Introducing the 2025 Kentucky Oaks contenders

Apr 27, 2025 J. Keeler Johnson/TwinSpires.com

Quietside wins at Saratoga (Photo by Coglianese Photography / Credit to Chelsea Durand)

The post position draw for the 2025 Kentucky Oaks (G1) at Churchill Downs is complete, and 14 fillies have entered the prestigious 1 1/8-mile race.

The entrants can be divided into four categories: the Favorite, the Main Challengers, the Up-and-Comers, and the Longshots.

Let’s meet the 2025 Kentucky Oaks fillies:

The Favorite

Good Cheer

Six starts, six wins. The undefeated Good Cheer has dominated four straight Road to the Kentucky Oaks qualifiers and is hands-down the filly to beat in the Kentucky Oaks.

Good Cheer (outside) put in a 5 furlong workout in 1:00.40 with Saucier (inside) for trainer @bradcoxracing this morning under the TwinSpires. pic.twitter.com/j77vcqHcXz

— TwinSpires Racing 🏇 (@TwinSpires) April 25, 2025

The Main Challengers

Quietside

Quietside has taken down tough competition in the Fantasy (G2) and Honeybee (G3), stamping the speedy filly as a primary threat to Good Cheer.

Five G

After finishing second to Quietside in the Honeybee, Five G wired the Gulfstream Park Oaks (G2) in decisive fashion.

La Cara

La Cara has made a habit of beating quality rivals, most recently holding off Take Charge Milady by 1 1/4 lengths with a gate-to-wire win in the Ashland (G1).

Tenma

Tenma has won five of her six starts in California, including the Del Mar Debutante (G1) and three other graded stakes. She’ll seek to become the fourth Kentucky Oaks winner trained by Bob Baffert.

Take Charge Milady

Take Charge Milady conquered Quietside by 5 3/4 lengths in the Martha Washington and recently rallied for second place in the Ashland. She hails from the barn of Kenny McPeek, who trained 2024 Kentucky Oaks winner Thorpedo Anna.

The Up-and-Comers

Ballerina d’Oro

After a series of defeats at the graded stakes level, Ballerina d’Oro broke through with a tenacious nose triumph in the Gazelle (G3).

Fondly

Fondly has yet to run fast on the Brisnet Speed rating scale, but it’s hard to knock her 2-for-2 career record, which includes a half-length triumph in the Virginia Oaks.

Early On

Early On narrowly lost the Virginia Oaks to Fondly and the Gazelle to Ballerina d’Oro. This versatile filly has improved by leaps and bounds since the end of 2024.

Simply Joking

Simply Joking opened her career with back-to-back stakes wins before finishing a close second to Quietside in the Fantasy. She’s training fast and can’t be counted out of the mix.

The Longshots

Quickick

Quickick has struggled in two starts this year, but she placed in multiple Grade 1 races as a juvenile and may be gradually rounding back to her best form.

Anna’s Promise

Former claimer Anna’s Promise has been on the rise, but finished 2 1/4 lengths behind Five G when second in the Gulfstream Park Oaks.

Bless the Broken

Bless the Broken relished competing on Tapeta in the Bourbonette Oaks, winning by 2 3/4 lengths, but she previously lost the Rachel Alexandra (G2) to Good Cheer and the Silverbulletday S. to Simply Joking.

Drexel Hill

Drexel Hill secured her first stakes win in the Busher S. two months ago, but she hasn’t run since, and the Kentucky Oaks is a tougher spot.