Kennedy Oaks

The Victoria Racing Club Oaks (known as the Kennedy Oaks for sponsorship reasons), is a Victoria Racing Club (VRC) Group 1 Thoroughbred horse race for three-year-old fillies, run under set weights conditions, over 2,500 metres at Flemington Racecourse, Melbourne, Australia on the third day of the VRC Spring Carnival, the Thursday after the Melbourne Cup in early November. Total prize money for the race is A$1,000,000

History
Record attendance for the race day was set in 2004 with 110,677 in attendance.

Name

 * 1861–2006 - VRC Oaks
 * 2007–2016 - Crown Oaks
 * 2017 onwards - Kennedy Oaks

Distance

 * 1861–1971 - 1$1/2$ miles (~2400 metres)
 * 1972 – 2400 metres
 * 1973 onwards - 2500 metres

Grade

 * 1855–1978 - Principal Race
 * 1979 onwards - Group 1

Social attraction
Popularly known as Ladies Day or just Oaks Day (but in recent times also colloquially called Blokes Day ), Kennedy Oaks Day has been an extraordinary phenomenon of racing. Despite being held on a work day (Melbourne Cup Day is the only public holiday during the racing carnival), Oaks Day boasts the fastest growing crowd records of any day in the Carnival; excluding the pandemic-impacted years of 2020 and 2021, every Oaks Day since 1994 has drawn a crowd of 50,000 or more. While the main draw card of the race day are the stars of the track, the other popular event on Crown Oaks Day is the annual "Fashions on the Field" celebrations. Introduced by the Victoria Racing Club in 1962 in an effort to woo more women to the track, Ladies day and the Fashions on the Field concept has grown considerably with each year and is now adopted at racetracks and smaller events all over the world.

Attendance

 * 2023 – 45,596
 * 2022 – 45,046
 * 2021 – 10,000 (restricted attendance due to the COVID-19 pandemic)
 * 2020 – 0 (no attendance due to COVID-19 pandemic restrictions)
 * 2019 – 57,296
 * 2018 – 61,355
 * 2017 – 63,673
 * 2016 – 60,888
 * 2015 – 57,560
 * 2014 – 64,430
 * 2013 – 66,757
 * 2012 – 71,825
 * 2011 – 71,659
 * 2010 – 75,088
 * 2009 – 80,112
 * 2008 – 89,338
 * 2007 – 95,230
 * 2006 – 104,131
 * 2005 – 100,263
 * 2004 – 110,677
 * 2003 – 101,179
 * 2002 – 103,269
 * 2001 – 101,201
 * 2000 – 96,406
 * 1999 – 83,870
 * 1998 – 77,301
 * 1997 – 75,482
 * 1996 – 67,086
 * 1995 – 62,388
 * 1994 – 50,176
 * 1993 – 46,744
 * 1992 – 50,925
 * 1991 – 54,023
 * 1990 – 50,196
 * 1989 – 51,673
 * 1988 – 48,490
 * 1987 – 45,329
 * 1986 – 42,649
 * 1985 – 39,051
 * 1984 – 40,812
 * 1983 – 38,633
 * 1982 – 37,028
 * 1981 – 37,353
 * 1980 – 37,098

