Oak Grove, KY – The inaugural editions of the $500,000 Oak Grove Trotting Derby, a 3-year-old open, and $300,000 Oak Grove Trotting Oaks, for 3-year-old fillies, lured 19 entrants and 27 entrants, respectively, for a total of six eliminations on Monday (May 4) at Oak Grove Racing, Gaming & Hotel – a day featuring over $600,000 in purses.
A unique feature for the Oak Grove Trotting Oaks and Oak Grove Trotting Derby is the addition of a “Win and You’re in” series of races composed of the top prizes for trotting 2-year-olds. Winners inside of this series earn an automatic berth into the eliminations with pre-entry and starting fees covered by the race sponsors.
For the inaugural edition of these races, the Oak Grove Trotting Derby attracted five from the Win and You’re in series: Kentucky Championship Series winner Endurance, New York Sire Stakes champion AI, Ohio Sires Stakes champion Big Ranger, Indiana Sires Stakes champion Premier Bluebird and Breeders Crown champion Spencer Hanover. The Oak Grove Trotting Oaks lured Jim Doherty Memorial winner Atlantic Summer, Kentucky Championship Series winner Country Glide, Ohio Sires Stakes champion Setyoursightshigh and Pennsylvania Sire Stakes champion Ginger Tree Lex.
Below are the fields for the three $50,000 eliminations of the Oak Grove Trotting Derby:
Race 6 | Oak Grove Trotting Derby Elim #1
PP-Horse-Driver-Trainer
1-Premier Bluebird-Kyle Wilfong-Zachary Miller
2-Ceo Joe-Ronnie Wrenn Jr.-Greg Wright Jr.
3-Spencer Hanover-Jason Bartlett-Marcus Melander
4-Impossible Bi-Marcus Miller-Erv Miller
5-Geologic-Yannick Gingras-Paul Kelley
6-Sly Help-Todd McCarthy-Mellisa Essig
Race 9 | Oak Grove Trotting Derby Elim #2
PP-Horse-Driver-Trainer
1-Chapel-Stephane Guelpa-Jean Dubois
2-Silverstein-David Miller-Matthew Burkholder
3-Kingmen-Jason Bartlet-Per Engblom
4-Requiem-David Miller-Matthew Burkholder
5-Lethal Legacy-Todd McCarthy-Carter Pinske
6-Zephyr Kemp-Dexter Dunn-Marcus Melander
Race 14 | Oak Grove Trotting Derby Elim #3
PP-Horse-Driver-Trainer
1-Nofreak Volo-Tim Tetrick-Tyler Butenschoen
2-Endurance-Andy McCarthy-Christopher Beaver
3-Nix Nacken-Dexter Dunn-Marcus Melander
4-Captain Naughty-Tim Tetrick-Justin Lloyd
5-Gorilla Sighting-Atlee Bender-Erv Miller
6-AI-Yannick Gingras-Ron Burke
7-Big Ranger-Ronnie Gillespie-Ronnie Gillespie
And below are the fields for the three $30,000 eliminations of the Oak Grove Trotting Oaks:
Race 7 | Oak Grove Trotting Oaks Elim #1
PP-Horse-Driver-Trainer
1-Carve-Andy McCarthy-Noel Daley
2-Clemency-Scott Zeron-Carter Pinske
3-Wishuponastar Deo-Jason Bartlett-Per Engblom
4-Unhynged Cadeau-Wyatt Avenatti-David Avenatti
5-Decreed-David Miller-Carter Pinske
6-Jailbird Jog-Anthony MacDonald-Eric Patalan
7-Naked And Famous-Todd McCarthy-Noel Daley
8-Brattitude-Todd McCarty-Carter Pinske
9-Atlantic Summer-Ronnie Wrenn Jr.-Ron Burke
Race 10 | Oak Grove Trotting Oaks Elim #2
PP-Horse-Driver-Trainer
1-Fabulous Serenity-Stephane Guelpa-Jean Dubois
2-Adios My Lindy-Yannick Gingras-Paul Kelley
3-Kerstin-Jason Bartlett-Per Engblom
4-Hustle N Bustle-Stephane Guelpa-Jean Dubois
5-Julie Palema-Tyler Miller-Julie Miller
6-Chiquita Ba-Beeman-Atlee Bender-Melissa Essig
7-Victorianas Secret-Ronnie Wrenn Jr.-Vernon Beachy
8-Degas-Anthony MacDonald-Eric Patalan
9-Luv U Gaa Gaa-David Miller-Christopher Beaver
Race 13 | Oak Grove Trotting Oaks Elim #3
PP-Horse-Driver-Trainer
1-Country Glide-David Miller-Melvin Schmucker
2-Custom-Jason Bartlett-Per Engblom
3-Out The Window-Andy McCarthy-Carter Pinske
4-Setyoursightshigh-Dexter Dunn-Marcus Melander
5-Burningforyourlove-Stephane Guelpa-Jean Dubois
6-Fox Valley Gimlet-Marcus Miller-Erv Miller
7-Little Road-Brady Brown-Roger Hammer
8-Ginger Tree Lex-Andy McCarthy-Bob Stewart
9-R Ro-Tim Tetrick-Tyler Butenschoen
The top three finishers from each elimination will advance to their respective finals, which serve as the highlight races on a special card scheduled for Saturday, May 16. Post positions will be assigned through an open draw, and consolations will also be offered for both the Oak Grove Trotting Derby and Oak Grove Trotting Oaks. The consolations are established to reward the highest placed finishers in the eliminations that do not make the finals for the Derby and Oaks. An open draw will be conducted to determine the starters for each consolation race. Excluded horses will be named as also-eligibles to ensure full, competitive fields for fans and bettors. A minimum of six (6) starters is required for the consolations, or the race may be cancelled. The Oak Grove Racing Secretary maintains final discretion over the establishment of these fields. More information on the stake conditions can be found on the Oak Grove Trotting Derby website.
Oak Grove will host a total of 15 races on Monday, which includes seven divisions total for the second preliminary of Kentucky Sire Stakes action for 4-year-olds. On the wagering menu, Oak Grove will offer a $12,500 guaranteed pool for the 20-cent Late Pick-5, which will cover Races 6-10, and a $10,000 guaranteed pool for the $1 Pick-4, which will cover Races 11-14. The Late Pick-5 also features a carryover of $2,762.96, and the Pick-4 has a carryover of $1,563.18. The Pick-5 and Pick-4 at Oak Grove feature a takeout of just 15 percent.
The 2026 Festival of Racing at Oak Grove, offering nearly $2.75 million in purses, all leads to the main events on Saturday, May 16, a day with $1.5 million on offer with the finals for the Oak Grove Trotting Derby, Oak Grove Trotting Oaks and the four Kentucky Sire Stakes series for 4-year-olds. Post time for that Saturday card, run alongside the 2026 Preakness Stakes, is 12:45 p.m. (CDT). A concert from country music star Jake Owen will follow the big day of racing.
First-race post time for next Monday at Oak Grove is 1:10 p.m. (CDT). For more information, visit oakgrovegaming.com. And for more information on the upcoming Festival of Racing, visit oakgrovederby.com.