Churchill Downs News Release: Road to the Kentucky Derby Schedule Announced

Sep 10, 2026

The official Road to the Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve will begin Saturday at the home of America’s greatest race as Churchill Downs stages the 45th running of the $300,000 Iroquois (Grade III) for 2-year-olds at one mile on opening weekend of its 14-day September Meet.

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.

The 153rd running of the $5 million Kentucky Derby presented by Woodford Reserve (GI) is scheduled for Saturday, May 1, 2027.

Up to three spots in the starting gate may be reserved for international participants. In addition to the primary 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 Emirates. The stand-alone Euro/Mideast Road to the Kentucky Derby series, which concludes with the UAE Derby (GII), can produce up to two invitations to the top point-earners, while the Japan Road to the Kentucky Derby can yield one runner.

The schedule for the Euro/Mideast Road to the Kentucky Derby is being finalized and will be released in the coming weeks.

At least 20 horses have entered the “Run for the Roses” in 25 of the last 28 years.

The Road to the Kentucky Oaks series, which awards points to fillies to qualify for the 153rd running of the $1.5 million Longines Kentucky Oaks (GI) at 1 1/8 miles on Friday, April 30, 2027, also will begin at Churchill Downs on Saturday with the $300,000 Pocahontas (GII) at one mile.

Road to the Kentucky Derby Races by Racetrack (With Top 5 Points)

Belmont Park (Elmont, NY)

Champagne (10-5-3-2-1)
Remsen (10-5-3-2-1)
Withers (20-10-6-4-2)
Gotham (50-25-15-10-5)*
Wood Memorial (100-50-25-15-10)*

Churchill Downs (Louisville, Ky.)

Iroquois (10-5-3-2-1)
Street Sense (10-5-3-2-1)
Kentucky Jockey Club (10-5-3-2-1)

Colonial Downs (New Kent, Va.)

Virginia Derby (50-25-15-10-5)*

Fair Grounds (New Orleans, La.)

Gun Runner (10-5-3-2-1)
Lecomte (20-10-6-4-2)
Risen Star (50-25-15-10-5)*
Louisiana Derby (100-50-25-15-10)*

Gulfstream Park (Hallandale Beach, Fla.)

Holy Bull (20-10-6-4-2)
Fountain of Youth (50-25-15-10-5)*
Florida Derby (100-50-25-15-10)*

Keeneland (Lexington, Ky.)

Breeders’ Futurity (10-5-3-2-1)
Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (30-15-9-6-3)
Blue Grass (100-50-25-15-10)*
Lexington (20-10-6-4-2)*

Los Alamitos (Cypress, Calif.)

Los Alamitos Futurity (10-5-3-2-1)

Oaklawn Park (Hot Springs, Ark.)

Smarty Jones (10-5-3-2-1)
Southwest (20-10-6-4-2)
Rebel (50-25-15-10-5)*
Arkansas Derby (100-50-25-15-10)*

Remington Park (Oklahoma City, Okla.)

Remington Springboard Mile (10-5-3-2-1)

Santa Anita (Arcadia, Calif.)

American Pharoah (10-5-3-2-1)
Robert B. Lewis (20-10-6-4-2)
San Felipe (50-25-15-10-5)*
Santa Anita Derby (100-50-25-15-10)*

Sunland Park (Sunland Park, NM)

Sunland Park Derby (20-10-6-4-2)

Tampa Bay Downs (Tampa, Fla.)

Sam F. Davis (20-10-6-4-2)
Tampa Bay Derby (50-25-15-10-5)*

Turfway Park

Leonatus (10-5-3-2-1)
John Battaglia Memorial (20-10-6-4-2)
Jeff Ruby Steaks (100-50-25-15-10)*
Japan Road to the Kentucky Derby Races by Racetrack (With Top 5 Points)

Kawasaki (NAR) (Kanagawa, Japan)

Zen-Nippon Nisai Yushun (20-10-6-4-2)

Nakayama (JRA) (Chiba, Japan)

Fukuryu (40-20-12-8-4)

Tokyo (JRA) (Tokyo, Japan)

Cattleya (10-5-3-2-1)
Hyacinth (30-15-9-6-3)

Road to the Kentucky Oaks Races by Racetrack (With Top 5 Points)

Belmont Park (Elmont, NY)

Frizette (10-5-3-2-1)
Demoiselle (10-5-3-2-1)
Busanda (20-10-6-4-2)
Busher (50-25-15-10-5)*
Gazelle (100-50-25-15-10)*

Churchill Downs (Louisville, Ky.)

Pocahontas (10-5-3-2-1)
Rags to Riches (10-5-3-2-1)
Golden Rod (10-5-3-2-1)

Colonial Downs (New Kent, Va.)

Virginia Oaks (50-25-15-10-5)*

Fair Grounds (New Orleans, La.)

Untapable (10-5-3-2-1)
Silverbulletday (20-10-6-4-2)
Rachel Alexandra (50-25-15-10-5)*
Fair Grounds Oaks (100-50-25-15-10)*

Gulfstream Park (Hallandale, Fla.)

Forward Gal (20-10-6-4-2)
Davona Dale (50-25-15-10-5)*
Gulfstream Park Oaks (100-50-25-15-10)*

Keeneland (Lexington, Ky.)

Alcibiades (10-5-3-2-1)
Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (30-15-9-6-3)
Ashland (100-50-25-15-10)*

Los Alamitos (Cypress, Calif.)

Starlet (10-5-3-2-1)

Meydan Racecourse (Dubai, United Arab Emirates)

UAE Oaks (50-25-15-10-5)*

Oaklawn Park (Hot Springs, Ark.)

Martha Washington (20-10-6-4-2)
Honeybee (50-25-15-10-5)*
Fantasy (100-50-25-15-10)*

Santa Anita (Arcadia, Calif.)

Oak Leaf (10-5-3-2-1)
Santa Ynez (10-5-3-2-1)
Las Virgenes (20-10-6-4-2)
Santa Ysabel (50-25-15-10-5)*
Santa Anita Oaks (100-50-25-15-10)*

Sunland Park (Sunland Park, NM)

Sunland Park Oaks (20-10-6-4-2)

Tampa Bay Downs (Tampa, Fla.)

Suncoast (20-10-6-4-2)

Turfway Park (Florence, Ky.)

Cincinnati Trophy (20-10-6-4-2)
Bourbonette Oaks (50-25-15-10-5)*

* Denotes Championship Series Race