2026 Road to the Kentucky Derby

Last updated

The 2026 Road to the Kentucky Derby is a series of races through which horses qualified for the 2026 Kentucky Derby, which will be held on May 2. The field for the Derby was limited to 20 horses, with up to four 'also eligibles' in case of a late withdrawal from the field. There were three separate paths for horses to take to qualify for the Derby: the main Road consisting of races in North America, the Japan Road consisting of four races in Japan, and the Euro/MidEast road consisting of seven races in England, Ireland, United Arab Emirates and France. The top five finishers in the specified races received points, with higher points awarded in the major prep races in March and April. Earnings in non-restricted stakes races acted as a tie breaker.

Contents

For 2026, the main Road to the Kentucky Derby resembled the 2025 Road to the Kentucky Derby, consisting of 36 races, with 20 races for the Kentucky Derby Prep Season and 16 races for the Kentucky Derby Championship Season without any changes: [a]

Standings

The following table shows the points earned in the eligible races for the main series.

RankHorsePointsEarnings [b] TrainerOwnerRef
1Spice Runner11$243,426 Steven M. Asmussen Winchell Thoroughbreds [2]
2 Ted Noffey 10$562,963 Todd A. Pletcher Spendthrift Farm [3]
3Napoleon Solo10$275,000Chad SummersGold Square [4]
4Intrepido10$180,000Jeff MullinsDutch Girl Holdings & Irving Ventures [5]
5Comport5$224,050Eddie KenneallyJoseph W. Sutton [2]
6Desert Gate5$210,000 Bob Baffert Karl Watson, Michael E. Pegram & Paul Weitman [5]
7Blackout Time5$128,375 Kenneth G. McPeek Brookdale Racing, Lance Gasaway & Magdalena Racing [3]
8Talkin5$100,000Danny GarganReeves Thoroughbred Racing, Pine Racing Stables, Legendary Thoroughbreds, Belmar Racing & Breeding & R. A. Hill Stable [4]
9Litmus Test3$82,118 Bob Baffert SF Racing, Starlight Racing, Madaket Stables, Stonestreet Stables, Dianne Bashor, Determined Stables, Golconda Stable, Waves Edge Capital & Catherine Donovan [3]
10Universe3$60,000 Kenneth G. McPeek Four G Racing, Gregg Day & Steven Crain [4]
11Plutarch3$56,000 Bob Baffert Derrick Smith, Mrs. John Magnier & Michael Tabor [5]
12Vost3$28,875William WaldenOXO Equine [2]
13Diciassette2$68,337 Patrick L. Biancone Green With MV Stable [3]
14Civil Liberty2$54,000 Doug F. O'Neill Great Friends Stables & Mark D. Davis [5]
15It's Our Time2$30,000 Thomas M. Amoss Double Down Horse Racing [4]
16Nothing Personal2$14,438Gregory ComptonMag Racing [2]
17Maximus Prime1$58,262Anthony MitchellGary & Tiffany Bizzack [2]
18Stradale1$20,000 Steven M. Asmussen Kaleem Shah [4]
19Balboa1$12,000 Bob Baffert SF Racing, Starlight Racing, Madaket Stables, Stonestreet Stables, Dianne Bashor, Determined Stables, Golconda Stable, Waves Edge Capital & Catherine Donovan [5]


Legend:

Prep season

Initial prep events

Note: 1st=10 points; 2nd=5 points; 3rd=3 points; 4th=2 points; 5th=1 point (except the Breeders' Cup Juvenile: 1st=30 points; 2nd=15 points; 3rd=9 points; 4th=6 points; 5th=3 points)

The dates for most races shown below are based on the placement in the racing calendar from 2024/2025. Similarly, the purses shown below are based on the amounts from the previous year and will be updated when finalized.

