The Indiana Oaks is a Grade III American Thoroughbred horse race for three-year-old fillies run over a distance of miles on the dirt held annually in July at Horseshoe Indianapolis in Shelbyville, Indiana.
History
The Indiana Oaks was inaugurated on 16 September 1995 at Hoosier Park and run over a distance of 1 mile. The event was won by the short odds-on Niner's Home who withstood the fast closing Alltheway Bertie to win by a neck in a time 1:37 flat on a fast track.
The event was held over a mile in 1996 before being extended to the current distance of miles in 1997.
The event was upgraded to Grade III in 2001 and in 2008 to Grade II. It held this classification until 2017 when the event was downgraded back to Grade III.
The event carried Breeders' Cup incentives between 1998 and 2006 which were reflected in the name of the event.
In 2013 the event was moved to Indiana Grand, now known as Horseshoe Indianapolis. Since 2015, the race has been held in July.
Records
Speed record: miles: 1:41.85 - Grace Hall (2012) 1 mile: 1:37.00 - Princess Eloise (1996) & Niner's Home (1995)
Margins: 8 lengths – Bare Necessities (2002)
Most wins by a jockey: 4 - Julien Leparoux (2011, 2016, 2017, 2018)
Most wins by a trainer: 3 - Kenneth G. McPeek (2013, 2023, 2026)
Most wins by an owner:
2 - WinStar Farm: (2003, 2017) 2 - Flurry Racing Stables (2020, 2022)
Winners Year Winner Jockey Trainer Owner Distance Time Purse Grade RefAt Horseshoe Indianapolis (Indiana Grand Race Course)2026Maximum OfferLuis SaezKenneth G. McPeekBaccari Racing Stable, Alfred Riccio & Robert Cotrone miles1:42.65$200,000III2025Clicquot Edgar MoralesBrendan P. WalshX-Men Racing IV, Madaket Stables & SF Racing miles1:42.42$200,000III 2024Chatalas Antonio FresuGrant T. ForsterRancho Temescal Thoroughbred Partners, Dan J. Agnew & William Chatalas miles1:42.93$200,000III 2023Defining Purpose Brian Hernandez Jr.Kenneth G. McPeekKatsumi Yoshida miles1:43.83$200,000III 2022InterstatedaydreamFlorent GerouxBrad H. CoxFlurry Racing Stables miles1:45.78$200,000III 2021Soothsay Flavien PratRichard E. MandellaRaydelz Stables miles1:44.36$200,000III2020Shedaresthedevil Florent GerouxBrad H. CoxFlurry Racing Stables miles1:43.50$200,000III2019Street BandSophie DoyleJ. Larry JonesRay Francis, Cindy & Larry Jones, Medallion Racing & MyRacehorse.com miles1:43.01$200,000III2018Talk Veuve to MeJulien R. LeparouxRodolphe BrissetTeam Valor, Rodolphe Brisset & Stephen McKay miles1:43.15$200,000III2017OvertureJulien R. LeparouxWilliam I. MottWinStar Farm miles1:43.79$200,000III2016Family TreeJulien R. LeparouxWayne M. CatalanoGary & Mary West miles1:44.46$203,200II2015Joseph Rocco Jr.Steve HobbyAlex & JoAnne Lieblong miles1:43.49$200,000II2014Tiz WindyCarl A. NafzgerJim Tafel miles1:42.70$204,400II2013Pure FunVictor LebronKenneth G. McPeekMagdalena Racing miles1:43.70$202,300IIAt Hoosier Park2012Grace HallBrian Hernandez Jr.Anthony W. DutrowMichael Dubb, Bethlehem Stables & Stuart Grant miles1:41.85$205,600II2011JuanitaJulien R. LeparouxMichael J. MakerWilliam & Graydon Patterson miles1:45.20$205,100II2010Always a PrincessMartin GarciaBob BaffertArnold Zetcher miles1:43.60$205,200II2009Race not held2008SkylighterEddie CastroRobert J. FrankelStonerside Stable miles1:44.80$406,400II2007Tessa BlueMike E. SmithFrank L. BrothersBruce Lunsford miles1:44.42$406,900III2006BaghdariaRafael BejaranoThomas M. AmossClinton C. & Susan A. Atkins miles1:43.64$402,800III2005Flying GlitterRobby AlbaradoRonny W. WernerNancy R. & Richard S. Kaster miles1:44.10$405,100III2004DaydreamingJohn R. VelazquezOgden Mills Phipps miles1:43.65$406,300III2003Awesome HumorRobby AlbaradoW. Elliott WaldenWinStar Farm miles1:45.75$306,900III2002Bare NecessitiesJose Valdivia Jr.Wallace DollaseIron County Farms miles1:45.83$306,400III2001ScoopRobby AlbaradoGene A. CilioJim Tafel miles1:44.06$205,800III2000Humble ClerkLarry MelanconNiall M. O'CallaghanGary A. Tanaka miles1:42.40$174,300 Listed 1999Brushed HaloryEddie Martin Jr.Josie CarrollAlice & James Sapara miles1:44.64$204,058 Listed 1998French BraidsWillie MartinezDallas StewartThomas Vanderhyde miles1:43.11$203,800 Listed 1997Cotton CarnivalEddie Martin Jr.Roger L. AttfieldWindhaven miles1:43.30$107,400 Listed 1996Princess EloiseScott T. SaitoMargaret E. GrimmMargaret E. Grimm1 mile1:37.00$55,900 Listed 1995Niner's HomeTracy J. HebertCarl A. NafzgerRussell L. Reineman Stable1 mile1:37.00$40,800
See also List of American and Canadian Graded races Indiana Oaks top three finishes and starters
References