31 HISTORY OF THE OAKS First contested in 1861 – the same year as the inaugural Lexus Melbourne Cup – the Kennedy Oaks allows the three-year-old fillies to shine over the classic distance of 2500m. While the race is renowned for potentially throwing up eventual Lexus Melbourne Cup contenders, including two future Cup winners in Evening Peal and Light Fingers, two fillies – Briseis in 1876 and Auraria in 1895 – actually won the VRC Oaks after their Melbourne Cup win two days earlier. It is a race that pits fillies that were star two-year-olds against those who have taken more time, reaching their peak with maturity and distance. Juvenile Group 1 winners like Miss Finland, Samantha Miss and Slight Chance and leading twoyear-olds like Jameka, Mosheen and Dear Demi are joined on the Oaks honour roll by later developers like Miami Bound and her dam Arapaho Miss as well as recent winners like Brazilian Pulse and Faint Perfume. Last year saw the James Cummings-trained Willowy complete the Racing and Sports Wakeful Stakes (2000m) and the Kennedy Oaks double, giving jockey Damien Oliver a record seventh Oaks success. 2021 KENNEDY OAKS WINNER WILLOWY KENNEDY OAKS Brett Holburt/Racing Photos
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