Winners

 * 2023 - Zardozi
 * 2022 - She's Extreme
 * 2021 - Willowy
 * 2020 - Personal
 * 2019 - Miami Bound
 * 2018 - Aristia
 * 2017 - Pinot
 * 2016 - Lasqueti Spirit
 * 2015 - Jameka
 * 2014 - Set Square
 * 2013 - Kirramosa
 * 2012 - Dear Demi
 * 2011 - Mosheen
 * 2010 - Brazilian Pulse
 * 2009 - Faint Perfume
 * 2008 - Samantha Miss
 * 2007 - Arapaho Miss
 * 2006 - Miss Finland
 * 2005 - Serenade Rose
 * 2004 - Hollow Bullet
 * 2003 - Special Harmony
 * 2002 - Bulla Borghese
 * 2001 - Magical Miss
 * 2000 - Lovelorn
 * 1999 - Tributes
 * 1998 - Grand Archway
 * 1997 - Kensington Palace
 * 1996 - My Brightia
 * 1995 - Saleous
 * 1994 - Northwood Plume
 * 1993 - Arborea
 * 1992 - Slight Chance
 * 1991 - Richfield Lady
 * 1990 - Weekend Delight
 * 1989 - Tristanagh
 * 1988 - Research
 * 1987 - Sandy's Pleasure
 * 1986 - Diamond Shower
 * 1985 - My Tristram's Belle
 * 1984 - Spirit Of Kingston
 * 1983 - Taj Eclipse
 * 1982 -  Rom's Stiletto
 * 1981 -  Rose Of Kingston
 * 1980 -  November Rain
 * 1979 -  Brava Jeannie
 * 1978 -  Scomeld
 * 1977 -  Show Ego
 * 1976 -  Surround
 * 1975 -  Denise's Joy
 * 1974 -  Leica Show
 * 1973 -  Bonnybel
 * 1972 -  Toltrice
 * 1971 -  Kiss Me Cait
 * 1970 -  Sanderae
 * 1969 -  Goliette
 * 1968 -  Double Steel
 * 1967 -  Chosen Lady
 * 1966 -  Farmer's Daughter
 * 1965 -  Gipsy Queen
 * 1964 -  Light Fingers
 * 1963 -  Jingle Bells
 * 1962 -  Arctic Star
 * 1961 -  Indian Summer
 * 1960 -  Lady Sybil
 * 1959 -  Mintaway
 * 1958 -  Chicola
 * 1957 -  Amarco
 * 1956 -  Innesfell
 * 1955 -  Evening Peal
 * 1954 -  Lady Mogambo
 * 1953 -  Waltzing Lady
 * 1952 -  Waterlady
 * 1951 -  Lady Havers
 * 1950 -  True Course
 * 1949 -  Chicquita
 * 1948 -  Grey Nurse
 * 1947 -  Nizam's Ring
 * 1946 -  Sweet Chime
 * 1945 -  Cherie Marie
 * 1944 -  Provoke
 * 1943 -  Three Wheeler
 * 1942 -  East End
 * 1941 -  Primavera
 * 1940 -  Session
 * 1939 -  Triode
 * 1938 -  French Gem
 * 1937 -  Prairie Moon
 * 1936 -  Siren
 * 1935 -  Nalda
 * 1934 -  Alinura
 * 1933 -  Golden Hair
 * 1932 -  Protea
 * 1931 -  Gallantic
 * 1930 -  Barbette
 * 1929 -  Lineage
 * 1928 -  Opera Queen
 * 1927 -  Ninbela
 * 1926 -  Lanson
 * 1925 -  Redshank
 * 1924 -  Miss Disraeli
 * 1923 -  Frances Tressady
 * 1922 -  Scarlet
 * 1921 -  Furious
 * 1920 -  Mufti
 * 1919 -  Hyades
 * 1918 -  Stagegirl
 * 1917 -  Folly Queen
 * 1916 -  Thana
 * 1915 -  Rosanna
 * 1914 -  Carlita
 * 1913 -  Mint Sauce
 * 1912 -  Moe
 * 1911 -  Wilari
 * 1910 -  Styria
 * 1909 -  Lady San
 * 1908 -  Nushka
 * 1907 -  Lady Rylstone
 * 1906 -  Yabba Gabba
 * 1905 -  Lady Wallace
 * 1904 -  Red Streak
 * 1903 -  Sweet Nell
 * 1902 -  Fishery
 * 1901 -  Beanba
 * 1900 -  Haulette
 * 1899 -  Nitre
 * 1898 -  Symmetry
 * 1897 -  Eleusive
 * 1896 -  Thunder Queen
 * 1895 -  Auraria
 * 1894 -  Regina
 * 1893 -  The Dauphine
 * 1892 -  Etra Weenie
 * 1891 -  Tiraillerie
 * 1890 -  Litigant
 * 1889 -  Spice
 * 1888 -  Pearlshell
 * 1887 -  Dainty
 * 1886 -  The Nun
 * 1885 -  Uralla
 * 1884 -  Venetia
 * 1883 -  Quality
 * 1882 -  Vaucluse
 * 1881 -  Royal Maid
 * 1880 -  Sapphire
 * 1879 -  Petrea
 * 1878 -  Melita
 * 1877 -  Pardon
 * 1876 -  Briseis
 * 1875 -  Maid Of All Work
 * 1874 -  Gaslight
 * 1873 -  Rose D'amour
 * 1872 -  Sunshine
 * 1871 -  Formosa
 * 1870 -  Florence
 * 1869 -  Kestrel
 * 1868 -  My Dream
 * 1867 -  Sylvia
 * 1866 -  Sea Gull
 * 1865 -  Lady Heron
 * 1864 -  Illumination
 * 1863 -  Aruma
 * 1862 -  Modesty
 * 1861 -  Palestine