LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Churchill Downs on Wednesday released the points schedules for determining eligibility to the 2015 Kentucky Derby and Oaks with minimal changes from the template established during the first two years of the system.

First implemented for the 2013 Derby and Oaks, the schedules use a graduated scale for allotting qualifying points for the respective races. Prep races deemed most important are given the most weight in determining the 20-horse cutoff for the Derby (and 14 for the Oaks).

The $500,000 Los Alamitos Futurity on Dec. 20, the final major stakes of the year for 2-year-olds, has been added to the list of qualifying races for the 2015 Kentucky Derby, Churchill Downs announced Wednesday.

The Los Alamitos Futurity will be the top race for 2-year-olds at the Los Alamitos December Thoroughbred meeting, which replaces racing dates previously run at Hollywood Park. In recent years, Hollywood Park ran the $750,000 CashCall Futurity in December. In 2013, the CashCall Futurity was omitted from the Kentucky Derby qualifying system.

Photos taken at the Kentucky Derby show Denver Broncos wide receiver Wes Welker passing out $100 bills to fans after scoring big on the Derby at Churchill Downs. But did he or someone from his group win too much?

Churchill Downs said Friday that someone from his party received an overpayment in winnings of $14,898 from a betting-terminal malfunction combined with mutuel-clerk error, track spokesman Darren Rogers said.

At its core, California Chrome’s Kentucky Derby victory is a “local boy makes good” story.

The chestnut colt was foaled and raised at Harris Farms in Coalinga, Calif., which is also the home of his sire, Lucky Pulpit. California Chrome never raced outside of his home state until the Kentucky Derby, and even his name furthers his status as a living billboard for the statebred program.

About the only significant accomplishment missing from both the racing and stud careers of A.P. Indy was a victory in the Kentucky Derby. Over the last two years, however, his sons, grandsons, and great-grandsons have filled that void quite nicely. 

Katherine Martin, 83, had seen enough of her hospital room in Iron Mountain, Mich., on May 1. She was being treated for the flu but, feeling better, was ready to leave.

With a better offer in Louisville, Ky., a few days later, she checked out of the hospital, despite pleading from nurses.

“They told her, ‘Mrs. Martin, you could die,’ ” recalled her son, Perry Martin.

“She said, ‘I know I could die, but not until I see my son’s horse in the Kentucky Derby. I’m ready, and I’m going.’ ”

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – In the post-race analysis of the Kentucky Derby, many have noted how slowly the race was run, with the victorious California Chrome covering 1 1/4 miles in 2:03.66 over what had seemed to be a quick track.

So, for winning the Derby, America’s most prestigious horse race, California Chrome received a 97 Beyer Speed Figure, the lowest winning Derby or Preakness figure since Andrew Beyer has been making them.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – The huge Kentucky Derby wager that dropped the odds on Candy Boy from 16-1 to 9-1 totaled just more than $1 million and was placed through an offshore account-wagering hub based on the Isle of Man, Churchill Downs officials confirmed Thursday.

Sometimes, you just know. My only concern about California Chrome was the same one Art Sherman had – the first 200 yards. Once the colt made that a non-issue, I started looking around for my superfecta horses.

Two hours after California Chrome had dominated the Kentucky Derby, I asked Sherman when he thought the horse had the race won. He said, “The eighth pole.”

And he was not talking about the second time past the eighth pole, when California Chrome was up by five lengths. He was talking about the first time, when the colt had gotten forward position.

Post-race tests on samples pulled from horses running in the Kentucky Derby on Saturday and the Kentucky Oaks on Friday at Churchill Downs were all negative for prohibited substances, the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission said Tuesday.

The samples were tested by the commission’s laboratory, LGC Science Group in Lexington, for 1,500 substances under the so-called supertesting protocols. The laboratory expedited the testing, the KHRC said.