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 ten 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.
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]
The following changes were introduced to the Euro/Mideast Road to the Kentucky Derby with three new events were added: [2]
The following table shows the points earned in the eligible races for the main series. [3]
| Rank [3] | Horse | Points | Earnings [b] | Trainer | Owner | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Spice Runner | 11 | $243,426 | Steven M. Asmussen | Winchell Thoroughbreds | [4] |
| 2 | Ted Noffey | 10 | $562,963 | Todd A. Pletcher | Spendthrift Farm | [5] |
| 3 | Napoleon Solo | 10 | $275,000 | Chad Summers | Gold Square | [6] |
| 4 | Intrepido | 10 | $180,000 | Jeff Mullins | Dutch Girl Holdings & Irving Ventures | [7] |
| 5 | Incredibolt | 10 | $122,070 | Riley Mott | Pin Oak Stud | [8] |
| 6 | Universe | 8 | $99,700 | Kenneth G. McPeek | Four G Racing, Gregg Day & Steven Crain | [6] |
| 7 | Comport | 5 | $224,050 | Eddie Kenneally | Joseph W. Sutton | [4] |
| 8 | Desert Gate | 5 | $210,000 | Bob Baffert | Karl Watson, Michael E. Pegram & Paul Weitman | [7] |
| 9 | Blackout Time | 5 | $128,375 | Kenneth G. McPeek | Brookdale Racing, Lance Gasaway & Magdalena Racing | [5] |
| 10 | Talkin | 5 | $100,000 | Danny Gargan | Reeves Thoroughbred Racing, Pine Racing Stables, Legendary Thoroughbreds, Belmar Racing & Breeding & R. A. Hill Stable | [6] |
| 11 | Litmus Test | 3 | $82,118 | Bob Baffert | SF Racing, Starlight Racing, Madaket Stables, Stonestreet Stables, Dianne Bashor, Determined Stables, Golconda Stable, Waves Edge Capital & Catherine Donovan | [5] |
| 12 | Plutarch | 3 | $56,000 | Bob Baffert | Derrick Smith, Mrs. John Magnier & Michael Tabor | [7] |
| 13 | Vost | 3 | $28,875 | William Walden | OXO Equine | [4] |
| 14 | Very Connected | 3 | $19,850 | Kenneth G. McPeek | Dream Big Racing | [8] |
| 15 | Diciassette | 2 | $68,337 | Patrick L. Biancone | Green With MV Stable | [5] |
| 16 | Civil Liberty | 2 | $54,000 | Doug F. O'Neill | Great Friends Stables & Mark D. Davis | [7] |
| 17 | It's Our Time | 2 | $30,000 | Thomas M. Amoss | Double Down Horse Racing | [6] |
| 18 | Nothing Personal | 2 | $14,438 | Gregory Compton | Mag Racing | [4] |
| 19 | I Did I Did | 2 | $9,925 | Michael J. Maker | Paradise Farms, David Staudacher, Turman Racing Stable & Skychai Racing | [8] |
| 20 | Maximus Prime | 1 | $58,262 | Anthony Mitchell | Gary & Tiffany Bizzack | [4] |
| 21 | Stradale | 1 | $20,000 | Steven M. Asmussen | Kaleem Shah | [6] |
| 22 | Balboa | 1 | $12,000 | Bob Baffert | SF Racing, Starlight Racing, Madaket Stables, Stonestreet Stables, Dianne Bashor, Determined Stables, Golconda Stable, Waves Edge Capital & Catherine Donovan | [7] |
| 23 | Ganaas | 1 | $5,955 | Andrew McKeever | Shadwell Stable | [8] |
Legend:
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.
| Race | Distance | Purse | Grade | Track | Date | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | 5th | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Iroquois | 1 mile | $299,400 | 3 | Churchill Downs | Sep 13 2025 | Spice Runner | Comport | Vost | Nothing Personal | Maximus Prime | [4] |
| Champagne | 1 mile | $500,000 | 1 | Aqueduct | Oct 4 2025 | Napoleon Solo | Talkin | Universe | It's Our Time | Stradale | [6] |
| American Pharoah | 1+1⁄16 miles | $300,500 | 1 | Santa Anita | Oct 4 2025 | Intrepido | Desert Gate | Plutarch | Civil Liberty | Balboa | [7] |
| Breeders' Futurity | 1+1⁄16 miles | $642,594 | 1 | Keeneland | Oct 4 2025 | Ted Noffey | Blackout Time | Litmus Test | Diciassette | Spice Runner | [5] |
| Street Sense | 1+1⁄16 miles | $200,000 | 3 | Churchill Downs | Oct 26 2025 | Incredibolt | Universe | Very Connected | I Did I Did | Ganaas | [8] |
| Breeders' Cup Juvenile | 1+1⁄16 miles | $2,000,000 | 1 | Del Mar | Oct 31 2025 | ||||||
| Kentucky Jockey Club | 1+1⁄16 miles | $400,000 | 2 | Churchill Downs | Nov 29 2025 | ||||||
| Remsen | 1+1⁄8 miles | $250,000 | 2 | Aqueduct | Dec 6 2025 | ||||||
| Los Alamitos Futurity | 1+1⁄16 miles | $200,000 | 2 | Los Alamitos | Dec 13 2025 | ||||||
| Springboard Mile | 1 mile | $300,000 | Listed | Remington | Dec 20 2025 | ||||||
| Gun Runner Stakes | 1+1⁄16 miles | $100,000 | Black-Type | Fair Grounds | Dec 20 2025 | ||||||
