Kentucky Derby 2024

Saturday, May 4, 2024 Churchill Downs

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Road to the Derby

Date Race / Track / Distance Winner    
Saturday, Sep 16, 2023
Iroquois Churchill Downs , 1 1/16 Miles
Winner: West Saratoga
Points (1-2-3-4): 10-5-3-2-1
West Saratoga Race Recap
West Saratoga
Saturday, Oct 7, 2023
Champagne Belmont at the Big A , 1 Mile
Points (1-2-3-4): 10-5-3-2-1
Saturday, Oct 7, 2023
American Pharoah Santa Anita , 1 1/16 Miles
Points (1-2-3-4): 10-5-3-2-1
Saturday, Oct 7, 2023
Breeders' Futurity Keeneland
Points (1-2-3-4): 10–5–3–2–1
Sunday, Oct 29, 2023
Street Sense Churchill Downs
Points (1-2-3-4): 10–5–3–2–1
Saturday, Nov 4, 2023
Breeders' Cup Juvenile Keeneland
Points (1-2-3-4): 30–15–9–6–3
Saturday, Nov 25, 2023
Kentucky Jockey Club Churchill Downs
Points (1-2-3-4): 10–5–3–2–1
Saturday, Dec 2, 2023
Remsen Aqueduct , 1 1/8 Miles
Points (1-2-3-4): 10-5-3-2-1
Saturday, Dec 9, 2023
Los Alamitos Futurity Los Alamitos Race Course , 1 1/16 Miles
Points (1-2-3-4): 10-5-3-2-1
Friday, Dec 15, 2023
Springboard Mile Remington Park , 1 Mile
Points (1-2-3-4): 10-5-3-2-1
Saturday, Dec 23, 2023
Gun Runner Fair Grounds , 1 1/16 Miles
Points (1-2-3-4): 10-5-3-2-1
Monday, Jan 1, 2024
Smarty Jones Oaklawn Park , 1 Mile
Points (1-2-3-4): 10-5-3-2-1
Saturday, Jan 6, 2024
Jerome Aqueduct , 1 Mile
Points (1-2-3-4): 10-5-3-2-1
Sunday, Jan 7, 2024
Sham Santa Anita , 1 Mile
Points (1-2-3-4): 10-5-3-2-1
Saturday, Jan 20, 2024
Lecomte Fair Grounds , 1 1/16 Miles
Points (1-2-3-4): 20-10-6-4-2
Saturday, Jan 27, 2024
Southwest Oaklawn Park , 1 1/16 Miles
Points (1-2-3-4): 20-10-6-4-2
Saturday, Feb 3, 2024
Holy Bull Gulfstream Park , 1 1/16 miles
Points (1-2-3-4): 20-10-6-4-2
Saturday, Feb 3, 2024
Robert B. Lewis Santa Anita , 1 1/16 miles
Points (1-2-3-4): 20-10-6-4-2
Saturday, Feb 10, 2024
Withers Aqueduct , 1 1/8 miles
Points (1-2-3-4): 20-10-6-4-2
Saturday, Feb 10, 2024
Sam F. Davis Tampa Bay Downs , 1 1/16 miles
Points (1-2-3-4): 20-10-6-4-2
Saturday, Feb 17, 2024
Risen Star Fair Grounds , 1 1/8 miles
Points (1-2-3-4): 50-25-15-10-5
Sunday, Feb 18, 2024
Sunland Derby Sunland , 1 1/8 miles
Points (1-2-3-4): 20-10-6-4-2
Saturday, Feb 24, 2024
Rebel Oaklawn , 1 1/16 miles
Points (1-2-3-4): 50-25-15-10-5
Saturday, Mar 2, 2024
John Battaglia Memorial Turfway , 1 1/16 miles
Points (1-2-3-4): 20-10-6-4-2
Saturday, Mar 2, 2024
Gotham Aqueduct , 1 mile
Points (1-2-3-4): 50-25-15-10-5
Saturday, Mar 2, 2024
San Felipe Santa Anita , 1 1/16 miles
Points (1-2-3-4): 50-25-15-10-5
Saturday, Mar 2, 2024
Fountain of Youth Gulfstream Park , 1 1/16 miles
Points (1-2-3-4): 50-25-15-10-5
Saturday, Mar 9, 2024
Tampa Bay Derby Tampa Bay Downs , 1 1/16 miles
Points (1-2-3-4): 50-25-15-10-5
Saturday, Mar 23, 2024
Jeff Ruby Steaks Turfway , 1 1/8 miles
Points (1-2-3-4): 100-50-25-15-10
Saturday, Mar 23, 2024
Louisiana Derby Fair Grounds , 1 3/16 miles
Points (1-2-3-4): 100-50-25-15-10
Saturday, Mar 30, 2024
UAE Derby Meydan , 1 1/16 miles
Points (1-2-3-4): 100-50-25-15-10
Saturday, Mar 30, 2024
Florida Derby Gulfstream , 1 1/8 miles
Points (1-2-3-4): 100-50-25-15-10
Saturday, Mar 30, 2024
Arkansas Derby Oaklawn , 1 1/8 miles
Points (1-2-3-4): 100-50-25-15-10
Saturday, Apr 6, 2024
Wood Memorial Aqueduct , 1 1/8 miles
Points (1-2-3-4): 100-50-25-15-10
Saturday, Apr 6, 2024
Blue Grass Stakes Keeneland , 1 1/8 miles
Points (1-2-3-4): 100-50-25-15-10
Saturday, Apr 6, 2024
Santa Anita Derby Santa Anita , 1 1/8 miles
Points (1-2-3-4): 100-50-25-15-10
Saturday, Apr 13, 2024
Lexington Keeneland , 1 1/16 miles
Points (1-2-3-4): 20-10-6-4-2

