Churchill Downs Incorporated announced on May 1 that Always A Runner won the 152nd running of the Longines Kentucky Oaks, finishing first among a field of 13 fillies under fast track conditions. The race took place at Churchill Downs Racetrack, where more than 103,000 fans gathered to watch America’s top event for three-year-old fillies, which featured a twilight finish.
For the first time, NBC Sports and Peacock broadcasted the Kentucky Oaks in primetime. This move was described as an important step in expanding viewership and reaching new audiences.
Wagering totals set new records during this year’s event. All-sources wagering on the full Kentucky Oaks race day card reached $89 million, an increase of 18% from the previous record set in 2024. Wagering specifically on the Kentucky Oaks race itself hit over $29 million, up by 29% from last year. TwinSpires, serving as the official betting partner for the event, also recorded $24 million in wagers—an increase of 24% compared to last year’s program.
Always A Runner is owned by Douglas Scharbauer and Three Chimneys Farm LLC, trained by Chad Brown and ridden by Jose Ortiz. She completed the one-and-one-eighth mile distance in a time of 1:48.82 to win by one-and-a-quarter lengths at odds of five-to-one. Bred in Kentucky by Three Chimneys Farm LLC and sired by Gun Runner, Always A Runner now has lifetime earnings approaching $1 million.
“We proudly celebrate and congratulate the connections of Always A Runner on her impressive victory,” said Churchill Downs President Mike Anderson. “We are so grateful to our fans, sponsors, horsemen, and horsewomen who made the 152nd Kentucky Oaks a truly memorable event.” The company also continued its support for women’s health initiatives through events like welcoming breast and ovarian cancer survivors for their annual Survivors Parade before this year’s race.
Charitable beneficiaries from this year’s event included Derby Divas representing Norton Cancer Institute; Horses and Hope representing Kentucky Cancer Program; and for the first time in 2026, Breast Cancer Research Foundation joined as a beneficiary. Since its inception eighteen years ago, nearly $2 million has been raised through these efforts to support women’s health advocacy across Kentucky.