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Always A Runner Claims the Lilies for the 152nd Running of the Longines Kentucky Oaks

CHDN
  • Always A Runner won the 152nd Longines Kentucky Oaks in front of over 103,000 fans under twilight conditions at Churchill Downs.
  • NBC Sports & Peacock broadcast the event in primetime for the first time to expand viewership.
  • Total wagering on the Kentucky Oaks race day card reached a record $89 million, an 18% increase from the 2024 record.
  • Wagering specifically on the Kentucky Oaks race hit an all-time high of over $29 million, a 29% increase from the prior year.
  • TwinSpires set a new record with $24 million in handle for the Kentucky Oaks Day program, up 24% from last year.
  • Always A Runner, trained by Chad Brown & ridden by Jose Ortiz, covered 1-1/8 miles in 1:48.82 to win by 1-¼ lengths at 5-1 odds.
  • The winner is owned by Douglas Scharbauer & Three Chimneys Farm, LLC, bred in Kentucky by the latter, with lifetime earnings near $1 million.
  • The 18th annual Survivors Parade honored breast & ovarian cancer survivors prior to the race to champion women's health initiatives.
  • Charitable beneficiaries for 2026 included Derby Divas (Norton Cancer Institute), Horses & Hope (Kentucky Cancer Program), & the new partner Breast Cancer Research Foundation.
  • The Oaks Survivors Parade initiative has raised nearly $2 million since inception to support women's health advocacy in Kentucky.