Brought to you by AmWager
Churchill Downs Press Release/Edited
LOUISVILLE, Ky.– The $500,000 Virginia Derby at 1 1/8 miles on dirt on Saturday, March 15 during a special four-day spring meet at Colonial Downs has been added to the Road to the Kentucky Derby Championship Series, the series of select races that will determine the preference list for the 151st Kentucky Derby presented by Woodford Reserve (Grade I) on Saturday, May 3, 2025.
The Virginia Derby will be staged seven weeks in advance of the $5 million Kentucky Derby, a spot on the racing calendar that was previously void of any qualifying races. The race will award 105 points to the top five finishers including 50 points to the winner.
The Road to the Kentucky Derby, which debuted in 2013, annually awards a sliding scale of points to the top five finishing positions in select qualifying races. At the conclusion of the series, the leaderboard will determine the preference list for entries into the 20-horse Kentucky Derby – the 1 ¼-mile classic for 3-year-old Thoroughbreds annually held on the first Saturday in May at historic Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky.
At least 20 horses have entered the “Run for the Roses” in 23 of the last 26 years.
The 1 1/16-mile Virginia Oaks will be run on the Virginia Derby undercard and become a qualifier on the 33-race Road to the Kentucky Oaks series, which awards points to 3-year-old fillies to qualify for the 151st Longines Kentucky Oaks (GI) at 1 1/8 miles on Friday, May 2, 2025.
The Road to the Kentucky Derby will begin Saturday, Sept. 14 at the home of America’s greatest race as Churchill Downs stages the 43rd running of the $300,000 Iroquois (Grade III) for 2-year-olds at one mile on opening weekend of its 14-day September Meet.
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 Kentucky Derby has been rebranded as the Euro/Mideast Road to the Kentucky Derby. The April 5 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 Kentucky Derby 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 American Turf 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, including last year’s third-place finisher Forever Young (JPN).
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.
2024-25 ROAD TO THE KENTUCKY DERBY SCHEDULE: 36 RACES
Kentucky Derby Prep Season (20 Races)
| Date | Race | Racetrack | Grade | Purse | Distance | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | 5th |
| Sept. 14, 2024 | Iroquois | Churchill Downs | III | $300,000 | 1 M | 10 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
| Oct. 5, 2024 | Champagne | Aqueduct | I | $500,000 | 1 M | 10 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
| Oct. 5, 2024 | Breeders’ Futurity | Keeneland | I | $600,000 | 1 1/16 M | 10 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
| Oct. 5, 2024 | American Pharoah | Santa Anita | I | $300,000 | 1 1/16 M | 10 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
| Oct. 27, 2024 | Street Sense | Churchill Downs | III | $200,000 | 1 1/16 M | 10 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
| Nov. 1, 2024 | Breeders’ Cup Juvenile | Del Mar | I | $2,000,000 | 1 1/16 M | 30 | 15 | 9 | 6 | 3 |
| Nov. 30, 2024 | Kentucky Jockey Club | Churchill Downs | II | $400,000 | 1 1/16 M | 10 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
| Dec. 7, 2024 | Remsen | Aqueduct | II | $250,000 | 1 1/8 M | 10 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
| Dec. 13, 2024 | Remington Springboard Mile | Remington Park | $300,000 | 1 M | 10 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 1 | |
| *Dec. 14, 2024 | Los Alamitos Futurity | Los Alamitos | II | *$200,000 | 1 1/16 M | 10 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
| Dec. 21, 2024 | Gun Runner | Fair Grounds | $100,000 | 1 1/16 M | 10 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 1 | |
| Jan. 4, 2025 | Smarty Jones | Oaklawn Park | $250,000 | 1 1/16 M | 10 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 1 | |
| *Jan. 4, 2025 | Jerome | Aqueduct | *$150,000 | 1 M | 10 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 1 | |
