The Road to the Kentucky Derby Championship Series, the select races that will determine the preference list for the 151st Kentucky Derby, is out, Churchill Downs said in a press release on Friday.
During a special meeting at Colonial Downs, the Virginia Derby–occupying a spot on the racing calendar that was previously void of any qualifying races on Saturday, Mar. 15–is the latest addition to the schedule. The race will award 105 points to the top five finishers including 50 points to the winner.
As for the Road to the Kentucky Derby prep schedule, which begins Saturday, Sept. 14 with the GIII Iroquois Stakes at Churchill Downs, those races annually award a sliding scale of points to the top five finishing positions. At the conclusion of the series, the leaderboard will determine the preference list for entries into the 20-horse field.
In addition to the primary 36-race Road to the Kentucky Derby series, there are two separate series that carve out potential spots for international horses from Japan, Europe and the United Arab of Emirates.
The European Road to the Derby has been rebranded as the Euro/Mideast Road to the Kentucky Derby. The Apr. 5 running of the G2 UAE Derby has been removed from America's primary Road to the Kentucky Derby and will now conclude this newly-rebranded stand-alone series that will carve out two invitations to the top point earners.
Additionally, the Cardinal Condition Stakes at Chelmsford City has been removed from the series and, instead, the winner will receive an automatic berth in the starting gate for the GII American Turf Stakes on the Kentucky Derby undercard.
No changes were made to the stand-alone Japan Road to the Kentucky Derby. Six horses based in Japan have competed in the Derby since the series debuted in 2017.
Two other rule changes have been instituted. In the event a Championship Series race on the Road to the Kentucky Derby or Kentucky Oaks is run with a five-horse field, only 75% of the points will be proportionally awarded. A Championship Series race field with four or less horses will be proportionally awarded 50% of the total points.
As for entry into the GI Kentucky Oaks, the Virginia Oaks will be run on the Virginia Derby undercard and become a qualifier for that the 33-race series.
Click here for the complete Derby prep schedule.
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