European Road to the Derby

Date Race / Track / Distance Winner
Saturday, Sep 23, 2023
Alan Smurfit Memorial Beresford Curragh
Winner: Beyer:
Points (1-2-3-4): 10-5-3-2-1
Saturday, Sep 30, 2023
Royal Lodge Stakes Newmarket , 1 mile (T)
Winner: Beyer:
Points (1-2-3-4): 10–5–3–2–1
Sunday, Oct 1, 2023
Qatar Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere Longchamp
Winner: Beyer:
Points (1-2-3-4): 10–5–3–2–1
Saturday, Oct 28, 2023
Vertem Futurity Trophy Doncaster
Winner: Beyer:
Points (1-2-3-4): 10–5–3–2–1
Friday, Mar 1, 2024
Patton Dundalk
Winner: Beyer:
Points (1-2-3-4): 20–10–6–4–2
Wednesday, Mar 13, 2024
Road to the Kentucky Derby Condition Stakes Kempton Park
Winner: Beyer:
Points (1-2-3-4): 20–10–6–4–2
Saturday, Mar 30, 2024
Cardinal Condition Stakes Chelmsford city
Winner: Beyer:
Points (1-2-3-4): 30–15–9–6–3

Japan Road to the Derby

Date Race / Track / Distance Winner
Saturday, Nov 25, 2023
Cattleya Tokyo Racecourse , ~ 1 Mile
Winner: Beyer:
Points (1-2-3-4): 10-5-3-2-1
Wednesday, Dec 13, 2023
Zen-Nippon Nisai Yushun Kawasaki
Winner: Beyer:
Points (1-2-3-4): 20–10–6–4–2
Sunday, Feb 18, 2024
Hyacinth Tokyo Racecourse
Winner: Beyer:
Points (1-2-3-4): 30–15–9–6–3
Saturday, Mar 23, 2024
Fukuryu Nakayama
Winner: Beyer:
Points (1-2-3-4): 40–20–12–8–4

All Top Kentucky Derby News

West Saratoga comes from off the pace for upset in Iroquois Stakes

Nicole Russo Sep 16,2023
West Saratoga led throughout for a victory last time out and was well-drawn toward the inside of the field to perhaps use similar tactics in the Grade 3, $300,000 Iroquois Stakes on Saturday at Church