| Jan. 18, 2025 | Lecomte | Fair Grounds | III | $250,000 | 1 1/16 M | 20 | 10 | 6 | 4 | 2 |
| Jan. 25, 2025 | Southwest | Oaklawn Park | III | $1,000,000 | 1 1/16 M | 20 | 10 | 6 | 4 | 2 |
| Feb. 1, 2025 | Holy Bull | Gulfstream Park | III | $250,000 | 1 1/16 M | 20 | 10 | 6 | 4 | 2 |
| *Feb. 1, 2025 | Robert B. Lewis | Santa Anita | III | *$200,000 | 1 M | 20 | 10 | 6 | 4 | 2 |
| *Feb. 1, 2025 | Withers | Aqueduct | III | *$250,000 | 1 1/8 M | 20 | 10 | 6 | 4 | 2 |
| *Feb. 8, 2025 | Sam F. Davis | Tampa Bay Downs | III | *$250,000 | 1 1/16 M | 20 | 10 | 6 | 4 | 2 |
| Feb. 22, 2025 | John Battaglia Memorial | Turfway Park | *$150,000 | 1 1/16 M (AW) | 20 | 10 | 6 | 4 | 2 |
Kentucky Derby Championship Series (16 Races)
| Feb. 15, 2025 | Risen Star | Fair Grounds | II | $500,000 | 1 1/8 M | 50 | 25 | 15 | 10 | 5 |
| *Feb. 16, 2025 | Sunland Derby | Sunland Park | III | *$400,000 | 1 1/16 M | 20 | 10 | 6 | 4 | 2 |
| Feb. 22, 2025 | Rebel | Oaklawn Park | II | $1,250,000 | 1 1/16 M | 50 | 25 | 15 | 10 | 5 |
| *March 1, 2025 | Gotham | Aqueduct | III | *$300,000 | 1 M | 50 | 25 | 15 | 10 | 5 |
| March 1, 2025 | Fountain of Youth | Gulfstream Park | II | $400,000 | 1 1/16 M | 50 | 25 | 15 | 10 | 5 |
| *March 2, 2025 | San Felipe | Santa Anita | II | *$400,000 | 1 1/16 M | 50 | 25 | 15 | 10 | 5 |
| March 8, 2025 | Tampa Bay Derby | Tampa Bay Downs | III | $400,000 | 1 1/16 M | 50 | 25 | 15 | 10 | 5 |
| March 15, 2025 | Virginia Derby | Colonial Downs | $500,000 | 1 1/8 M | 50 | 25 | 15 | 10 | 5 | |
| March 22, 2025 | Jeff Ruby Steaks | Turfway Park | III | *$700,000 | 1 1/8 M (AW) | 100 | 50 | 25 | 15 | 10 |
| March 22, 2025 | Louisiana Derby | Fair Grounds | II | $1,000,000 | 1 3/16 M | 100 | 50 | 25 | 15 | 10 |
| March 29, 2025 | Florida Derby | Gulfstream Park | I | $1,000,000 | 1 1/8 M | 100 | 50 | 25 | 15 | 10 |
| March 29, 2025 | Arkansas Derby | Oaklawn Park | I | $1,500,000 | 1 1/8 M | 100 | 50 | 25 | 15 | 10 |
| *April 5, 2025 | Wood Memorial | Aqueduct | II | *$750,000 | 1 1/8 M | 100 | 50 | 25 | 15 | 10 |
| *April 5, 2025 | Blue Grass | Keeneland | I | *$1,000,000 | 1 1/8 M | 100 | 50 | 25 | 15 | 10 |
| *April 5, 2025 | Santa Anita Derby | Santa Anita | I | *$750,000 | 1 1/8 M | 100 | 50 | 25 | 15 | 10 |
| *April 12, 2025 | Lexington | Keeneland | III | *$400,000 | 1 1/16 M | 20 | 10 | 6 | 4 | 2 |
* = Race dates and distances to be announced by host track; date based on recent historical placement. … Schedule subject to change. … (AW) = Synthetic.
EURO/MIDEAST ROAD TO THE KENTUCKY DERBY – First staged in 2018, the “European Road to the Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve” is a stand-alone series that is separate from America’s “Road to the Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve” series. For the 2025 Kentucky Derby, the series has been rebranded as the “Euro/Mideast Road to the Kentucky Derby presented by Woodford Reserve” with the UAE Derby moved out of America’s Road to the Kentucky Derby and added to this newly rebranded series. Two invitations to compete in the Kentucky Derby will be extended with preference given to the horses with the most points in the “Euro/Mideast Road to the Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve” series. No invitation will be extended beyond the Top 4 point earners but if a horse also qualifies through America’s “Road to the Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve” series, the invite will be extended to the next eligible horse. If two or more horses have the same number of points, the tiebreakers are earnings in non-restricted stakes races through April 12, 2025 followed by lifetime earnings through April 12, 2025. In the case of remaining ties, the additional starter(s) and/or also-eligible horses shall be determined by lot (aka a “shake”). Since 1967, there have been 55 horses who previously raced outside North America and ran in the Kentucky Derby. Venezuela’s Canonero II won the 1971 Derby and Puerto Rico’s Bold Forbes won the Derby in 1976. Bold Arrangement (GB), who was campaigned in Great Britain and France, finished second to Ferdinand in the 1986 renewal.
2024-25 EURO/MIDEAST ROAD TO THE KENTUCKY DERBY SCHEDULE: 7 RACES
| Date | Race | Racetrack | Grade | Purse | Distance | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | 5th |
| Sept. 28, 2024 | Juddmonte Royal Lodge | Newmarket (GB) | II | *$150,055 | 1 M (T) | 10 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
| Sept. 28, 2024 | Montane DevelopmentsBeresford | Curragh (IRE) | II | *$120,103 | 1 M (T) | 10 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
| Oct. 6, 2024 | Qatar Prix Jean-LucLagardère | Longchamp (FR) | I | *$423,206 | 7 F (T) | 10 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
| Oct. 26, 2024 | Futurity Trophy | Doncaster (GB) | I | *$256,985 | 1 M (T) | 10 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
| *Feb. 26, 2025 | Road to the KentuckyDerby Condition Stakes | Kempton (GB) | *$73,360 | 1 M (AW) | 20 | 10 | 6 | 4 | 2 | |
| Feb. 28, 2025 | Patton | Dundalk (IRE) | *$37,602 | 1 M (AW) | 20 | 10 | 6 | 4 | 2 | |
| April 5, 2025 | UAE Derby | Meydan Racecourse | II | *$1,000,000 | 1 3/16 M | 100 | 50 | 25 | 15 | 10 |
* = Race dates and distances to be announced by host track; date based on recent historical placement. … Schedule subject to change. … (T) = Turf … (AW) = Synthetic.
JAPAN ROAD TO THE KENTUCKY DERBY – First staged in 2017, the “Japan Road to the Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve” is a stand-alone series that is separate from America’s “Road to the Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve” series. Only one invitation to compete in the Kentucky Derby will be extended with preference given to the horses with the most points in the “Japan Road to the Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve” series. If a horse also qualifies through America’s “Road to the Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve” series, an additional invite could be extended. If two or more horses have the same number of points, the tiebreaker is lifetime earnings through April 12, 2025. In the case of remaining ties, the additional starter(s) and/or also-eligible horses shall be determined by lot (aka a “shake”). Eight horses based in Japan have run in the Kentucky Derby: Ski Captain (14th, 1995); Lani (9th, 2016); Master Fencer (JPN) (6th, 2019); Crown Pride (JPN) (13th in 2022); Derma Sotogake (JPN) (6th in 2023); Mandarin Hero (JPN) (12th in 2023); Forever Young (JPN) (3rd in 2024); and T O Password (JPN) (5th in 2024).
2024-25 JAPAN ROAD TO THE KENTUCKY DERBY SCHEDULE: 4 RACES
| Date | Race | Racetrack | Grade | Purse | Distance | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | 5th |
| Nov. 23, 2024 | Cattleya | Tokyo (JRA) | *$206,827 | 1 M | 10 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 1 | |
| Dec. 11, 2024 | Zen-NipponNisai Yushun | Kawasaki (NAR) | *$490,827 | 1 M | 20 | 10 | 6 | 4 | 2 | |
| *Feb. 16, 2025 | Hyacinth | Tokyo (JRA) | *$243,354 | 1 M | 30 | 15 | 9 | 6 | 3 | |
| *March 22, 2025 | Fukuryu | Nakayama (JRA) | *$228,138 | 1 1/8 M | 40 | 20 | 12 | 8 | 4 |
* = Race dates and distances to be announced by host track; date based on recent historical placement. … Schedule subject to change.
HOW TO GET INTO THE KENTUCKY OAKS STARTING GATE – The Road to the Kentucky Oaks is a series that awards points to the Top 5 finishers in each race. The Top 14 point earners nominated to the Longines Kentucky Oaks will earn a spot in the starting gate for the 151st running of the Longines Kentucky Oaks (Grade I), which is scheduled for Friday, May 2, 2025. The 1 1/8-mile Oaks is the nation’s premier race for 3-year-old fillies. At least 14 horses have entered the race in nine of the last 10 years (a rescheduled September 2020 is the lone exception).
2024-25 ROAD TO THE KENTUCKY OAKS SCHEDULE: 33 RACES
Kentucky Oaks Prep Season (18 Races)
| Date | Race | Racetrack | Grade | Purse | Distance | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | 5th |
| Sept. 14, 2024 | Pocahontas | Churchill Downs | III | $300,000 | 1 M | 10 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
| Oct. 4, 2024 | Alcibiades | Keeneland | I | $600,000 | 1 1/16 M | 10 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
| Oct. 5, 2024 | Frizette | Aqueduct | I | $400,000 | 1 M | 10 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
| Oct. 5, 2024 | Oak Leaf (formerly Chandelier) | Santa Anita | II | $200,000 | 1 1/16 M | 10 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
| Oct. 27, 2024 | Rags to Riches | Churchill Downs | $200,000 | 1 1/16 M | 10 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 1 | |
| Nov. 1, 2024 | Breeders’ Cup Juv. Fillies | Del Mar | I | $2,000,000 | 1 1/16 M | 30 | 15 | 9 | 6 | 3 |
| Nov. 30, 2024 | Golden Rod | Churchill Downs | II | $400,000 | 1 1/16 M | 10 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
| Dec. 7, 2024 | Demoiselle | Aqueduct | II | $250,000 | 1 1/8 M | 10 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
| *Dec. 7, 2024 | Starlet | Los Alamitos | II | *$300,000 | 1 1/16 M | 10 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
| Dec. 21, 2024 | Untapable | Fair Grounds | $100,000 | 1 M 70 Y | 10 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 1 | |
| *Jan. 5, 2025 | Santa Ynez | Santa Anita | III | *$100,000 | 7 F | 10 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
| *Jan. 11, 2025 | Busanda | Aqueduct | *$100,000 | 1 1/8 M | 20 | 10 | 6 | 4 | 2 | |
| Jan. 18, 2025 | Silverbulletday | Fair Grounds | II | $150,000 | 1 M 70 Y | 20 | 10 | 6 | 4 | 2 |
| Jan. 25, 2025 | Martha Washington | Oaklawn Park | $300,000 | 1 1/16 M | 20 | 10 | 6 | 4 | 2 | |
| Feb. 1, 2025 | Forward Gal | Gulfstream Park | III | $150,000 | 7 F | 20 | 10 | 6 | 4 | 2 |
| *Feb. 8, 2025 | Suncoast | Tampa Bay Downs | *$150,000 | 1 M 40 Y | 20 | 10 | 6 | 4 | 2 | |
| *Feb. 8, 2025 | Las Virgenes | Santa Anita | III | *$100,000 | 1 M | 20 | 10 | 6 | 4 | 2 |
| Feb. 21, 2025 | Cincinnati Trophy | Turfway Park | *$150,000 | 1 M (AW) | 20 | 10 | 6 | 4 | 2 |
Kentucky Oaks Championship Series (15 Races)
| Feb. 15, 2025 | Rachel Alexandra | Fair Grounds | II | $300,000 | 1 1/16 M | 50 | 25 | 15 | 10 | 5 |
| *Feb. 16, 2025 | Sunland Park Oaks | Sunland Park | *$250,000 | 1 1/16 M | 20 | 10 | 6 | 4 | 2 | |
| Feb. 21, 2025 | UAE Oaks | Meydan Racecourse | III | *$150,000 | 1 3/16 M | 50 | 25 | 15 | 10 | 5 |
| Feb. 22, 2025 | Honeybee | Oaklawn Park | III | $500,000 | 1 1/16 M | 50 | 25 | 15 | 10 | 5 |
| March 1, 2025 | Davona Dale | Gulfstream Park | II | $200,000 | 1 M | 50 | 25 | 15 | 10 | 5 |
| *March 1, 2025 | Busher | Aqueduct | *$200,000 | 1 M | 50 | 25 | 15 | 10 | 5 | |
| *March 2, 2025 | Santa Ysabel | Santa Anita | III | *$100,000 | 1 1/16 M | 50 | 25 | 15 | 10 | 5 |
| March 15, 2025 | Virginia Oaks | Colonial Downs | *250,000 | 1 1/16 M | 50 | 25 | 15 | 10 | 5 | |
| March 22, 2025 | Fair Grounds Oaks | Fair Grounds | II | $400,000 | 1 1/16 M | 100 | 50 | 25 | 15 | 10 |
| March 22, 2025 | Bourbonette Oaks | Turfway Park | *$300,000 | 1 1/16 M (AW) | 50 | 25 | 15 | 10 | 5 | |
| March 29, 2025 | Gulfstream Park Oaks | Gulfstream Park | II | $250,000 | 1 1/16 M | 100 | 50 | 25 | 15 | 10 |
| March 29, 2025 | Fantasy | Oaklawn Park | II | $750,000 | 1 1/16 M | 100 | 50 | 25 | 15 | 10 |
| *April 4, 2025 | Ashland | Keeneland | I | *$600,000 | 1 1/16 M | 100 | 50 | 25 | 15 | 10 |
| *April 5, 2025 | Gazelle | Aqueduct | III | *$200,000 | 1 1/8 M | 100 | 50 | 25 | 15 | 10 |
| *April 5, 2025 | Santa Anita Oaks | Santa Anita | II | *$300,000 | 1 1/16 M | 100 | 50 | 25 | 15 | 10 |
* = Race dates and distances to be announced by host track; date based on recent historical placement. … Schedule subject to change. … (AW) = Synthetic.
