2026 Kentucky Oaks preview: Pletcher goes for record tying-win in an evenly matched field

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Todd Pletcher has famously struggled with his horses in the Kentucky Derby, winning the Run for the Roses just twice with 65 starters.

But the Kentucky Oaks is a different story. The Hall of Fame trainer has won the race four times from 27 starters. That's tied for the third-most wins by a trainer all-time. And with a victory in the 2026 Kentucky Oaks on Friday night at Churchill Downs, Pletcher would tie two of the sport's greats -- Woody Stephens and D. Wayne Lukas -- for the most ever.

Pletcher has a great shot at Oaks win No. 5 when he sends out the favored Zany in the 152nd running of the race. A daughter of 2015 Triple Crown winner American Pharoah, Zany has three wins in four starts, including the Grade 2 Demoiselle Stakes at the same 1 1/8-mile distance of the Kentucky Oaks. She has been installed as the 4-1 morning-line favorite. Get full Kentucky Oaks analysis and expert picks at SportsLine.

But Zany is coming off her only career defeat: a second-place finish in the Ashland Stakes at Keeneland Race Course. Pletcher isn't concerned about the defeat, saying the short stretch in the Ashland did not suit Zany's powerful stretch run.

"I think it was a good experience for her, and I think it hopefully sets her up well for her best performance in here," he said this week.

If the odds are any indication, the Kentucky Oaks will be a wide-open affair. Six fillies in the 14-horse field are listed between 4-1 and 8-1. The others are Meaning (5-1), Explora (6-1), Percy's Bar (6-1), Counting Stars (8-1 and Prom Queen (8-1). Bet on the Kentucky Oaks at TwinSpires, where new users who click through our links get a supersized $400 sign-up bonus:

This year's Kentucky Oaks is unlike any other. For the first time in the 152-year history of the race, it will be run in primetime so that it can be televised nationally on NBC. Post time is set for 8:40 p.m. ET. (Last year it was 5:51 p.m. ET.) Industry talking heads believe that if the Oaks does well in the primetime window, the Derby could eventually move to primetime as well.