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2023 Road to the Kentucky Derby

Thoroughbred horse racing series From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

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The 2023 Road to the Kentucky Derby is a series of races through which horses qualified for the 2023 Kentucky Derby, which was held on May 6. 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 (plus one in Dubai), the Japan Road consisting of four races in Japan, and the European road consisting of seven races in England, Ireland 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 2023, the main Road to the Kentucky Derby resembled the 2022 Road to the Kentucky Derby, consisting of 37 races, one more event than in 2021, with 21 races for the Kentucky Derby Prep Season and 16 races for the Kentucky Derby Championship Season with the following changes:[a]

  • Points were now awarded to the top-five finishing positions in qualifying races, and the significance of the G1 Breeders' Cup Juvenile and select races traditionally run in late January have been increased. Prep season races now awarded points on a sliding scale of 10-4-3-2-1.
  • Points awarded in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile were increased from 20-8-4-2 to 30-12-9-6-3 in order to differentiate what has historically been a high-quality grade 1 race from others during the prep season.
  • Select prep season races that traditionally serve as steppingstones to the Kentucky Derby Championship Series have been elevated from 10-4-2-1 to 20-8-6-4-2. These include G3 Lecomte Stakes, G3 Southwest Stakes, G3 Withers Stakes, G3 Holy Bull Stakes, G3 Robert B. Lewis Stakes, G3 Sam F. Davis Stakes and the Listed John Battaglia Memorial Stakes.[2]
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Standings

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The following table shows the points earned in the eligible races for the main series.[3]

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Legend:

  Qualified for the Derby
  Injured/Bypassing/Inactive/Not nominated

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Prep season

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Initial prep events

Note: 1st=10 points; 2nd=4 points; 3rd=3 points; 4th=2 points; 5th=1 point (except the Breeders' Cup Juvenile: 1st=30 points; 2nd=12 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 2021/2022. Similarly, the purses shown below are based on the amounts from the previous year and will be updated when finalized.

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Select prep events

Note: 1st=20 points; 2nd=8 points; 3rd=6 points; 4th=4 points; 5th=2 points

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Championship series events

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First leg of series

Note: 1st=50 points; 2nd=20 points; 3rd=15 points; 4th=10 points; 5th=5 points

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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=40 points; 3rd=30 points; 4th=20 points; 5th=10 points

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"Wild Card" events

Note: 1st=20 points; 2nd=8 points; 3rd=6 points; 4th=4 points; 5th=2 points

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Japan Road to the Kentucky Derby

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

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Note:
Cattleya Sho: 1st=10 points; 2nd=4 points; 3rd=3 points; 4th=2 points; 5th=1 point
Zen-Nippon Nisai Yushun: 1st=20 points; 2nd=8 points; 3rd=6 points; 4th=4 points; 5th=2 points
Hyacinth: 1st=30 points; 2nd=12 points; 3rd=9 points; 4th=6 points; 5th=3 points
Fukuyru : 1st=40 points; 2nd=16 points; 3rd=12 points; 4th=8 points; 5th=4 points
ƒ Filly

Qualification Table

The top four horses (colored brown within the standings) are eligible to participate in the Kentucky Derby provided the horse is nominated.

More information Rank, Horse ...

Notes:

  • brown highlight – qualified
  • grey highlight – did not qualify
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European Road to the Kentucky Derby

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

The series consisted of seven races – four run on the turf in late 2022 when the horses are age two, plus three races run on a synthetic surface in early 2023.

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Note:

  • the four races in 2022 for two-year-olds: 1st=10 points; 2nd=4 points; 3rd=3 points; 4th=2 points; 5th=1 point
  • the first two races in 2023: 1st=20 points; 2nd=8 points; 3rd=6 points; 4th=4 points; 5th=2 points
  • The Cardinal Condition Stakes: 1st=30 points; 2nd=12 points; 3rd=9 points; 4th=6 points 5th=3 points
Qualification Table

The top four horses (colored brown within the standings) were eligible to participate in the Kentucky Derby provided the horse was nominated.

More information Rank, Horse ...

