. (Photo by Coady Media)

12.   Life of Joy (re-entry)

Kentucky Oaks placing: N/A.

TwinSpires Horse Profile: Life of Joy

Ruled out of the Kentucky Oaks through injury, she’d shown herself to be heading in the right direction with a clear-cut victory over Bella Ballerina in the Fair Grounds Oaks (G2). Prior to that, she’d run second to Zany in the Suncoast S. at Tampa Bay Downs. Still needs to find a few lengths.

Life of Joy set a new stakes record in the Fair Grounds Oaks (Photo by Hodges Photography)

13.   Bottle of Rouge (re-entry)

Kentucky Oaks placing: N/A.

TwinSpires Horse Profile: Bottle of Rouge

Hasn’t been seen since injuring herself shortly before the Kentucky Oaks. A Grade 1 winner last term, she did all she needed to this season when winning the Sunland Park Oaks and the Virginia Oaks. There’s a suspicion she’s a touch below the best of her crop, but she shouldn’t be ruled out just yet.

14.   On Time Girl (re-entry)

Kentucky Oaks placing: N/A.

TwinSpires Horse Profile: On Time Girl

If any filly from this crop is going to emulate Covfefe and win the Eclipse through sprinting, it’s most likely to be On Time Girl. She missed the Oaks in favor of the Eight Belles over seven furlongs and proved too strong for Luv Your Neighbor, taking her record to five wins from seven starts. She could yet prove to have two-turn ability, but sprinting is probably going to be her forte. Whether she’s Covfefe class is hard to assess at this point.

On Time Girls wins the Forward Gale at Gulfstream Park. (Photo by Coglianeses Photo)

Largest gain: Always a Runner (up 5).

Largest fall: Percy’s Bar (down 7).

New to Oaks Power Rankings: Mashallah (10th).

Returning to Oaks Power Rankings: Forced Entry (6th), She Be Smooth (11th), Life of Joy (12th), Bottle of Rouge (13th), On Time Girl (14th).

Removed from Oaks Power Rankings: Brooklyn Blonde (9th before Oaks), Pashmina (10th), Search Party (11th), Dazzling Dame (12th), Lovely Grey (13th), Nycon (14th).