2026 Kentucky Oaks horses, odds, predictions, posts: Expert who nailed 12 doubles reveals picks

The biggest week in horse racing rolls on Friday at Churchill Downs. Races have been unfolding throughout, the day, and the day's action is highlighted by the 2026 Kentucky Oaks, which has a lineup of 14 horses going to post at 8:40 p.m. ET. Zany is the 4-1 favorite in the 2026 Kentucky Oaks odds. Bet the Kentucky Oaks with the latest TwinSpires offer code CBSSPORTS to receive up to $400 in bonus bets here, double what's available to the general public:

Other Kentucky Oaks contenders include Meaning at 5-1 and Explora and Percy's Bar are both at 6-1. Counting Stars and Prom Queen come back at 8-1 with Always a Runner at 10-1. Before making any 2026 Kentucky Oaks picks, be sure to see the 2026 Kentucky Oaks predictions and best bets from SportsLine's elite horse racing expert Jody Demling.

A fixture in the horse racing world who has been writing about, talking about and betting on races for years, Demling has nailed the Kentucky Oaks-Derby double 12 times in the last 17 years. He also predicted the top three 2025 Kentucky Derby finishers in the correct order, helping him cash a $1,682 superfecta, and called the exacta in last year's Preakness. Anyone who has followed him on horse racing betting sites could be way up. 

Now, with the 2026 Kentucky Oaks approaching and odds on the board, Demling is sharing his 2026 Kentucky Oaks betting picks and 2026 Kentucky Oaks predictions over at SportsLine. Go to SportsLine to see them.

Top 2026 Kentucky Oaks predictions

One of Demling's surprising 2026 Kentucky Oaks picks: He's not very high on Percy's Bar, who runs out of the No. 11 gate for trainer Ben Colebrook. In six career races, Percy's Bar has never finished out of the money, with three first-place finishes, a pair of runner-up spots and one third. He has four Grade 1 races under his belt, which is more than most Kentucky Derby contenders.

But he's also raced just one time in 2026. Percy's Bar won the G1 Ashland race at Keeneland on April 3, but Demling has reservations after the racer posted a speed rating of 97. That is among the lowest of all the Kentucky Oaks horses. Demling has found other horses we will be backing at Churchill Downs Friday. See who to back at SportsLine.

Another stunner: Demling likes Prom Queen at 8-1. The Brad H. Cox-trained horse has raced three times in her career and has finished no lower than second place. In her first event, the 1-mile GP MSW at Gulfstream Park on Jan. 23, she finished second behind She Be Smooth and just ahead of Paseo. She followed that up with a first-place finish at the 1 1/16-mile dirt-fast MSW at Gulfstream Park, with a winning time of 1:45.77. 

In her last race, the 2026 Gulfstream Park Oaks, she took first in 1:44.4. Cox, 46, has compiled more than 2,500 career victories, including three Kentucky Oaks wins, the last coming last year with Good Cheer. He also has one Kentucky Derby title (2021). See which other horses to back at SportsLine, and you can sign up for FanDuel Racing for the Kentucky Derby here and get $25 in bonus bets with a $5 wager:

How to make 2026 Kentucky Oaks picks, bets

Demling is also high on a double-digit longshot whose trainer "is super confident." Anyone who backs this sleeper pick could hit it big. Demling is sharing which horse it is, along with his entire projected 2026 Kentucky Oaks leaderboard, over at SportsLine.

Which horse wins the Kentucky Oaks 2026, and which stunning longshot is a must-back? Check out the latest 2026 Kentucky Oaks odds below, then visit SportsLine to see Demling's picks for the Kentucky Oaks, all from the expert who has nailed 12 Derby-Oaks doubles.

2026 Kentucky Oaks odds