The official Road to the Kentucky Derby will begin Sept. 12 at the home of America's greatest race as Churchill Downs stages the 45th running of the $300,000 Iroquois Stakes (G3) for 2-year-olds at 1 mile on opening weekend of its 14-day September Meet.
The Road to the Kentucky Derby, which debuted in 2013, annually awards a sliding scale of points to the top five finishing positions in select qualifying races. At the conclusion of the series, the leaderboard will determine the preference list for entries into the 20-horse Kentucky Derby (G1)—the 1 1/4-mile classic for 3-year-old Thoroughbreds annually held on the first Saturday in May at historic Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky.
The 153rd running of the $5 million Kentucky Derby is scheduled for May 1, 2027.
Up to three spots in the starting gate may be reserved for international participants. In addition to the primary Road to the Kentucky Derby series, there are two separate series that carve out potential spots for international horses from Japan, Europe, and the United Arab Emirates. The stand-alone Euro/Mideast Road to the Kentucky Derby series, which concludes with the UAE Derby (G2), can produce up to two invitations to the top point-earners, while the Japan Road to the Kentucky Derby can yield one runner.
The schedule for the Euro/Mideast Road to the Kentucky Derby is being finalized and will be released in the coming weeks.
The Leonatus Stakes at Turfway Park has been added to the Road to the Kentucky Derby for the first time, offering the top five finishers points on a 10-5-3-2-1 scale.
At least 20 horses have entered the Run for the Roses in 25 of the last 28 years.
The Road to the Kentucky Oaks series, which awards points to fillies to qualify for the 153rd running of the $1.5 million Kentucky Oaks (G1) at 1 1/8 miles April 30, 2027, also will begin at Churchill Downs Saturday with the $300,000 Pocahontas Stakes (G3) at 1 mile.
Road to the Kentucky Derby Races by track
Belmont Park (Elmont, N.Y.)
Champagne Stakes (10-5-3-2-1)
Remsen Stakes (10-5-3-2-1)
Withers Stakes (20-10-6-4-2)
Gotham Stakes (50-25-15-10-5)*
Wood Memorial Stakes (100-50-25-15-10)*
Churchill Downs (Louisville, Ky.)
Iroquois Stakes (10-5-3-2-1)
Street Sense Stakes (10-5-3-2-1)
Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes (10-5-3-2-1)
Colonial Downs (New Kent, Va.)
Virginia Derby (50-25-15-10-5)*
Fair Grounds Race Course (New Orleans, La.)
Gun Runner Stakes (10-5-3-2-1)
Lecomte Stakes (20-10-6-4-2)
Risen Star Stakes (50-25-15-10-5)*
Louisiana Derby (100-50-25-15-10)*
Gulfstream Park (Hallandale Beach, Fla.)
Holy Bull Stakes (20-10-6-4-2)
Fountain of Youth Stakes (50-25-15-10-5)*
Florida Derby (100-50-25-15-10)*
Keeneland (Lexington, Ky.)
Breeders' Futurity (10-5-3-2-1)
Breeders' Cup Juvenile (30-15-9-6-3)
Blue Grass Stakes (100-50-25-15-10)*
Lexington Stakes (20-10-6-4-2)*
Los Alamitos Race Course (Cypress, Calif.)
Los Alamitos Futurity (10-5-3-2-1)
Oaklawn Park (Hot Springs, Ark.)
Smarty Jones Stakes (10-5-3-2-1)
Southwest Stakes (20-10-6-4-2)
Rebel Stakes (50-25-15-10-5)*
Arkansas Derby (100-50-25-15-10)*
Remington Park (Oklahoma City, Okla.)
Remington Springboard Mile Stakes (10-5-3-2-1)
Santa Anita Park (Arcadia, Calif.)
American Pharoah Stakes (10-5-3-2-1)
Robert B. Lewis Stakes (20-10-6-4-2)
San Felipe Stakes (50-25-15-10-5)*
Santa Anita Derby (100-50-25-15-10)*
Sunland Park (Sunland Park, N.M.)
Sunland Park Derby (20-10-6-4-2)
Tampa Bay Downs (Tampa, Fla.)
Sam F. Davis Stakes (20-10-6-4-2)
Tampa Bay Derby (50-25-15-10-5)*
Turfway Park (Florence, Ky.)
Leonatus Stakes (10-5-3-2-1)
John Battaglia Memorial Stakes (20-10-6-4-2)
Jeff Ruby Steaks (100-50-25-15-10)*
Japan Road to the Kentucky Derby Races by Racetrack (With Top 5 Points)
Kawasaki (NAR) (Kanagawa, Japan)
Zen Nippon Nisai Yushun (20-10-6-4-2)
Nakayama (JRA) (Chiba, Japan)
Fukuryu Stakes (40-20-12-8-4)
Tokyo (JRA) (Tokyo, Japan)
Cattleya Stakes (10-5-3-2-1)
Hyacinth Stakes (30-15-9-6-3)
Road to the Kentucky Oaks Races by track
Belmont Park (Elmont, N.Y.)
Frizette Stakes (10-5-3-2-1)
Demoiselle Stakes (10-5-3-2-1)
Busanda Stakes (20-10-6-4-2)
Busher Stakes (50-25-15-10-5)*
Gazelle Stakes (100-50-25-15-10)*
Churchill Downs (Louisville, Ky.)
Pocahontas Stakes (10-5-3-2-1)
Rags to Riches Stakes (10-5-3-2-1)
Golden Rod Stakes (10-5-3-2-1)
Colonial Downs (New Kent, Va.)
Virginia Oaks (50-25-15-10-5)*
Fair Grounds Race Course (New Orleans, La.)
Untapable Stakes (10-5-3-2-1)
Silverbulletday Stakes (20-10-6-4-2)
Rachel Alexandra Stakes (50-25-15-10-5)*
Fair Grounds Oaks (100-50-25-15-10)*
Gulfstream Park (Hallandale, Fla.)
Forward Gal Stakes (20-10-6-4-2)
Davona Dale Stakes (50-25-15-10-5)*
Gulfstream Park Oaks (100-50-25-15-10)*
Keeneland (Lexington, Ky.)
Alcibiades Stakes (10-5-3-2-1)
Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies (30-15-9-6-3)
Ashland Stakes (100-50-25-15-10)*
Los Alamitos Race Course (Cypress, Calif.)
Starlet Stakes (10-5-3-2-1)
Meydan Racecourse (Dubai, United Arab Emirates)
UAE Oaks (50-25-15-10-5)*
Oaklawn Park (Hot Springs, Ark.)
Martha Washington Stakes (20-10-6-4-2)
Honeybee Stakes (50-25-15-10-5)*
Fantasy Stakes (100-50-25-15-10)*
Santa Anita Park (Arcadia, Calif.)
Oak Leaf Stakes (10-5-3-2-1)
Santa Ynez Stakes (10-5-3-2-1)
Las Virgenes Stakes (20-10-6-4-2)
Santa Ysabel Stakes (50-25-15-10-5)*
Santa Anita Oaks (100-50-25-15-10)*
Sunland Park (Sunland Park, N.M.)
Sunland Park Oaks (20-10-6-4-2)
Tampa Bay Downs (Tampa, Fla.)
Suncoast Stakes (20-10-6-4-2)
Turfway Park (Florence, Ky.)
Cincinnati Trophy Stakes (20-10-6-4-2)
Bourbonette Oaks (50-25-15-10-5)*
* Denotes Championship Series Race
This press release has been edited for content and style by BloodHorse Staff.
