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The Road to the Kentucky Derby begins months before the first Saturday in May. Follow the complete Kentucky Derby prep race schedule below, including race dates, tracks, and the number of qualifying points awarded to each winner.
| Date | Race | Track | Pts (1st) |
|---|---|---|---|
| September 2026 | |||
| 9/12/26 | Iroquois Stakes | Churchill Downs | 10 |
| 9/25/26 | 🇬🇧 The Royal Lodge Stakes | Newmarket | 10 |
| 9/26/26 | 🇮🇪 Churchill Tyres Beresford Stakes | Curragh | 10 |
| October 2026 | |||
| 10/3/26 | American Pharoah | Santa Anita | 10 |
| 10/3/26 | Champagne Stakes | Belmont Park | 10 |
| 10/3/26 | Claiborne Breeders’ Futurity | Keeneland | 10 |
| 10/4/26 | 🇫🇷 Qatar Prix Jean-Luc Lagardère | ParisLongchamp | 10 |
| 10/24/26 | 🇬🇧 William Hill Futurity Trophy Stakes | Doncaster | 10 |
| 10/25/26 | Street Sense Stakes | Churchill Downs | 10 |
| 10/30/26 | Breeders’ Cup Juvenile | Keeneland | 30 |
| November 2026 | |||
| 11/28/26 | Kentucky Jockey Club | Churchill Downs | 10 |
| 11/29/26 | 🇯🇵 Cattleya Stakes | Tokyo | 10 |
| December 2026 | |||
| 12/5/26 | Remsen Stakes | Aqueduct | 10 |
| 12/12/26 | Los Alamitos Futurity | Los Alamitos | 10 |
| 12/16/26 | 🇯🇵 Zen-Nippon Nisai Yushun | Kawasaki | 20 |
| 12/19/26 | Gun Runner Stakes | Fair Grounds | 10 |
| 12/19/26 | Remington Springboard Mile | Remington | 10 |
| January 2027 | |||
| 1/2/27 | Jerome Stakes | Aqueduct | 10 |
| 1/2/27 | Smarty Jones Stakes | Oaklawn | 10 |
| 1/16/27 | Lecomte Stakes | Fair Grounds | 20 |
| 1/22/27 | 🇦🇪 UAE 2000 Guineas | Meydan | 20 |
| 1/30/27 | Holy Bull Stakes | Gulfstream | 20 |
| 1/30/27 | Withers Stakes | Aqueduct | 20 |
| 1/30/27 | Robert B. Lewis Stakes | Santa Anita | 20 |
| February 2027 | |||
| 2/6/27 | Sam F. Davis Stakes | Tampa Bay | 20 |
| 2/6/27 | Southwest Stakes | Oaklawn | 20 |
| 2/6/27 | 🇸🇦 Saudi Derby | King Abdulaziz | 30 |
| 2/13/27 | Risen Star Stakes | Fair Grounds | 50 |
| 2/14/27 | Sunland Derby | Sunland | 20 |
| 2/19/27 | 🇦🇪 Dubai Road to the Kentucky Derby Stakes | Meydan | 20 |
| 2/21/27 | 🇯🇵 Hyacinth Stakes | Tokyo | 30 |
| 2/24/27 | 🇬🇧 Road to the Kentucky Derby Condition Stakes | Kempton | 20 |
| 2/26/27 | 🇮🇪 Patton Stakes | Dundalk | 20 |
| 2/27/27 | John Battaglia Memorial | Turfway | 20 |
| 2/27/27 | Gotham Stakes | Aqueduct | 50 |
| 2/27/27 | Fountain of Youth Stakes | Gulfstream | 50 |
| 2/27/27 | San Felipe Stakes | Santa Anita | 50 |
| March 2027 | |||
| 3/6/27 | Tampa Bay Derby | Tampa Bay | 50 |
| 3/13/27 | Rebel Stakes | Oaklawn | 50 |
| 3/13/27 | Virginia Derby | Colonial Downs | 50 |
| 3/20/27 | Jeff Ruby Steaks | Turfway | 100 |
| 3/20/27 | Louisiana Derby | Fair Grounds | 100 |
| 3/25/27 | 🇯🇵 Fukuryu Stakes | Nakayama | 40 |
| 3/27/27 | Florida Derby | Gulfstream | 100 |
| 3/27/27 | 🇦🇪 UAE Derby | Meydan | 100 |
| April 2027 | |||
| 4/3/27 | Wood Memorial | Aqueduct | 100 |
| 4/3/27 | Blue Grass | Keeneland | 100 |
| 4/3/27 | Santa Anita Derby | Santa Anita | 100 |
| 4/10/27 | Arkansas Derby | Oaklawn | 100 |
| 4/11/27 | Lexington Stakes | Keeneland | 20 |
Last Updated on 09/08/2026
The Kentucky Derby Prep Races, officially known as the Road to the Kentucky Derby, are a series of qualifying races that determine which horses earn a place in the starting gate for the Kentucky Derby.
