One of the more popular bets when Derby Week rolls into Churchill Downs is the Kentucky Oaks-Kentucky Derby Double.
The idea is to make a minimum bet of $1 on a horse that will win not only the Kentucky Oaks (G1) on the day before the Kentucky Derby (G1), but to pick the Derby winner, too. Of course, the bet must be placed before post time for the Oaks.
Recent results have proved rewarding for savvy handicappers who nail the Oaks-Derby Double. Even though 6-5 favorite Good Cheer won the Oaks and 7-1 third choice Sovereignty won the Derby a year ago, a $1 Oaks-Derby Double returned $15.78.
In 2024, 9-2 second choice Thorpedo Anna won the Oaks, and 18-1 shot Mystik Dan took the Derby for a $118 Oaks-Derby Double payoff on a $1 bet.
The previous two years were even better: in 2023, the Oaks-Derby Double of Pretty Mischievous (4-1) and Mage (15-1) paid $209.80; in 2022, the Secret Oath (10-1)-Rich Strike (80-1) winning ticket paid $973.
The Kentucky Oaks future wager pool begins March 13; the Derby future wager pool is already underway. Betting an Oaks-Derby Double usually begins early during Derby Week.
With that in mind, let’s look at how the Oaks on May 1 is shaping up as qualifying points for the "Lillies for the Fillies" reach the critical point. It also makes sense to know your fillies since you can’t cash in on the Oaks-Derby Double without picking the winner on the first day.
Explora looks to be the top 3-year-old after her one-length victory in the Honeybee Stakes (G3) at Oaklawn Park on March 1. Trained by three-time Oaks winner Bob Baffert, the filly rebounded from a runner-up finish to Meaning in the Las Virgenes Stakes in February at Santa Anita.
Her resume is impressive: four wins, three seconds from seven starts, including a second to Super Corredora in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1) on Oct. 31.
Explora sits at No. 1 on the leaderboard with 95 points, more than enough to clinch a berth in the Oaks, but could run once more in the Santa Anita Oaks (G2) on April 4 as a final prep.
“Beautiful day. She's a beautiful horse, and we got a good win today," co-owner Mike Pegram said after the Honeybee. “We're thinking about May and Churchill Downs, and she looked the part today. Hopefully, we can get there.”
Jockey Flavien Prat, who also rode She Be Smooth to victory in the Davona Dale Stakes (G2) a day earlier at Gulfstream Park, said of Explora: “She was a real pro. She jumped well, and I was able to get her right off the pace and was traveling well all the way around.
“When she turned for home, and I asked her, she gave me a good run. And at that point, I didn't think anybody was going to make a run at her ... as soon as she felt (runner-up Counting Stars), she just regrouped and went on, so that's a good sign.”
Second on the Oaks leaderboard with 60 points – and an undefeated record of 3-0. Trained by Brendan Walsh, she delivered a strong effort in winning the Rachel Alexandra Stakes (G2) at the Fair Grounds on Feb. 14. One more prep is in the works, likely the Fair Grounds Oaks (G2) on March 21.
With 50 Kentucky Oaks points after a runaway victory in the UAE Oaks (G3) in Dubai on Feb. 20, is a wildcard. The filly trained by Salem bin Ghadayer has three wins in four starts, all in Dubai, and was being considered for the UAE Derby (G2) on March 28 on Dubai World Cup Day. The Kentucky Oaks remains a possibility, but with an ongoing war in the Mideast, plans are on hold.
With 34 points is ready to move up the leaderboard. She is the 2-year-old filly champion and winner of the BC Juvenile Fillies (G1). Her 3-year-old debut did not go as expected as she ran fourth and last in the Las Virgenes, beaten by Meaning, Explora, and Bank Shot. The daughter of Gun Runner, trained by John Sadler, is set to race Saturday again in the Santa Ysabel Stakes (G2), an Oaks qualifier worth 50-25-15-10-5 points to the top five finishers.
With 30 Oaks points, is trained by four-time Oaks winner Todd Pletcher. She won the Suncoast Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs last month. She is on target for the Ashland Stakes (G1) at Keeneland on April 3 as a final prep to secure her spot in the Oaks field, limited to 14 starters.
Also trained by Pletcher, was a last-to-first, six-length winner of the Davona Dale on Feb. 28. The filly is 2-2 and fourth on the Oaks leaderboard with 50 points. “She’s been very impressive in both of her starts here,” Pletcher said. “She seems to be steadily improving. I think the more distance the better for her.”
Luv Your Neighbor (40 points), Paradise (37.5 points), Taken by the Wind (30 points), Search Party (30), and Counting Stars (25 points) are also among the top point earners for the Oaks. Luv Your Neighbor was second in the Rachel Alexandra; Paradise won the Busher Stakes at Aqueduct on Feb. 28; Taken by the Wind won the Silverbulletday Stakes at the Fair Grounds (and was eighth in the Honeybee); Search Party won the Martha Washington Stakes at Oaklawn Park; and Counting Stars was second in the Honeybee.
| Rank | Horse | Points | Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Super Corredora | 30 | $1,150,000 |
| 2 | Explora | 25 | $630,000 |
| 3 | Percy’s Bar | 14 | $573,620 |
| 4 | Tommy Jo | 13 | $637,963 |
| 5 | Taken by the Wind | 10 | $136,710 |
| 6 | Iron Orchard | 10 | $220,000 |
| 7 | Life of Joy | 10 | $122,070 |
| 8 | The Grumpy Rabbit | 8 | $103,888 |
| 9 | Meaning | 6 | $225,000 |
| 10 | Rileytole | 5 | $116,000 |
| 11 | La Wally | 5 | $76,000 |
| 12 | Miss Complicated | 5 | $59,100 |
| 13 | Go to Girl | 5 | $51,943 |
| 14 | Five Bars | 3 | $48,000 |
| 15 | Joke Maker | 3 | $29,550 |
| 16 | La Ville Lumiere | 3 | $26,000 |
| 17 | Dazzling Dame | 2 | $131,025 |
| 18 | Steer Clear | 2 | $24,000 |
| 19 | Americathegreat | 2 | $20,913 |
| 20 | Banzai Betty | 2 | $12,000 |
| 21 | Himika | 1 | $166,822 |
| 22 | Wonzee Weather | 1 | $19,256 |
| 23 | Lovely Christina | 1 | $16,000 |
Last Updated on 11/11/2025
The writing team at US Racing is comprised of both full-time and part-time contributors with expertise in various aspects of the Sport of Kings.
