Kentucky Oaks brings out 'pinch me' moments for Churchill Downs crowd
The Kentucky Oaks always kicks off Derby Weekend with high fashion and high-stakes races at Churchill Downs. This year in Louisville is no exception.
Heading into Kentucky Derby Weekend , William and Dorothy Kania made the trip to Louisville from Northern Indiana with a plan. They made the nearly five-hour trip from around Gary to the Wyndham East in Jeffersontown on April 30 and had burgers at Brass Social — “it was fantastic,” William Kania said in a May 1 interview at Churchill Downs . After that, it was time to rest up and get ready for a weekend at the races.
“Don’t be afraid to bet horses that ran good in their last race,” he advised first-timers. “The true handicappers will say, ‘Oh, that’s too easy. ’ The horses that run good, they keep running good.
” The couple had their eye on Percy’s Bar in the Kentucky Oaks , the annual showcase for fillies run the day before the Kentucky Derby that was set to take place later that evening. A full card of 13 races was scheduled throughout the day, with the Oaks set to cap off the night at 8:40 p. m.
More Kentucky Oaks: Updated Kentucky Oaks odds for each horse in field at Churchill Downs Oaks Day, which takes steps to recognize breast and ovarian cancer survivors, always brings a pink-filled crowd to Churchill Downs. There were 100,910 attendees in 2025 and 107,236 in attendance the year before. The 2026 forecast was cooler than usual, with temperatures not expected to rise past the low 60s, but rain was not expected.