The horses with the highest point totals at the end of the qualifying races get invited to compete in the Kentucky Derby. But with so many races to follow, it can be challenging to determine which ones truly matter in determining which three-year-old thoroughbreds will earn a spot in the starting gate on the first Saturday in May.

For some help, let’s look at some of the most critical qualifying races on the road to the Kentucky Derby.

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Overview of the Qualifying Races

The Kentucky Derby has a limited field of 20 horses, so a qualifying system has been established to determine which horses get to run. Horses earn points based on their performance in specific races leading up to the Kentucky Derby, with the top 20 point earners gaining entry.

There are currently 46 races that count towards qualification for the Kentucky Derby. These races are held in various locations across the United States and the world, including California, Florida, Kentucky, New York, and Japan. The races are grouped into three tiers based on importance and point value: 10-point races, 50-point races, and 100-point races.

The point system was adopted in 2013 and replaced the previous earnings-based system. The point system rewards horses that perform well in higher-quality races closer to the Kentucky Derby.

Under the previous system, horses could earn their way into the Kentucky derby contenders list by accumulating enough earnings from any race, regardless of quality. The new point system ensures that only the best-performing horses make it into the race.

The Most Important Qualifying Races

Several factors come into play when evaluating the importance of qualifying races for the Kentucky Derby. These include the point value of the race, the quality of the horses competing, the distance and surface of the race, and its timing with the Derby.

Some of the most prestigious qualifying races include:

1. The Florida Derby is a Grade I 100-point race held annually at Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Beach, Florida. It’s open to three-year-old Thoroughbreds and runs at a distance of 1 1/8 miles on dirt.
2. The Santa Anita Derby is another 100-point race held annually at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California. The race is open to three-year-old Thoroughbreds and runs at a distance of 1 1/8 miles on dirt.
3. The Blue Grass Stakes is a 100-point race held at Keeneland Race Course in Kentucky. The Blue Grass Stakes has a rich history and has been a critical race on the Kentucky Derby trail for many years. Some of the most notable winners of the race include Skip Away, Essential Quality, and High Yield.
4. The Arkansas Derby is a Grade I race held annually at Oaklawn Park in Hot Springs, Arkansas. It is a 100-point race on the road to the Kentucky Derby. The Arkansas Derby has a reputation for being a challenging race, with its track conditions often playing a significant role in the outcome of the race.
5. The Louisiana Derby is a 100-point race held at the Fair Grounds Race Course in New Orleans. The Louisiana Derby has produced several notable winners, including Grindstone, who won both the Louisiana Derby and the Kentucky Derby in 1996. Another famous winner is Friesan Fire, who set a stakes record in the 2009 Louisiana Derby and became one of the favorites in that year’s Kentucky Derby.

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The Top 20 Horses Domineering The Kentucky Derby Leaderboard

Each year, the leaderboard gets dominated by a handful of standout horses who have proven to be contenders. The 2023 edition of the Kentucky Derby is no exception, with a strong group of horses leading the pack.

Conclusion

While no one can predict the outcome of the Kentucky Derby with complete certainty, analyzing the different qualifying races can provide valuable insights into which horses are most likely to come out on top.

Understanding the historical significance of each race, and the factors that have contributed to past success, can help fans and bettors make more informed decisions when picking a winner in the “most exciting two minutes in sports.”

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The post The Road to the Kentucky Derby: Which Qualifying Races Matter Most? appeared first on littlelioness.

Rich Strike won the 148th version of the Kentucky Derby, and that horse wasn’t even expected to be in the field until a day before the race. The victory from Rich Strike will go down as one of the biggest upsets in Kentucky Derby history.

Rich Strike was an 80-1 longshot entering the Derby, making him the second largest longshot to ever win the historic race. The final margin of victory was three-quarters of a length, and Rich Strike didn’t take the lead until making a stunning charge down the home stretch.

Epicenter and Zandon spent much of the race running at the top, and those two horses were both expected to contend. That battle continued through the finish line, but the battle ended up being for second place.

Rich Strike was only able to join the Kentucky Derby field after Ethereal Road was removed from the race by trainer D. Wayne Lukas. Even after joining the field, not much was thought of Rich Strike as the horse had just two previous wins in his career.

Sonny Leon was the jockey that was atop Rich Strike for the running of the legendary race, and this was the first time that he ever road at the Kentucky Derby. Eric Reed is the trainer of Rich Strike, and this was also his first ever run at Churchill Downs.

Reed nearly got out of the horse training business five years ago when a barn fire claimed the lives of more than 20 of his horses. Both Reed and Leon agreed that Rich Strike should have been a big underdog entering the race, but they also believed that their horse had a chance to win.

Secret Oath Takes Kentucky Oaks

It was an interesting weekend for trainer D. