2024-25 ROAD TO THE KENTUCKY DERBY SCHEDULE ANNOUNCED

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 151^st 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 151^st 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 43^rd 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.

ABOUT CHURCHILL DOWNS RACETRACK

Churchill Downs Racetrack (“CDRT”), the world’s most legendary racetrack, has been the home of The Kentucky Derby, the longest continually held annual sporting event in the United States, since 1875. Located in Louisville, CDRT features a series of themed race days during Derby Week, including the Kentucky Oaks, and conducts Thoroughbred horse racing during three race meets in the Spring, September, and the Fall. CDRT is located on 175 acres and has a one-mile dirt track, a 7/8-mile turf track, a stabling area, and provides seating for approximately 60,000 guests. The stable area has barns sufficient to accommodate 1,400 horses and a 114-room dormitory for backstretch personnel. CDRT also has a year-round simulcast wagering facility and Race & Sports Book. www.ChurchillDowns.com.

HOW TO GET INTO THE KENTUCKY DERBY STARTING GATE – The Road to the Kentucky Derby presented by Woodford Reserve is a series of races that awards points to the Top 5 finishers in each race. The top 18 point earners will earn a spot in the starting gate for the 151^st  running of the Kentucky Derby presented by Woodford Reserve (Grade I), which is scheduled for Saturday, May 3, 2025. One invitation will be extended to the top point earners in the Euro/Mideast Road to the Kentucky presented by Woodford Reserve and one invitation will be extended to the top point earners in the Japan Road to the Kentucky Derby presented by Woodford Reserve. The Kentucky Derby field has been limited to 20 starters since 1975. At least 20 horses have entered the 1 ¼-mile race for 3-year-olds in 23 of the last 26 years.

2024-25 ROAD TO THE KENTUCKY DERBY SCHEDULE: 36 RACES

Kentucky Derby Prep Season (20 Races)

Kentucky Derby Championship Series (16 Races)

* = 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

* = 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 (14^th, 1995); Lani (9^th, 2016); Master Fencer (JPN) (6^th, 2019); Crown Pride (JPN) (13^th in 2022); Derma Sotogake (JPN) (6^th in 2023); Mandarin Hero (JPN) (12^th in 2023); Forever Young (JPN) (3^rd in 2024); and T O Password (JPN) (5^th in 2024).

2024-25 JAPAN ROAD TO THE KENTUCKY DERBY SCHEDULE: 4 RACES

* = 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 151^st 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)

Kentucky Oaks Championship Series (15 Races)

* = Race dates and distances to be announced by host track; date based on recent historical placement. … Schedule subject to change. … (AW) = Synthetic.

RTKD AND RTKO RULES

TIEBREAKERS –

• America’s Road to the Kentucky Derby and Road to the Kentucky Oaks: If two or more horses have the same number of points, the tiebreaker is earnings in non-restricted stakes races. In the case of remaining ties, the additional starter(s) and/or also-eligible horses shall be determined by lifetime earnings. In the case of remaining ties, the additional starter(s) and/or also-eligible horses shall be determined by lot (aka a “shake”).
• Euro/Mideast Road to the Kentucky Derby: If two or more horses have the same number of points, the tiebreaker is earnings in non-restricted stakes races through April 12, 2025. In the case of remaining ties, the additional starter(s) and/or also-eligible horses shall be determined 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”).
• Japan Road to the Kentucky Derby: 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”).

FILLIES – If a filly wants to run in the Kentucky Derby she can, but she’ll have to earn her way into the field by accumulating points against open company just like the rest of the colts and geldings. Additionally, any points earned by a filly in the “Road to the Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve” series against open company will be credited to her point total in the “Road to the Kentucky Oaks” series. If a filly garners an invitation to the Kentucky Derby via the “Euro/Mideast Road to the Kentucky” or “Japan Road to the Kentucky,” ownership may opt to instead use that invitation to the Kentucky Oaks.

FIELD SIZE – In the event a Championship Series) race is run with a five-horse field, only 75% of the points will be proportionally awarded. In the event a (Championship Series) race is run with a four-horse field or less, only 50% of the points will be proportionally awarded.

DEAD-HEATS – In the event of a dead-heat (tie) those horses will divide equally the points they would have received jointly had one beaten the other.

SPLIT DIVISIONS – In the event a race is split into divisions and each division awards its originally published purse money, points will be awarded as scheduled for each division. If the originally published purse is reduced for each division, points will be reduced proportionally as well.

LASIX – Points will only be awarded to horses who compete on race day without Furosemide (often referred to by the brand name, Lasix) in Road to the Kentucky Derby and Road to the Kentucky Oaks races. Any points earned by horses with Lasix on race day will be vacated. The 2021 Kentucky Derby and Kentucky Oaks marked the first year those races were run without the permitted use of Lasix.

MEDICATION VIOLATIONS – If the connections of a horse have been notified by a regulatory body about a medication violation from participation in a Road to the Kentucky Derby or Road to the Kentucky Oaks race, and that violation would result in disqualification, any accrued points from the race will be revoked until the matter reaches a legal conclusion. Accrued points will be reinstated if the matter is legally overturned prior to the running of the Kentucky Derby or Kentucky Oaks.

DERBY/OAKS TRAINER SUSPENSION – Points from any race in the Road to the Kentucky Derby or Kentucky Oaks will not be awarded to any horse trained by any individual who is suspended from racing in the 2025 Kentucky Derby or 2025 Kentucky Oaks or any trainer directly or indirectly employed, supervised, or advised by a suspended trainer. Should a horse trained by a suspended trainer, or any trainer directly or indirectly employed, supervised, or advised by a suspended trainer, finish in a position that would have earned points in a Road to the Kentucky Derby or Kentucky Oaks race, the points associated with that finish position will be vacated.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

ROAD TO THE KENTUCKY DERBY LEADERBOARD HISTORY – FINAL

2024 FINAL LEADERBOARD – 1. Sierra Leone (155), 2. Fierceness (136), 3. Catching Freedom (125, $802,000), 4. Stronghold (125, $742,800), 5. Resilience (110), 6. Forever Young (JPN) (100, $1,769,919), 7. Endlessly (100, $658,000), 8. Dornoch (75, $472,375), 9. Just a Touch (75, $247,500), 10. Track Phantom (70), 11. West Saratoga (67), 12. Just Steel (65, $628,295), 13. Honor Marie (65, $448,455), 14. Domestic Product (60), 15. Catalytic (50, $186,000), 16. Society Man (50, $141,875), 17. Mystik Dan (46), 18. Encino (40, $323,136), 19. Grand Mo the First (40, $164,250), 20. T O Password (JPN) (Japan Road to the Kentucky Derby Invite), AE 21. Epic Ride (35), and AE 22. Mugatu (14).