Notes:

  • brown highlight – qualified
  • grey highlight – did not qualify
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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.
  3. Derby favorite Forte was scratched on the day of the event after the regulatory veterinarian had concerns relating to a mending foot bruise in his right front leg[4]
  4. Practical Move was drawn into the event but showed an elevated temperature on Thursday, May 4th and trainer Tim Yakteen indicated that he plans to scratch the entry[6]
  5. Lord Miles was scratched by order of the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission, which announced that all horses trained by Saffie Joseph Jr. would be scratched until further notice after two of them collapsed and died following races run at Churchill on April 29 and May 2. The scratch of Lord Miles allowed Japanese horse Mandarin Hero to draw in to the race.[11]
  6. Originally Wild On Ice was not nominated for the Triple Crown events, but after his victory in the Sunland Derby connections paid the late nomination fee and hence, he is eligible for the Kentucky Derby.[21]
  7. On the day before the Derby, John Shirreffs scratched Skinner after that horse developed a temperature.[26]
  8. Continuar was scratched by trainer Yoshito Yahagi who regarded that the horse did not reach peak fitness for the race[28]
  9. Originally, Continuar (JPN) qualified and was drawn into the starting field after accepting an invitation to compete in the Kentucky Derby for accruing 40 points in the Japan Road to the Kentucky Derby series.[3]
  10. Cyclone Mischief was drawn as an also eligible into the event, but with the scratching of Practical Move he was moved into the starting field.[6]
  11. Mandarin Hero (JPN) was drawn as an also eligible into the event, but with the scratching of Lord Miles he was moved into the starting field.[11]
  12. Connections of Major Dude did not enter the horse for the event, instead they entered him in the G2 American Turf Stakes on the same racecard as the Kentucky Derby[30]
  13. Originally King Russell was not nominated for the Triple Crown events, but connections paid the late nomination fee and hence, he is eligible for the Kentucky Derby[32] King Russell was drawn as an also eligible into the event, but with the scratching of Continuar (JPN) he was moved into the starting field.[28]
  14. In 2022 the Champagne Stakes was moved to Aqueduct due to track construction at Belmont Park[65]
  15. Horse trained by an individual suspended from the 2022 Kentucky Derby does not receive any qualification points. Cave Rock, National Treasure, Hejazi, Gandolfini and Newgate are trained by Bob Baffert who is suspended by Churchill Downs Inc. through 2023.[66]
  16. Horse trained by an individual suspended from the 2022 Kentucky Derby does not receive any qualification points. Carmel Road, Fort Bragg and Arabian Lion are trained by Bob Baffert who is suspended by Churchill Downs Inc. through 2023.[68]
  17. Horses that ran with medication (Lasix) do not receive any points towards qualification. Wildatlanticstorm and Giant Mischief received no points from the Springboard Mile.[69]
  18. Horse trained by an individual suspended from the 2022 Kentucky Derby does not receive any qualification points. Reincarnate, Newgate and National Treasure are trained by Bob Baffert who is suspended by Churchill Downs Inc. through 2023.
  19. Spun Intended the fifth starter in the Sham Stakes was pulled up during the event and was vanned off not completing the race
  20. Horse trained by an individual suspended from the 2022 Kentucky Derby does not receive any qualification points. Gilmore and Nullarbor are trained by Bob Baffert who is suspended by Churchill Downs Inc. through 2023.
  21. Horse trained by an individual suspended from the 2022 Kentucky Derby does not receive any qualification points. Arabian Knight is trained by Bob Baffert who is suspended by Churchill Downs Inc. through 2023.[70]
  22. All the entries in the Robert B. Lewis Stakes were trained by Bob Baffert who is suspended by Churchill Downs Inc. through 2023. Hence, none of the finishers earned any qualification points.[71]
  23. Originally the Withers Stakes was scheduled for February 4, 2023 but NYRA canceled the meeting due to high winds and frigid temperatures forecast to impact the New York metropolitan area[73]
  24. Continuar (JPN) has accepted an invitation to compete in the Kentucky Derby accruing 40 points in the Japan Road to the Kentucky Derby series.[3]
  25. There were only four starters in the Royal Lodge Stakes
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References

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