The Saratoga Oaks Stakes is a Grade II American Thoroughbred horse race for three-year-old fillies and older run over a distance of one and three-sixteenths miles on the turf held annually in August at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, New York.
History
In 2019 the New York Racing Association with the influx of racino dollars created a new racing series for three year old fillies called the Turf Tiara. The Saratoga Oaks Invitational Stakes was positioned as the second leg of the new three race series. The other events of the Turf Tiara are the Belmont Oaks and the Jockey Club Oaks at Belmont Park.
The event's inaugural running was on 2 August 2019 and was won by Ashbrook Farm & BBN Racing's Concrete Rose who was ridden by jockey Julien R. Leparoux and trained by trainer George Arnold II comfortably leading all the way by lengths as the 3/10 odds on favorite by a head in a time of 1:55.34. Concrete Rose was injured soon after and was retired after winning six of her seven lifetime starts.
In 2021 the event was upgraded in classification by the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association's American Graded Stakes Committee to Grade III and once again upgraded in 2024 to Grade II.
The event was held as an invitation event until 2025.
Records Speed record: miles: 1:52.60 Laurelin (IRE) (2025)
Margins: lengths – Concrete Rose (2019)
Most wins by an owner: 3 – Godolphin Racing (2020, 2022, 2024)
Most wins by a jockey: 2 – Flavien Prat (2021, 2023) 2 – William Buick (2022, 2024)
Most wins by a trainer: 2 – Charlie Appleby (2022, 2024)
Winners Year Winner Jockey Trainer Owner Distance Time Purse Grade RefSaratoga Oaks2026 Kentucky Belle Irad Ortiz Jr. Brad H. Cox WinStar Farm miles1:53.80$500,000II Saratoga Oaks Invitational Stakes2025Laurelin (IRE)Kendrick Carmouche H. Graham MotionNewstead Stables miles1:52.60$500,000II 2024Cinderella's Dream (GB)William BuickCharlie ApplebyGodolphin Racing miles1:54.92$388,000 II 2023Flavien PratLNJ Foxwoods, Ecurie Victoria Dreams, NK Racing & Anthony V. Munafo miles1:57.08$400,000III 2022William BuickCharlie ApplebyGodolphin Racing miles1:54.60$651,000III 2021 Con Lima Flavien Prat Todd A. Pletcher Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners, Joseph Graffeo, Nikolaus Bock & Troy Johnson miles1:54.42$700,000III 2020Antoinette William I. Mott Godolphin Racing miles1:53.30$500,000 2019Julien R. LeparouxAshbrook Farm & BBN Racing miles1:55.34$750,000
Legend:
See also List of American and Canadian Graded races
References