RaceDistancePurseTrackDate1st2nd3rd4th5thRef
Iroquois 1 mile$299,400 Churchill Downs Sep 13 2025Spice RunnerComportVostNothing PersonalMaximus Prime [2]
Champagne 1 mile$500,000AqueductOct 4 2025Napoleon SoloTalkinUniverseIt's Our TimeStradale [4]
American Pharoah 1+116 miles$300,500Santa AnitaOct 4 2025IntrepidoDesert GatePlutarchCivil LibertyBalboa [5]
Breeders' Futurity 1+116 miles$642,594KeenelandOct 4 2025 Ted Noffey Blackout TimeLitmus TestDiciassetteSpice Runner [3]
Street Sense 1+116 miles$200,000 Churchill Downs Oct 26 2025
Breeders' Cup Juvenile 1+116 miles$2,000,000Del MarOct 31 2025
Kentucky Jockey Club 1+116 miles$400,000Churchill DownsNov 29 2025
Remsen 1+18 miles$250,000AqueductDec 6 2025
Los Alamitos Futurity 1+116 miles$200,000Los AlamitosDec 13 2025
Springboard Mile 1 mile$300,000RemingtonDec 20 2025
Gun Runner Stakes1+116 miles$100,000Fair GroundsDec 20 2025
Smarty Jones 1 mile$300,000OaklawnJan 3 2026
Jerome 1 mile$150,000AqueductJan 3 2026

Select prep events

Note: 1st=20 points; 2nd=10 points; 3rd=6 points; 4th=4 points; 5th=2 points

RaceDistancePurseTrackDate1st2nd3rd4th5thRef
Lecomte 1+116 miles$200,000Fair GroundsJan 17 2026
Southwest 1+116 miles$800,000OaklawnJan 31 2026
Holy Bull 1 mile$250,000GulfstreamJan 31 2026
Robert B. Lewis 1 mile$150,000Santa AnitaJan 31 2026
Withers 1+18 miles$250,000AqueductJan 31 2026
Sam F. Davis Stakes 1+116 miles$250,000Tampa BayFeb 7 2026
Sunland Derby 1+116 miles$500,000Sunland ParkFeb 15 2026
John Battaglia Memorial Stakes 1+116 miles$150,000TurfwayFeb 21 2026

Championship series events

First leg of series

Note: 1st=50 points; 2nd=25 points; 3rd=15 points; 4th=10 points; 5th=5 points

RaceDistancePurseGradeTrackDate1st2nd3rd4th5thRef
Risen Star 1+18 miles$400,0002Fair Grounds
Rebel 1+116 miles$1,250,0002Oaklawn
Fountain of Youth 1+116 miles$400,0002Gulfstream
Gotham 1 mile$300,0003Aqueduct
San Felipe 1+116 miles$400,0002Santa Anita
Tampa Bay Derby 1+116 miles$350,0002Tampa Bay
Virginia Derby 1+18 miles$500,0003Colonial Downs

Second leg of series

These races are the major preps for the Kentucky Derby, and are thus weighted more heavily.
Note: 1st=100 points; 2nd=50 points; 3rd=25 points; 4th=15 points; 5th=10 points
with the exception of the Lexington Stakes; 1st=20 points; 2nd=10 points; 3rd=6 points; 4th=4 points; 5th=2 points

RaceDistancePurseGradeTrackDate1st2nd3rd4th5thRef
Louisiana Derby 1+316 miles$1,000,0002Fair Grounds
Jeff Ruby 1+18 miles$700,0003Turfway
Florida Derby 1+18 miles$1,000,0001Gulfstream
Arkansas Derby 1+18 miles$1,500,0001Oaklawn Park
Blue Grass Stakes 1+18 miles$1,000,0001Keeneland
Santa Anita Derby 1+18 miles$750,0001Santa Anita
Wood Memorial 1+18 miles$750,0002Aqueduct
Lexington 1+18 miles$400,0003Keeneland

Euro/Mideast Road to the Kentucky Derby

The Euro/Mideast Road to the Kentucky Derby is designed on a similar basis to the Japan Road and is intended to provide a place in the Derby starting gate to the top finisher in the series. If the connections of that horse decline the invitation, their place is offered to the second-place finisher and so on. If none of the top four accept, this place in the starting gate reverts to the horses on the main road to the Derby.

