Road to the 2020 Kentucky Derby has familiar look
Churchill Downs officials on Thursday released the complete qualifying-points schedules toward the 2020 Kentucky Derby and Oaks with no changes from what has become traditional.
The Road to the Kentucky Derby once again consists of 35 races in the United States, with points awarded on a sliding scale in accordance to the relative importance of the prep races. Nineteen of those races are run as “prep season,” with most of them worth 10 points to the winner, while more meaningful races comprise the later “championship season,” with the winner getting 50 or 100 points.
In addition, there are seven designated points races in Europe and four in Japan, with one automatic Derby berth at stake from each region.
The top 20 qualifiers whose connections choose to enter (plus up to four also-eligibles) will comprise the lineup for the 146th Derby on May 2, 2020.
Likewise, qualifying points toward the 146th Kentucky Oaks on May 1, 2020, will be awarded in similar fashion. Thirty Oaks preps are on the schedule, the same as last year. As many as 14 (plus up to four also-eligibles) can be entered in the Oaks.
The points system has been employed by Churchill since 2013. Six straight betting favorites won the Derby from 2013-18, after which Country House, a 65-1 shot, was awarded victory via disqualification in the 2019 running.
The first points races toward the 2020 Derby and Oaks will be run Sept. 14 at Churchill with the Iroquois and Pocahontas, respectively, with points awarded on a 10-4-2-1 basis.
Road to the Derby
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9/14/19 | Iroquois | 1 1/16 miles | Churchill Downs | 10 | 4 | 2 | 1 |
| 9/27/19 | American Pharoah | 1 1/16 miles | Santa Anita | 10 | 4 | 2 | 1 |
| 10/5/19 | Champagne | 1 mile | Belmont | 10 | 4 | 2 | 1 |
| 10/5/19 | Breeders' Futurity | 1 1/16 miles | Keeneland | 10 | 4 | 2 | 1 |
| 11/1/19 | Breeders' Cup Juvenile | 1 1/16 miles | Santa Anita | 20 | 8 | 4 | 2 |
| 11/30/19 | Kentucky Jockey Club | 1 1/16 miles | Churchill Downs | 10 | 4 | 2 | 1 |
| Dec. 2019 | Remsen | 1 1/8 miles | Aqueduct | 10 | 4 | 2 | 1 |
| Dec. 2019 | Los Alamitos Futurity | 1 1/16 miles | Los Alamitos | 10 | 4 | 2 | 1 |
| 12/15/19 | Springboard Mile | 1 mile | Remington | 10 | 4 | 2 | 1 |
| Jan. 2020 | Jerome | 1 mile | Aqueduct | 10 | 4 | 2 | 1 |
| Jan. 2020 | Sham | 1 mile | Santa Anita | 10 | 4 | 2 | 1 |
| Jan. 2020 | Lecomte | 1 mile 70 yards | Fair Grounds | 10 | 4 | 2 | 1 |
| 1/24/20 | Smarty Jones | 1 mile | Oaklawn | 10 | 4 | 2 | 1 |
| Feb. 2020 | Robert B. Lewis | 1 1/16 miles | Santa Anita | 10 | 4 | 2 | 1 |
| Feb. 2020 | Withers | 1 1/8 miles | Aqueduct | 10 | 4 | 2 | 1 |
| Feb. 2020 | Holy Bull | 1 1/16 miles | Gulfstream | 10 | 4 | 2 | 1 |
| Feb. 2020 | Sam F. Davis | 1 1/16 miles | Tampa Bay | 10 | 4 | 2 | 1 |
| Feb. 2020 | El Camino Real Derby | 1 1/8 miles (Synth) | Golden Gate | 10 | 4 | 2 | 1 |
| Feb. 2020 | Risen Star | 1 1/16 miles | Fair Grounds | 50 | 20 | 10 | 5 |
| 2/17/19 | Southwest | 1 1/16 miles | Oaklawn | 10 | 4 | 2 | 1 |
| March 2020 | Fountain of Youth | 1 1/16 miles | Gulfstream | 50 | 20 | 10 | 5 |
| March 2020 | Gotham | 1 1/16 miles | Aqueduct | 50 | 20 | 10 | 5 |
| March 2020 | San Felipe | 1 1/16 miles | Santa Anita | 50 | 20 | 10 | 5 |
| March 2020 | Tampa Bay Derby | 1 1/16 miles | Tampa Bay Downs | 50 | 20 | 10 | 5 |
| March 2020 | Jeff Ruby Steaks | 1 1/8 miles (AW) | Turfway Park | 20 | 8 | 4 | 2 |
| 3/14/20 | Rebel | 1 1/16 miles | Oaklawn | 50 | 20 | 10 | 5 |
| March 2020 | Louisiana Derby | 1 1/8 miles | Fair Grounds | 100 | 40 | 20 | 10 |
| March 2020 | Sunland Derby | 1 1/8 miles | Sunland | 50 | 20 | 10 | 5 |
