Oak Grove Racing, Gaming & Hotel, Churchill Downs Incorporated’s premier harness facility, announced today the newly-established Road to the Oak Grove Trotting Derby and Road to the Oak Grove Trotting Oaks to enrich its recently announced signature stakes--the $500,000 Oak Grove Trotting Derby and $300,000 Oak Grove Trotting Oaks.
The Road to the Oak Grove Trotting Derby and Road to the Oak Grove Trotting Oaks have been established to reward exceptional 2-year-old trotting performances from the prior year. A series of designated Grand Circuit and Sire Stakes races will serve as automatic qualifying events.
Winners of these "win and you're in" races will earn a fully paid, automatic spot in the corresponding elimination race for the 2026 inaugural events, with all pre-entry and starting fees covered by the race sponsors. The automatic qualifying races and the 2025 respective race winners to date are identified below.
Road to the Oak Grove Trotting Derby
|
Oak Grove Trotting Derby Automatic Qualifying Races |
2025 Race Winner |
|
Breeders Crown 2YO Trot |
Spencer Hanover |
|
Mohawk Million |
Apex |
|
Peter Haughton |
Apex |
|
William Wellwood |
Ardonne |
|
Valley Victory |
TBD (November 15, 2025) |
|
Kentucky Sire Stakes Championship Series |
Endurance |
|
Indiana Sire Stakes Championship |
Premier Bluebird |
|
Ohio Sire Stakes Championship (Scarlet) |
Big Ranger |
|
Oak Grove Trotting Derby Automatic Qualifying Races (cont.) |
2025 Race Winner |
|
New Jersey Sire Stakes Championship |
Apex |
|
New York Sire Stakes Championship |
AI |
|
Pennsylvania Sire Stakes Championship |
Dublin Hanover |
|
Ontario Sire Stakes Championship (Gold) |
Strobe Lite |
Road to the Oak Grove Trotting Oaks
|
Oak Grove Trotting Oaks Automatic Qualifying Races |
2025 Race Winner |
|
Breeders Crown 2YO Filly Trot |
Storybook Love |
|
Jim Doherty |
Atlantic Summer |
|
Peaceful Way |
Sugar Packet |
|
Kentuckiana Stallion Management |
Nezuko Kamado S |
|
Goldsmith Maid |
TBD (November 15, 2025) |
|
Kentucky Sire Stakes Championship Series |
Country Glide |
|
Indiana Sire Stakes Championship |
Setyoursightshigh |
|
Ohio Sire Stakes Championship (Scarlet) |
For Dayze |
|
New Jersey Sire Stakes Championship |
Emmas Mystery CCL |
|
New York Sire Stakes Championship |
Sharp Seven |
|
Pennsylvania Sire Stakes Championship |
Ginger Tree Lex |
|
Ontario Sire Stakes Championship (Gold) |
Bingo Night |
*Any automatic slot winner that has won more than one qualifying race is limited to only one spot for the eliminations.
The elimination races, scheduled for Monday, May 4, 2026, will have a purse of $50,000 for the Oak Grove Trotting Derby and $30,000 for the Oak Grove Trotting Oaks. Both the elimination races and the championship finals will be limited to a maximum of nine, with all competitors starting on the gate.
The Oak Grove Trotting Derby and Oak Grove Trotting Oaks are open stakes events for all eligible 3-year-olds that have met all stakes conditions, including payment of all fees. For the inaugural 2026 event, the pre-entry and starting fees for each race will be as follows:
|
Race |
March 15, 2026 Fee |
April 15, 2026 Fee |
Elimination Starting Fee |
Total Fees |
|
Oak Grove Trotting Derby |
$500 |
$500 |
$1,500 |
$2,500 US |
|
Oak Grove Trotting Oaks |
$500 |
$500 |
$500 |
$1,500 US |
|
*no starting fee for Finals |
|
|
|
|
Additional details, including final race conditions, staking details, wagering menus, hospitality offerings and charitable beneficiaries, will be announced in the coming months.
-edited release (Oak Grove)