2020 Road to the Kentucky Derby Schedule

Kentucky Derby

The 2020 Road to the Kentucky Derby points series includes 35 U.S. based races, seven in Europe and four in Japan. (Photo credit: Churchill Downs).

The 2020 Road to the Kentucky Derby is in full swing, with 35 points races on the calendar in the U.S. along with a series of seven races in Europe along with a four-race series in Japan to decide the 20 horse field for the Run for the Roses.

The first jewel of racing’s Triple Crown is scheduled for Saturday May 2 at Churchill Downs. The contenders looking to get into the 146th running of the Kentucky Derby will be competing over the next five months with the top 18 in the points stands enring a spot into the field along with one European and japan entry.

The early points races are from mid-September and mid-February. Points awarded during the “Prep Season” are worth 10-4-2-1 to the top four placings, respectively, except for the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (GI), which is worth twice as much (20-8-4-2).

In addition to the Iroquois and Breeders’ Cup Juvenile, “Prep Season” races include the American Pharoah, Breeders’ Futurity, Champagne, Kentucky Jockey Club, Remsen, Los Alamitos Futurity, Springboard Mile, Jerome, Sham, Lecomte, Smarty Jones, Withers, Holy Bull, Robert B. Lewis, Sam F. Davis, El Camino Real Derby and Southwest.

Championship Series

The 16-race “Championship Series” comprise springboard events that often bring the three-year-old picture into sharper focus. Most first leg races offer 50-20-10-5 points to the Top 4 finishers: the Risen Star, Fountain of Youth, Gotham, Tampa Bay Derby, San Felipe, Rebel and Sunland Derby. The most meaningful races are worth 100-40-20-10: the Louisiana Derby, UAE Derby, Florida Derby, Wood Memorial, Blue Grass, Santa Anita Derby and Arkansas Derby. Additionally, the Jeff Ruby Steaks and Lexington offer points on a scale of 20-8-4-2 to the first four placings.

$200 Risk Free Bet at TVG. Use coupon code FALL1 during checkout. Expires 12/31/2020.

In addition to the primary 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.

The fourth year Japan Road to the Kentucky Derby series again features four races: the Cattleya Sho (10-4-2-1), Zen-Nippon Nisai Yushun (20-8-4-2), Hyacinth (30-12-6-3) and Fukuryu (40-16-8-4).

The third-year European Road to the Kentucky Derby again showcases seven races: the Juddmonte Royal Lodge (10-4-2-1), Beresford (10-4-2-1), Qatar Prix Jean-Luc Lagardère (10-4-2-1), Vertem Futurity Trophy (10-4-2-1), Road to the Kentucky Derby Condition Stakes (20-8-4-2), Patton Stakes (20-8-4-2) and Cardinal Condition Stakes (30-12-6-3).

This is the eighth consecutive 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” every year since 2014, and 19 of the last 21 years.

2020 Road to the Kentucky Derby

Date
Race
Track
Winner
1st 2nd 3rd 4th
9/14/19 Iroquois Churchill Downs Dennis’ Moment 10 4 2 1
9/27/19 American Pharoah Santa Anita Eight Rings 10 4 2 1
10/5/19 Champagne Belmont Tiz the Law 10 4 2 1
10/5/19 Breeders’ Futurity Keeneland Maxfield 10 4 2 1
11/1/19 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Santa Anita Storm the Court 20 8 4 2
11/30/19 Kentucky Jockey Club Churchill Downs   10 4 2 1
12/7/19
Remsen Aqueduct   10 4 2 1
12/7/19
Los Alamitos Futurity Los Alamitos   10 4 2 1
12/15/19 Springboard Mile Remington   10 4 2 1
1/1/20
Jerome Aqueduct   10 4 2 1
1/4/20
Sham Santa Anita   10 4 2 1
1/18/20
Lecomte Fair Grounds   10 4 2 1
1/24/20 Smarty Jones Oaklawn   10 4 2 1
2/1/20
Robert B. Lewis Santa Anita   10 4 2 1
2/1/20
Withers Aqueduct   10 4 2 1
2/1/20
Holy Bull Gulfstream   10 4 2 1
2/8/20
Sam F. Davis Tampa Bay   10 4 2 1
2/15/20
El Camino Real Derby Golden Gate   10 4 2 1
2/15/19
Risen Star Fair Grounds   50 20 10 5
2/17/19 Southwest Oaklawn   10 4 2 1
2/29/20
Fountain of Youth Gulfstream   50 20 10 5
3/7/20
Gotham Aqueduct   50 20 10 5
3/7/20
San Felipe Santa Anita   50 20 10 5
3/7/20
Tampa Bay Derby Tampa Bay Downs   50 20 10 5
3/14/20
Jeff Ruby Steaks Turfway Park   20 8 4 2
3/14/20 Rebel  Oaklawn   50 20 10 5
3/21/20
Louisiana Derby Fair Grounds   100 40 20 10
3/22/20
Sunland Derby Sunland   50 20 10 5
3/28/20 UAE Derby Meydan   100 40 20 10
3/28/20
Florida Derby Gulfstream   100 40 20 10
4/4/20
Wood Memorial Aqueduct   100 40 20 10
4/4/20
Blue Grass Keeneland   100 40 20 10
4/4/20
Santa Anita Derby Santa Anita   100 40 20 10
4/11/20
Lexington Keeneland   20 8 4 2
4/11/20 Arkansas Derby Oaklawn   100 40 20 10

European Road to the Kentucky Derby

9/28/19 Royal Lodge Newmarket (GB) Royal Dornoch
10 4 2 1
9/29/19 Beresford Curragh (IRE) Innisfree
10 4 2 1
10/6/19 Prix du Jean Luc Legardare Longchamp (FRA) Victor Ludorum
10 4 2 1
10/26/19 Vertem Futurity Trophy Doncaster (GB) Kameko
10 4 2 1
March 2020 Patton Dundalk (IRE)   20 8 4 2
March 2020 Road to the Derby Condition Kempton (GB)   20 8 4 2
April 2020 Cardinal Condition Stakes Chelmsford (GB)   30 12 6 3

Japan Road to the Kentucky Derby

11/23/19 Cattleya Sho Tokyo Dieu Du Vin
10 4 2 1
12/18/19 Zen-Nippon Nisai Yushun  Kawasaki   20 8 4 2
2/16/20
Hyacinth Tokyo   30 12 6 3
3/29/20
Fukuryu Stakes Nakayama   40 16 8 4

 

 

NTRA Top Thoroughbred Poll

No. Horse Points
1 Flightline 351
2 Life Is Good 306
3 Olympiad 292
4 Jackie's Warrior 282
5 Clairiere 142
5 Country Grammer 142
7 Epicenter 121
8 Regal Glory 89
9 Nest 87
10 Hot Rod Charlie 48
As of August 1, 2022


DRF Past Performances



Check out the most powerful
interactive Past Performances
used by Michael Dempsey. Use the code TENOFF19 which gives
you a 10% discount on any DRF Formulator plan that is one month or longer.


drf


Free Horse Racing Picks

Get free horse racing picks each day from expert race handicapper Michael Dempsey Click Here


Belmont Stakes News & Reports
Breeders' Cup
Turf ‘n’ Sport handicapper Michael Dempsey has the Belmont Stakes covered with his selections, analysis and fair odds for every race on the card!
Wager on the Belmont Stakes
Belmont Stakes News

Belmont Stakes Reports

Horse Racing Betting Tips

Horse Racing Betting Tips
Turf 'n' Sport handicappers give out basic horse racing handicapping information..