Fair Grounds Oaks
The Fair Grounds Oaks is a race for Grade II Thoroughbred horses run at the end of March at Fair Grounds Race Course each year. The Oaks is open to fillies, age three, willing to race one and one-sixteenth miles on the dirt, and currently offers a purse of $400,000. The race is considered a prep race to the Triple Tiara of Thoroughbred Racing, including the Kentucky Oaks, the Black-Eyed Susan Stakes and Mother Goose Stakes.
| Grade II race | |
| Location | Fair Grounds Race Course, New Orleans, Louisiana  |
|---|---|
| Inaugurated | 1966 |
| Race type | Thoroughbred – Flat racing |
| Website | www |
| Race information | |
| Distance | 1 1⁄16 miles (8.5 furlongs) |
| Surface | Dirt |
| Track | Left-handed |
| Qualification | Three-year-old fillies |
| Weight | 122 lb (55.3 kg) |
| Purse | $400,000 |
Race history
The race was inaugurated in 1966. It was first graded in 1982 as was run as a grade three race from 1982–2000. In the year 2000 the race was upgraded to a grade two race. The race was not held in 1979 and in 2006 the race was cancelled due to massive damage inflicted upon Fair Grounds Race Course by Hurricane Katrina. The race was run as the Coca-Cola Fair Ground Oaks in 1989 and 1990. In 1977 the race was run twice, in both March and December.
The race has produced numerous Kentucky Oaks winners, including Tiffany Lass, Blushing K.D., Silverbulletday, Ashado, Summerly, Proud Spell, Rachel Alexandra and Believe You Can.
Records
Speed record:
- 1 1⁄16 miles – 1:42.20 – Blushing K. D. (1997)
Most wins by a jockey:
- 3 – Donnie Meche (1997, 2000 & 2003)
Most wins by a trainer:
- 4 – J. Larry Jones (2008, 2012, 2015, 2019)
Winners of the Fair Grounds Oaks since 1993
| Year |
Winner |
Age |
Jockey |
Trainer |
Owner |
Distance (Miles) |
Time |
Grade |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | Bonny South | 3 | Florent Geroux | Brad Cox | Juddmonte Farms | 1-1/16 | 1:43.57 | II |
| 2019 | Street Band | 3 | Sophie Doyle | J. Larry Jones | J. Larry Jones et al. | 1-1/16 | 1:44.54 | II |
| 2018 | Chocolate Martini | 3 | Mitchell Murrill | Thomas Amoss | Double Doors Racing | 1-1/16 | 1:44.44 | II |
| 2017 | Farrell | 3 | Channing Hill | Wayne Catalano | Coffeepot Stables | 1-1/16 | 1:44.09 | II |
| 2016 | Land Over Sea | 3 | John R. Velazquez | Doug F. O'Neill | Reddam Racing | 1-1/16 | 1:44.74 | II |
| 2015 | I'm a Chatterbox | 3 | Florent Geroux | J. Larry Jones | Carolyn & Fletcher Gray | 1-1/16 | 1:44.40 | II |
| 2014 | Untapable | 3 | Rosie Napravnik | Steve Asmussen | Winchell Thoroughbreds | 1-1/16 | 1:43.09 | II |
| 2013 | Unlimited Budget | 3 | Javier Castellano | Todd A. Pletcher | Repole Stable | 1-1/16 | 1:43.22 | II |
| 2012 | Believe You Can | 3 | Rosie Napravnik | J. Larry Jones | Brereton C. Jones | 1-1/16 | 1:43.94 | II |
| 2011 | Daisy Divine | 3 | James Graham | Andrew McKeever | James M. Miller | 1-1/16 | 1:44.25 | II |
| 2010 | Quiet Temper | 3 | Robby Albarado | Dale Romans | Mark Stanley | 1-1/16 | 1:44.55 | II |
| 2009 | Rachel Alexandra | 3 | Calvin Borel | Hal R. Wiggins | D. Morrison/M. Lauffer | 1-1/16 | 1:43.55 | II |
| 2008 | Proud Spell | 3 | Gabriel Saez | J. Larry Jones | Brereton C. Jones | 1-1/16 | 1:44.01 | II |
| 2007 | Mistical Plan | 3 | Corey Nakatani | Doug F. O'Neill | J. Paul Reddam | 1-1/16 | 1:44.02 | II |
| 2006 | No Race | - | No Race | No Race | No Race | no race | 0:00.00 | II |
| 2005 | Summerly | 3 | Jerry D. Bailey | Steve Asmussen | Winchell Thoroughbreds | 1-1/16 | 1:43.79 | II |
| 2004 | Ashado | 3 | Cornelio Velásquez | Todd A. Pletcher | Jonabell Farm | 1-1/16 | 1:43.07 | II |
| 2003 | Lady Tak | 3 | Donnie Meche | Steve Asmussen | Heiligbrodt Racing | 1-1/16 | 1:44.36 | II |
| 2002 | Take Charge Lady | 3 | Anthony D'Amico | Kenneth McPeek | Select Stable | 1-1/16 | 1:43.30 | II |
| 2001 | Real Cozzy | 3 | Eddie Martin Jr. | Daniel Peitz | Lawana & Robert Low | 1-1/16 | 1:44.58 | II |
| 2000 | Shawnee Country | 3 | Donnie Meche | D. Wayne Lukas | Overbrook Farm | 1-1/16 | 1:44.81 | III |
| 1999 | Silverbulletday | 3 | Gary Stevens | Bob Baffert | Mike Pegram | 1-1/16 | 1:44.99 | III |
| 1998 | Lu Ravi | 3 | Willie Martinez | Carl Bowman | Yoshio Fujita | 1-1/16 | 1:43.70 | III |
| 1997 | Blushing K. D. | 3 | Donnie Meche | Sam David Jr. | James & Sue Burns | 1-1/16 | 1:42.20 | III |
| 1996 | Bright Time | 3 | Luis Felipe Diaz | Ben Perkins Jr. | New Farm | 1-1/16 | 1:45.98 | III |
| 1995 | Brushing Gloom | 3 | Jerilyn Brown | Richard W. Small | Robert E. Meyerhoff | 1-1/16 | 1:45.12 | III |
| 1994 | Two Altazano | 3 | Kirk LeBlanc | William Stice | Harold Goodman | 1-1/16 | 1:42.50 | III |
| 1993 | Silky Feather | 3 | Elvis J. Perrodin | Tony Richey | Stanton P. Powell | 1-1/16 | 1:44.60 | III |
| 1992 | Prospectors Delite | 3 | Pat Day | Neil J. Howard | William S. Farish III | 1-1/16 | 1:44.20 | III |
| 1991 | Rare Pick | 3 | Patrick A. Johnson | Terry L. Mason | W. H. Turner | 1-1/16 | 1:46.50 | III |
Previous Winners
- 1990 – Pampered Star
- 1989 – Mistaurian
- 1988 – Quite A Gem
- 1987 – Up The Apalachee
- 1986 – Tiffany Lass
- 1985 – Marshuas Echelon
- 1984 – My Darling One
- 1983 – Bright Crocus
- 1982 – Before Dawn
- 1981 – Truly Bound
- 1980 – Honest And True
- 1979 – Race Not Run
- 1976 – Bronze Point
- 1975 – Lucky Leslie
- 1974 – Bold Rosie
- 1973 – Knitted Gloves
- 1972 – My Charmer
- 1971 – Rosemont Bow
- 1970 – Kay Emy Delta
- 1969 – Royal Fillet
- 1968 – Trapeze
- 1967 – Furl Sail
- 1966 – Help On Way