Churchill announces Derby points changes

Matt Hegarty Sep 08,2023
Churchill Downs has modified the system that awards points to horses seeking a berth in the Kentucky Derby by increasing the amount of points for second-place finishes in the 37 races that are a part

Kentucky Derby 2023: Delgado's methods praised following Mage's victory

David Grening May 07,2023
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Heavy rain, thunder and lightning populated the Churchill Downs backstretch Sunday morning, but it was all sunshine and rainbows at Barn 42, where Kentucky Derby winner Mage was ambi

Mage runs down Two Phil's in stretch for Kentucky Derby victory

Marcus Hersh May 06,2023
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Mage, who only made his first start on Jan. 28, won the Kentucky Derby in his fourth. Surging powerfully from behind a strong pace, Mage ran down Two Phil’s, who got a sweet r
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About the Kentucky Derby

The Kentucky Derby is the first leg of the American Triple Crown series for 3-year-old Thoroughbreds. Held each year at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky., on the first Saturday in May, the track has presented the race continuously since 1875. The Derby is run at the distance of 1 1/4 miles and is arguably the most famous horse race in the world.

Horses compete in the Kentucky Derby after qualifying through a series of preparatory races known as the Road to the Kentucky Derby. These stakes races are held at racetracks across the country and award Derby qualifying points to the top four finishers. The Derby starters are comprised of the horses with the most qualifying points, with two of the 20 spots reserved for the top qualifiers from the European and Japanese Road to the Derby qualifying events.  

The Kentucky Derby has many traditions, including drinking mint juleps, wearing festive hats, and singing "My Old Kentucky Home" as the horses enter the track. Its sister race, the Kentucky Oaks, exclusively for 3-year-old fillies, takes place the day before the Kentucky Derby, on the first Friday in May. Both Oaks Day and Derby Day are treated as local holidays in Louisville.  

The horse who wins the Kentucky Derby receives a blanket of red roses, the official flower of the Kentucky Derby. The race is commonly referred to as the “Run for the Roses.”

The winning horse becomes the only horse eligible to complete that year's Triple Crown, by running in and winning the two other legs of the series. The middle "jewel" is the Preakness Stakes two weeks later at Pimilco Race Course in Baltimore, and the final leg is the Belmont Stakes three weeks after the Preakness at Belmont Park in Elmont, N.Y.

Recent Kentucky Derby Winners

Year Horse/Trainer Horse Trainer Beyer
2023
Gustavo Delgado
Mage Gustavo Delgado 105
2022
Eric Reed
Rich Strike Eric Reed 101
2021
Brad Cox
Mandaloun Brad Cox 101
2020
Bob Baffert
Authentic Bob Baffert 105
2019
Bill Mott
Country House Bill Mott 99
2018
Bob Baffert
Justify Bob Baffert 103
2017
Todd Pletcher
Always Dreaming Todd Pletcher 102
2016
Doug O'Neill
Nyquist Doug O'Neill 103
2015
Bob Baffert
American Pharoah Bob Baffert 105
2014
Art Sherman
California Chrome Art Sherman 97
2013
Orb
Shug McGaughey
Orb Shug McGaughey 104
About the Kentucky Derby
Q: Who is eligible to run?

The Kentucky Derby is open only to 3-year-olds that are nominated to the Triple Crown series, and have earned enough qualifying points.

 

Q: How do horses earn qualifying points?

Horses earn qualifying points for the Kentucky Derby through a series of prep races run September – April at multiple tracks across the country.  Points available for the races range from 1-100, depending on the quality of the race and where the horse finishes.  View the full list of “Road to the Kentucky Derby” qualifying races at left.

 

Q: How many horses can start in the race?

Currently a maximum of 20 horses can run in the Kentucky Derby.   The largest field was 23 horses (1974) for the 100th running of the Kentucky Derby.  The smallest field was just 3 horses (1892 and 1905).