| Smarty Jones | 1 mile | $300,000 | Listed | Oaklawn | Jan 3 2026 | ||||||
| Jerome | 1 mile | $150,000 | Black-Type | Aqueduct | Jan 3 2026 |
Note: 1st=20 points; 2nd=10 points; 3rd=6 points; 4th=4 points; 5th=2 points
| Race | Distance | Purse | Grade | Track | Date | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | 5th | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lecomte | 1+1⁄16 miles | $200,000 | 3 | Fair Grounds | Jan 17 2026 | ||||||
| Southwest | 1+1⁄16 miles | $800,000 | 3 | Oaklawn | Jan 31 2026 | ||||||
| Holy Bull | 1 mile | $250,000 | 3 | Gulfstream | Jan 31 2026 | ||||||
| Robert B. Lewis | 1 mile | $150,000 | 3 | Santa Anita | Jan 31 2026 | ||||||
| Withers | 1+1⁄8 miles | $250,000 | Listed | Aqueduct | Jan 31 2026 | ||||||
| Sam F. Davis Stakes | 1+1⁄16 miles | $250,000 | 3 | Tampa Bay | Feb 7 2026 | ||||||
| Sunland Derby | 1+1⁄16 miles | $500,000 | Listed | Sunland Park | Feb 15 2026 | ||||||
| John Battaglia Memorial Stakes | 1+1⁄16 miles | $150,000 | Listed | Turfway | Feb 21 2026 | ||||||
Note: 1st=50 points; 2nd=25 points; 3rd=15 points; 4th=10 points; 5th=5 points
| Race | Distance | Purse | Grade | Track | Date | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | 5th | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Risen Star | 1+1⁄8 miles | $400,000 | 2 | Fair Grounds | Feb 14 2026 | ||||||
| Gotham | 1 mile | $300,000 | 3 | Aqueduct | Feb 28 2026 | ||||||
| Fountain of Youth | 1+1⁄16 miles | $400,000 | 2 | Gulfstream | Feb 28 2026 | ||||||
| San Felipe | 1+1⁄16 miles | $400,000 | 2 | Santa Anita | Feb 28 2026 | ||||||
| Rebel | 1+1⁄16 miles | $1,250,000 | 2 | Oaklawn | Mar 1 2026 | ||||||
| Tampa Bay Derby | 1+1⁄16 miles | $350,000 | 3 | Tampa Bay | Mar 7 2026 | ||||||
| Virginia Derby | 1+1⁄8 miles | $500,000 | Black-Type | Colonial Downs | Mar 14 2026 |
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
| Race | Distance | Purse | Grade | Track | Date | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | 5th | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Louisiana Derby | 1+3⁄16 miles | $1,000,000 | 2 | Fair Grounds | Mar 21 2026 | ||||||
| Jeff Ruby | 1+1⁄8 miles | $700,000 | 3 | Turfway | Mar 21 2026 | ||||||
| Florida Derby | 1+1⁄8 miles | $1,000,000 | 1 | Gulfstream | Mar 28 2026 | ||||||
| Arkansas Derby | 1+1⁄8 miles | $1,500,000 | 1 | Oaklawn Park | Mar 28 2026 | ||||||
| Blue Grass Stakes | 1+1⁄8 miles | $1,000,000 | 1 | Keeneland | Apr 4 2026 | ||||||
| Santa Anita Derby | 1+1⁄8 miles | $750,000 | 1 | Santa Anita | Apr 4 2026 | ||||||
| Wood Memorial | 1+1⁄8 miles | $750,000 | 2 | Aqueduct | Apr 4 2026 | ||||||
| Lexington | 1+1⁄8 miles | $400,000 | 3 | Keeneland | Apr 11 2026 |
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 ten races – In Europe four events run on the turf in late 2025 when the horses are age two, plus two races run on a synthetic surface in early 2026. The last four events are in the Middle East including the Group 2 UAE Derby.
| Race | Distance | Track | Date | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | 5th | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beresford Stakes | 1 mile | The Curragh | Sep 27 2025 | Hawk Mountain | Geryon | Al Haarith | Shaihaan | Port of Spain | [9] |
| Royal Lodge Stakes | 1 mile | Newmarket | Sep 27 2025 | Bow Echo | Humidity | Action | Pacific Avenue | Daytona | [10] |
| Prix Jean-Luc Lagardère | 1,400 metres (about 7 furlongs) | Longchamp | Oct 5 2025 | Puerto Rico | Nighttime | Rayif | Campacite Imperial Me Cen [c] | [11] | |
| Futurity Trophy | 1 mile | Doncaster | Oct 25 2025 | Hawk Mountain | Action | Benvenuto Cellini | Rochfortbridge | Oxagon | [12] |
| UAE 2000 Guineas | 1,600 metres (about 1 mile) | Meydan | Jan 23 2026 | ||||||
| Saudi Derby | 1,600 metres (about 1 mile) | King Abdulaziz Racetrack | Feb 14 2026 | ||||||
| Dubai Road to the Kentucky Derby Stakes | 1,900 metres (about 1+3⁄16 miles) | Meydan | Feb 20 2026 | ||||||
| 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+3⁄16 miles) | Meydan | Mar 28 2026 | ||||||
Note:
ƒ Filly
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.
| Race | Distance | Track | Date | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | 5th | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 Racecourse | Feb 2 2026 | ||||||
| Fukuryu | 1,800 metres (~1+1⁄8 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