| 3/28/20 | UAE Derby | 1 3/16 miles | Meydan | 100 | 40 | 20 | 10 |
| March 2020 | Florida Derby | 1 1/8 miles | Gulfstream | 100 | 40 | 20 | 10 |
| April 2020 | Wood Memorial | 1 1/8 miles | Aqueduct | 100 | 40 | 20 | 10 |
| April 2020 | Blue Grass | 1 1/8 miles | Keeneland | 100 | 40 | 20 | 10 |
| April 2020 | Santa Anita Derby | 1 1/8 miles | Santa Anita | 100 | 40 | 20 | 10 |
| April 2020 | Lexington | 1 1/16 miles | Keeneland | 20 | 8 | 4 | 2 |
| 4/11/20 | Arkansas Derby | 1 1/8 miles | Oaklawn | 100 | 40 | 20 | 10 |
European Road to the Derby
| 9/28/19 | Royal Lodge | 1 mile (T) | Newmarket (GB) | 10 | 4 | 2 | 1 |
| 9/29/19 | Beresford | 1 mile (T) | Curragh (IRE) | 10 | 4 | 2 | 1 |
| 10/6/19 | Prix du Jean Luc Legardare | 1 mile (T) | Longchamp (FRA) | 10 | 4 | 2 | 1 |
| 10/26/19 | Vertem Futurity Trophy | 1 mile (T) | Doncaster (GB) | 10 | 4 | 2 | 1 |
| March 2020 | Patton | 1 mile (AW) | Dundalk (IRE) | 20 | 8 | 4 | 2 |
| March 2020 | Road to the Derby Condition | 1 mile (AW) | Kempton (GB) | 20 | 8 | 4 | 2 |
| April 2020 | Cardinal Condition Stakes | 1 mile (AW) | Chelmsford (GB) | 30 | 12 | 6 | 3 |
Japan Road to the Derby
| 11/23/19 | Cattleya Sho | 1 mile | Tokyo | n/a | 10 | 4 | 2 | 1 |
| 12/18/19 | Zen-Nippon Nisai Yushun | 1 mile | Kawasaki | n/a | 20 | 8 | 4 | 2 |
| TBA 2020 | Hyacinth | 1 mile | Tokyo | n/a | 30 | 12 | 6 | 3 |
| TBA 2020 | Fukuryu Stakes | 1 1/8 mile | Nakayama | n/a | 40 | 16 | 8 | 4 |
Road to the Oaks
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9/14/19 | Pocahontas | 1 1/16 miles | Churchill Downs | 10 | 4 | 2 | 1 |
| 9/27/19 | Chandelier | 1 1/16 miles | Santa Anita | 10 | 4 | 2 | 1 |
| 10/4/19 | Alcibiades | 1 1/16 miles | Keeneland | 10 | 4 | 2 | 1 |
| 10/6/19 | Frizette | 1 mile | Belmont | 10 | 4 | 2 | 1 |
| 11/1/19 | Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies | 1 1/16 miles | Santa Anita | 20 | 8 | 4 | 2 |
| 11/30/19 | Golden Rod | 1 1/16 miles | Churchill Downs | 10 | 4 | 2 | 1 |
| Dec. 2019 | Demoiselle | 1 1/8 miles | Aqueduct | 10 | 4 | 2 | 1 |
| Dec. 2019 | Starlet | 1 1/16 miles | Los Alamitos | 10 | 4 | 2 | 1 |
| Jan. 2020 | Santa Ynez | 1 mile | Santa Anita | 10 | 4 | 2 | 1 |
| Jan. 2020 | Silverbulletday | 1 mile, 70 yards | Fair Grounds | 10 | 4 | 2 | 1 |
| Feb. 2020 | Forward Gal | 7 furlongs | Gulfstream | 10 | 4 | 2 | 1 |
| 2/1/2020 | Martha Washington | 1 mile | Oaklawn | 10 | 4 | 2 | 1 |
| Feb. 2020 | Busanda | 1 1/8 miles | Aqueduct | 10 | 4 | 2 | 1 |
| Feb. 2020 | Suncoast | 1 mile 40 yards | Tampa Bay Downs | 10 | 4 | 2 | 1 |
| Feb. 2020 | Las Virgenes | 1 mile | Santa Anita | 10 | 4 | 2 | 1 |
| Feb. 2020 | Rachel Alexandra | 1 1/16 miles | Fair Grounds | 50 | 20 | 10 | 5 |
| Feb. 2020 | UAE Oaks | 1 3/16 miles | Meydan | 50 | 20 | 10 | 5 |
| March 2020 | Davona Dale | 1 mile | Gulfstream | 50 | 20 | 10 | 5 |
| March 2020 | Busher | 1 mile | Aqueduct | 50 | 20 | 10 | 5 |
| March 2020 | Bourbonette Oaks | 1 miles (AW) | Turfway Park | 20 | 8 | 4 | 2 |
| 3/7/20 | Honeybee | 1 1/16 miles | Oaklawn | 50 | 20 | 10 | 5 |
| March 2020 | Santa Ysabel | 1 1/16 miles | Santa Anita | 50 | 20 | 10 | 5 |
| March 2020 | Fair Grounds Oaks | 1 1/8 miles | Fair Grounds | 100 | 40 | 20 | 10 |
| March 2020 | Sunland Park Oaks | 1 1/16 miles | Sunland | 50 | 20 | 10 | 5 |
| March 2020 | Gulfstream Park Oaks | 1 1/16 miles | Gulfstream | 100 | 40 | 20 | 10 |
| April 2020 | Santa Anita Oaks | 1 1/16 miles | Santa Anita | 100 | 40 | 20 | 10 |
| April 2020 | Gazelle | 1 1/8 miles | Aqueduct | 100 | 40 | 20 | 10 |
| April 2020 | Ashland | 1 1/16 miles | Keeneland | 100 | 40 | 20 | 10 |
| April 2020 | Beaumont | 7 furlongs | Keeneland | 10 | 4 | 2 | 1 |
| 4/10/20 | Fantasy | 1 1/16 miles | Oaklawn | 100 | 40 | 20 | 10 |