The Kentucky Oaks has been run just as long as the Kentucky Derby, 141 times as of yesterday. The race has traditionally been a day for the locals but with growing crowds, two day ticket packages and people making a week of it has turned the Oaks into almost the same spectacle as the Kentucky Derby without the TV coverage. 

The weather could not have been better.  Sunny all day and highs in the 70’s lead to an all time record crowd of 123,763 attendees all enjoying a day of racing, partying and dressing up.

The Oaks, since it’s a race for female horses has become a big fund raising opportunity for cancer research.  Each year a new survivor is invited to participate in a march along the front stretch, one survivor for each year of the Oaks.

Spectators are urgeded to wear pink for the day, and they don’t disappoint.  A sea of pink and white fills the stands celebrating life and a pretty high stakes horse race.

This year, Lovely Maria stormed to the finish at 6 to 1 to win the race.