usatsi-26084503.jpg
Imagn Images

The 2026 Kentucky Oaks on Friday features a field of 3-year-old fillies. The 2026 Kentucky Oaks post time is 8:40 p.m. ET for a 1 1/8-mile race. Casual fans and serious bettors alike can use the the FanDuel Racing Kentucky Oaks promo code, which gives new users who sign up for FanDuel Racing a $25 bonus after they make a $5 bet. Trainer Brad Cox won last year with Good Cheer and will saddle Prom Queen (8-1) in a strong 2026 Kentucky Oaks field. Todd Pletcher's Zany is the 4-1 favorite in the 2026 Kentucky Oaks odds, followed by Meaning (5-1), Explora (6-1) and Percy's Bar (6-1). Claim a $25 bonus when you sign up for FanDuel Racing and wager $5 now:

For more information about this Kentucky Oaks betting offer, including the full terms and conditions, check out our FanDuel Racing promo code and app review.

2026 Kentucky Oaks betting preview

The Oaks is a prestigious race, which is why some of the top trainers from the 2026 Kentucky Derby also have horses in the 2026 Kentucky Oaks field. Todd Pletcher has won the Kentucky Oaks four times, most recently in 2021, while last year's victory was Cox's third in the Oaks. Six-time Derby winner Bob Baffert also has three victories, but five-time Trainer of the Year Chad Brown is looking for his first.

Pletcher has the inside track to get another victory Friday, with Zany coming in as the favorite after winning the Suncoast Stakes in February and finishing behind fellow Oaks contender Percy's Bar in early April at the Ashland Stakes at Keeneland. Zany was sired by the iconic American Pharoah, who won the Triple Crown in 2015 under Baffert's guidance. Pletcher is a two-time Kentucky Derby winner, and Zany will be ridden by Irad Ortiz Jr., who is scheduled to be aboard Kentucky Derby favorite Renegade on Saturday.

Baffert's Bottle of Rouge was scratched from the 2026 Kentucky Oaks, but Explora gives him a solid chance at his first Kentucky Oaks victory since 2017. He also won the race in 1999 and 2011. Explora has won or placed in all eight of her races and comes in off a victory in the 2026 Honeybee Stakes at Oaklawn Park.

Explora finished just behind Meaning at Las Virgenes at Santa Anita in February. A Michael McCarthy-trained filly, Meaning is the second favorite for Friday's Kentucky Oaks and has won four of her five races, including two maiden special weight runs. The most recent victory was in the Santa Anita Oaks on April 4.

Percy's Bar, trained by Ben Colebrook, also is expected to make a run at the Kentucky Oaks winner's circle, and the filly is hoping to bring some momentum from the Ashland Stakes victory. Percy's Bar has won or placed in four of five races, with the only exception a show finish at October's Breeders Cup Juvenile Fillies, behind winner Super Corredora and Explora.

Cox's Prom Queen is just behind the favorites at 8-1, while Brown's Always a Runner is listed at 10-1. Prom Queen's last race was a victory at the Grade 2 Gulfstream Park Oaks, while Always a Runner won the Grade 3 Gazelle at Aqueduct on April 4. Sign up for FanDuel Racing now to claim a $25 bonus when you wager $5:

Rules and responsible gaming

FanDuel Racing takes responsible gaming seriously, and the racebook offers resources for its users, including gaming limit options. Bettors can also reach out to the National Council for Problem Gambling (NCPG) and Gamblers Anonymous or get asskistance from 1-800-MY-RESET via phone call or text 24/7.