The series begins during the 2-year-old season and continues through the spring of the horses' 3-year-old campaign. Horses earn qualifying points based on where they finish, with the most important races later in the season awarding significantly more points.
The goal is simple: accumulate enough points to qualify for the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs.
Kentucky Derby qualifying points are awarded to the top five eligible finishers in each designated prep race. Early-season races generally offer fewer points, while the major Championship Series races in February, March, and April carry much greater weight.
A horse may begin the Road earning 10 points for a victory in an early prep before competing for 50 or 100 points for a win in one of the major spring races.
For the 2027 Kentucky Derby, the top 18 eligible point earners on the main Road earn positions in the starting gate. One additional invitation is available through the European-Middle East Road and one through the Japan Road, completing the maximum 20-horse Derby field.
The Road to the Kentucky Derby includes races at many of North America's leading racetracks. As Derby Day approaches, several major preps become especially important because of the number of qualifying points available.
Key races include the Louisiana Derby, Florida Derby, Arkansas Derby, Blue Grass Stakes, Santa Anita Derby, Wood Memorial and Jeff Ruby Steaks.
Performances in these races can have a major impact on both the Kentucky Derby qualifying standings and the developing Kentucky Derby odds.
The Road to the Kentucky Derby is not limited to the United States. International horses can also qualify through dedicated pathways in Europe, the Middle East and Japan.
The European-Middle East Road to the Kentucky Derby includes qualifying races in countries such as England, Ireland, France, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates. The leading eligible horse in that series can earn an invitation to the Kentucky Derby.
The Japan Road to the Kentucky Derby operates as a separate points series in Japan, with an invitation available to its leading eligible horse.
These international pathways give leading horses from outside the United States a direct route to Churchill Downs and add a global dimension to the Kentucky Derby qualifying season.
Prep races do more than determine which horses qualify for the Kentucky Derby. They also give racing fans and bettors an opportunity to evaluate how the leading contenders are developing throughout the season.
Distance, running style, competition level, track surface, finishing speed, and how a horse responds as the races become more demanding can all provide valuable clues heading into Derby Day.
As the season progresses, every major prep helps reshape the Derby picture by revealing emerging contenders, potential favorites, and horses that could offer betting value before the final field reaches Churchill Downs.
Kentucky Derby prep races are the qualifying races that make up the Road to the Kentucky Derby. Horses earn points based on their finishing positions, with the leading eligible horses earning places in the Kentucky Derby starting gate.
Points are awarded to the top five eligible finishers in designated Kentucky Derby prep races. The number of points available increases as the season progresses, with major spring preps carrying the greatest qualifying value.
The Kentucky Derby field is limited to 20 starters. For 2027, the top 18 eligible horses on the main Road to the Kentucky Derby can qualify, with one invitation available through the European-Middle East Road and one through the Japan Road.
Yes. The Kentucky Derby qualifying system includes the European-Middle East Road to the Kentucky Derby and the Japan Road to the Kentucky Derby, giving eligible international horses a pathway to earn invitations to the race at Churchill Downs.
The major spring preps are especially important because they award the most qualifying points. These include races such as the Florida Derby, Louisiana Derby, Arkansas Derby, Blue Grass Stakes, Santa Anita Derby, Wood Memorial, and Jeff Ruby Steaks.
The Road to the Kentucky Derby begins during the horses' 2-year-old season and continues through the following spring, with the final major qualifying races taking place only weeks before the Kentucky Derby.
Yes. Strong or disappointing performances in major prep races can significantly change how horses are viewed heading into the Derby. Follow the latest Kentucky Derby odds as the qualifying season progresses.
The complete 2027 Kentucky Derby prep race schedule is listed in the table above, including race dates, tracks, and the number of qualifying points awarded to each winner.
The 153rd Kentucky Derby will be held on Saturday, May 1st, 2027 at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky.
You can bet on the 2027 Kentucky Derby online through BUSR. Kentucky Derby betting markets typically include win, place, and show wagers, along with exotic bets such as exactas, trifectas, and superfectas.
The Kentucky Derby is traditionally broadcast in the United States by NBC Sports, with coverage available on NBC and Peacock. The official 2027 broadcast schedule will be confirmed closer to Saturday, May 1st. Eligible horse races may also be streamed through BUSR after placing a qualifying wager.
Yes. You can follow available Kentucky Derby prep race betting markets and wager online through BUSR.
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