Epsom Oaks
Group 1 race | |
Flat / Thoroughbred | |
Sponsor | Betfred |
---|---|
Website | Epsom Downs |
Race information | |
Distance | 1m 4f 6y (2,420 m), or about 1½ miles |
Surface | Turf |
Track | Left-handed |
Qualification | Three-year-old fillies |
Weight | 9 st 2 lb |
Purse | £548,550 (2023) 1st: £311,026 |
2023 | ||
Soul Sister | Savethelastdance | Caernarfon |
Previous years | ||
---|---|---|
2022 | ||
Tuesday | Emily Upjohn | Nashwa |
2021 | ||
Snowfall | Mystery Angel | Divinely |
1970–1966 | ||
---|---|---|
1970 | ||
Lupe | State Pension | Arctic Wave |
1969 | ||
Sleeping Partner | Frontier Goddess | Myastrid |
1968 | ||
La Lagune | Glad One | Pandora Bay |
1967 | ||
Pia | St. Pauli Girl | Ludham |
1966 | ||
Valoris | Berkeley Springs | Varinia |
The Oaks Stakes is a
It is the third of Britain's five Classic races to be held during the season, and the second of two restricted to fillies. It can also serve as the middle leg of the Fillies' Triple Crown, preceded by the 1000 Guineas and followed by the St Leger, although the feat of winning all three is rarely attempted.
History
The event is named after The Oaks, an estate located to the east of Epsom which was leased to the 12th Earl of Derby in the 18th century. He and his guests devised the race during a party at the estate in 1778. It was first run (as the Oakes Stakes[1]) in 1779, one year before the introduction of the Derby Stakes. The inaugural winner, Bridget, was owned by Lord Derby himself.
The Oaks subsequently became one of Britain's leading events for three-year-olds. By the mid-1860s, the five leading events for this age group were referred to as "Classics". The concept was later adopted in many other countries.
European variations of the Oaks include the
Since 1892, horses have each carried 9 stone in the race. Prior to this, there were several fluctuations, from an original 8 stone 4 pounds, down to 8 stone, then progressively upwards.[1]
During both
Records
Leading jockey (9 wins):
- Frank Buckle– Nike (1797), Bellissima (1798), Bellina (1799), Scotia (1802), Theophania (1803), Meteora (1805), Neva (1817), Corinne (1818), Zinc (1823)
Leading trainer (13 wins):
- Robert Robson – Scotia (1802), Pelisse (1804), Meteora (1805), Briseis (1807), Morel (1808), Maid of Orleans (1809), Music (1813), Minuet (1815), Landscape (1816), Corinne (1818), Pastille (1822), Zinc (1823), Wings (1825)
Leading owner (9 wins): (includes part ownership)
- Susan Magnier – Shahtoush (1998), Imagine (2001), Alexandrova (2006), Was (2012), Minding (2016), Forever Together (2018), Love (2020), Snowfall (2021), Tuesday (2022)
Fastest winning time (at Epsom)
- Love (2020), 2m 34.06s
Widest winning margin
- Snowfall (2021), 16 lengths
Longest odds winners
- Vespa (1833), Jet Ski Lady (1991) and Qualify (2015)
Shortest odds winner – 8/100
- Pretty Polly (1904)
Most runners
- 26, in 1848
Fewest runners
- 4, in 1799 and 1904
Winners
- ^ The race finished as a dead-heat in 1858, but Governess defeated Gildermire in a run-off
- ^ Stony Ford finished first in 1918, but she was disqualified for causing interference to My Dear
- ^ Aliysa was first in 1989, but she was later disqualified after testing positive for a banned substance
- ^ The 2020 race was run in July due to the COVID-19 pandemic
See also
References
- ^ ISBN 1852916001.
- ^ "The Oaks: Marvellous heads field of 17 entries for Epsom race". BBC Sport. 4 June 2014. Retrieved 4 June 2014.
- Church, Michael (2015). The Oaks Stakes: The History - The Winners - Their Breeding 1779-2015. Raceform. p. 256. ISBN 978-1-910498-28-6.
- Church, Michael (2018). The Oaks Chart 1778-2017. Michael Church. pp. 1 A2.
- Paris-Turf:
- Racing Post:
- Abelson, Edward; John Tyrrel (1993). The Breedon Book of Horse Racing Records. Breedon Books. pp. 58–64. ISBN 1-873626-15-0.
- Randall, John; Tony Morris (1985). Horse Racing: The Records. Guinness Superlatives Ltd. pp. 43–56. ISBN 0-85112-446-1.