Modifications Made to Road to the Kentucky Derby Series

Churchill Downs officials have made slight modifications to the upcoming Road to the Kentucky Derby, the series of select races that will determine the preference list for the May 4, 2024,150th Kentucky Derby (G1).

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—the 1 1/4-mile classic for 3-year-old Thoroughbreds annually held on the first Saturday in May at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky.

Second-place points in all qualifying races have been increased to create added separation from second- and third-place finishers. Additionally, third- and fourth-place points in races that award 100 points to the winner have been decreased.

In other changes:

• The $200,000 Street Sense Stakes (G3) to be run at 1 1/16 miles on Oct. 29 at Churchill Downs has been added to the Early Prep Season;
• The Sunland Park Derby (G3) at Sunland Park has been decreased in value from 50-20-15-10-5 in 2023 to 20-10-6-4-2 in 2024.

This is the 12th-straight year that Churchill Downs has used a point system to determine entrants for its famed Kentucky Derby. At least 20 horses have entered the "Run for the Roses" in 22 of the last 25 years.

The Road to the Kentucky Derby will begin Sept. 16 with the $300,000 Iroquois Stakes (G3) for 2-year-olds at one mile on opening weekend of the Churchill Downs 14-day September Meet.

In addition to the primary 37-race Road to the Kentucky Derby series, there are two separate series that each carve out one spot for a potential horse from Europe and Japan.

Similar changes made to the Road to the Kentucky Derby have been made to the 32-race Road to the Kentucky Oaks series, which awards points to fillies to qualify for the 150th Kentucky Oaks (G1) at 1 1/8 miles May 3, 2024:

• The $200,000 Rags to Riches Stakes to be run at 1 1/16 miles Oct. 29 at Churchill Downs has been added to the Early Prep Season;
• The Sunland Park Oaks at Sunland Park has been decreased in value from 50-20-15-10-5 in 2023 to 20-10-6-4-2 in 2024; and
• The seven-furlong Beaumont Stakes (G2) at Keeneland has been removed from the Championship Series.

The complete Road to the Kentucky Derby schedule can be viewed here.