The series consists of seven races – four run on the turf in late 2025 when the horses are age two, plus two races run on a synthetic surface in early 2026 and the UAE Derby.

RaceDistanceTrackDate1st2nd3rd4th5thRef
Beresford Stakes 1 mile The Curragh Sep 27 2025Hawk MountainGeryonAl HaarithShaihaanPort of Spain [6]
Royal Lodge Stakes 1 mile Newmarket Sep 27 2025Bow EchoHumidityActionPacific AvenueDaytona [7]
Prix Jean-Luc Lagardère 1,400 metres
(about 7 furlongs)
Longchamp Oct 5 2025Puerto RicoNighttimeRayifCampaciteImperial Me Cen [8]
Futurity Trophy 1 mile Doncaster Oct 25 2025
European Road to the Kentucky Derby
Conditions Stakes
1 mile Kempton Park Feb 25 2026
Patton Stakes 1 mile Dundalk Mar 6 2026
UAE Derby 1,900 metres
(about 1+316 miles)
Meydan Mar 28 2026

Note:

ƒ Filly


Japan Road to the Kentucky Derby

The Japan Road to the Kentucky Derby is intended to provide a place in the Derby starting gate to the top finisher in the series. If the connections of that horse decline the invitation, their place is offered to the second-place finisher and so on through the top five finishers.

RaceDistanceTrackDate1st2nd3rd4th5thRef
Cattleya Stakes 1,600 metres
(~1 mile)
Tokyo Racecourse Nov 29 2025
Zen-Nippon Nisai Yushun 1,600 metres
(~1 mile)
Kawasaki Racecourse Dec 17 2025
Hyacinth 1,600 metres
(~1 mile)
Tokyo RacecourseFeb 2 2026
Fukuryu 1,800 metres
(~1+18 miles)
Nakayama Racecourse Mar 28 2026

Note:

ƒ Filly
Cattleya Sho: 1st=10 points; 2nd=5 points; 3rd=3 points; 4th=2 points; 5th=1 point
Zen-Nippon Nisai Yushun: 1st=20 points; 2nd=10 points; 3rd=6 points; 4th=4 points; 5th=2 points
Hyacinth: 1st=30 points; 2nd=15 points; 3rd=9 points; 4th=6 points; 5th=3 points
Fukuyru: 1st=40 points; 2nd=20 points; 3rd=12 points; 4th=8 points; 5th=4 points


Notes

  1. See the following list [1] for details
  2. Earnings from non-restricted stakes prior to the running of the Kentucky Derby serve as a tie-breaker.

References

  1. "2025/26 Kentucky Derby Prep Races" (PDF). Churchill Downs Inc. 9 September 2025. Retrieved 10 September 2025.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Iroquois Stakes Grade 3 - (race 8)". equibase. 13 September 2025. Retrieved 14 September 2025.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 "Claiborne Breeders' Futurity (Gr. 1)". equibase. 4 October 2025. Retrieved 4 October 2025.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Champagne Stakes (Gr. 1)" (PDF). equibase. 4 October 2025. Retrieved 4 October 2025.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "American Pharoah S. Presented by DK Horse (Gr. 1)". equibase. 4 October 2025. Retrieved 4 October 2025.
  6. "Qatar Racing & Equestrian Club Beresford Stakes (Group 2)". Racing Post. 27 September 2025.
  7. "Tattersalls Online Royal Lodge Stakes (Group 2) (Colts & Geldings)". Racing Post. 27 September 2025.
  8. "Qatar Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere (Group 1)". Racing Post. 5 October 2025. Retrieved 5 October 2025.