Road to the Kentucky Derby

83% of sports fans
do not understand
how a Thoroughbred
qualifies to compete
in the Kentucky Derby^*.

*Thoroughbred Research Group. (2012).
Road to the Kentucky Derby^™ research. Louisville, Ky.

The field is comprised of the top 20 Thoroughbreds with the highest earnings in graded stakes races.
More than 185 graded stakes races worldwide determine Kentucky Derby entries over a 10-month period.
Graded stakes races are governed by the American Graded Stakes Committee, an arm of the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association (TOBA), which sets graded stakes criteria and awards grade status to individual races.

To establish a clear, practical and understandable path to the Kentucky Derby
To present a compelling, easy-to-follow story of the road to the Derby that captures the attention and sparks the imagination of fans
To maximize the quality of the Derby field and protect the integrity of the race, while respecting the tradition and relevance of paths taken to the race by previous Kentucky Derby winners

Kentucky Derby Prep Season
- Nineteen races over 2-year-old & early 3-year-old seasons
- Distances of a mile or more
- Multiple surfaces: dirt, turf or synthetic
Kentucky Derby Championship Series
- Series of seventeen races for 3-year-olds including two Wild Card races
- Distances of a mile or more
- Dirt or synthetic surfaces only
Any Filly running in a race on the Road to the Kentucky Derby™ can use those points for the Road to the Kentucky Oaks^™.

Nineteen races over 2-year-old
& early 3-year-old seasons
Distances of a mile or more
Multiple surfaces: dirt, turf or synthetic
Prep Season race finishers earn:
- 1^st 10 points
- 2^nd 4 points
- 3^rd 2 points
- 4^th 1 point

Series of seventeen races for 3-year-olds including two Wild Card races
Distances of a mile or more
Dirt or synthetic surfaces only
First Leg of Series race finishers earn:
- 1^st 50 points
- 2^nd 20 points
- 3^rd 10 points
- 4^th 5 points
Second Leg of Series race finishers earn:
- 1^st 100 points
- 2^nd 40 points
- 3^rd 20 points
- 4^th 10 points

First Leg of Series:
- Risen Star (Fair Grounds, LA)
- Fountain of Youth (Gulfstream Park, FL)
- Gotham (Aqueduct, NY)
- Tampa Bay Derby (Tampa Bay Downs, FL)
- San Felipe (Santa Anita, CA)
- Rebel (Oaklawn Park, AR)
- Spiral (Turfway Park, KY)
- Sunland Derby (Sunland Park, NM)
Second Leg of Series:
- UAE Derby (Meydan, Dubai)
- Louisiana Derby (Fair Grounds, LA)
- Florida Derby (Gulfstream Park, FL)
- Wood Memorial (Aqueduct, NY)
- Santa Anita Derby (Santa Anita, CA)
- Arkansas Derby (Oaklawn Park, AR)
- Blue Grass Stakes (Keeneland, KY)

cont'd
Wild Card race finishers earn:
- 1^st 20 points
- 2^nd 8 points
- 3^rd 4 points
- 4^th 2 points
Wild Card Races:
- Lexington Stakes (Keeneland, KY)
- The Cliff’s Edge Derby Trial
  (Churchill Downs, KY)

Click to Expand

If more than the maximum twenty horses are entered in the 2013 Kentucky Derby, the top twenty point earners will comprise the field that will compete in the Run for the Roses.
Earnings in non-restricted stakes races will serve as a tie-breaker.

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NBC, the official broadcast partner of the Kentucky Derby, showcases over 14 hours of Derby coverage every season on their network of channels.
USA Today, an official Kentucky Derby media partner will update fans with the Road to the Kentucky Derby standings twice a week on Mondays and Fridays in the USA Today Sports print section.
Play the official fantasy game of the Kentucky Derby and enjoy exclusive content, free scoring and a chance at winning a VIP trip to experience the Kentucky Derby.