Undefeated Bella Ballerina Tops 89 Early Nominations for Kentucky Oaks

Godolphin's undefeated Bella Ballerina topped the list of 89 early nominations for the 152nd Longines Kentucky Oaks (G1), Churchill Downs released on Feb. 24. The early nomination window closed Feb. 18, and the list gives owners and trainers a first public look at who is being targeted for the Oaks.

The release identified 89 nominated 3-year-old fillies, with Bella Ballerina carrying the distinction of unbeaten form as she appears on the early-running roster. Her placement at the head of the nominations spotlights Godolphin's plan to keep the filly in the middle-distance spotlight for the 152nd running of the Longines Kentucky Oaks (G1).

Churchill Downs' Feb. 24 list is the formal confirmation of which fillies received early nominations by the Feb. 18 deadline, and the roster includes all 89 juveniles submitted as early candidates for the marquee fillies' race. The Longines Kentucky Oaks carries Grade 1 status, and the early-nomination tally underscores the level of interest in the 3-year-old female division this season.

For connections, the Feb. 18 close and the subsequent Feb. 24 release set the early framework for campaign planning toward the Oaks. With 89 early nominees, owners and trainers must weigh entries, potential prep races, and travel logistics as they map routes to the storied Grade 1 event; Bella Ballerina's undefeated record makes her an immediate reference point among the early pool.

The list released by Churchill Downs on Feb. 24 makes clear that Bella Ballerina and 88 other fillies are officially on the early radar for the 152nd Longines Kentucky Oaks (G1). As the spring schedule approaches, those early nominations will be the baseline from which final entries and field shaping evolve for the prestigious fillies' classic.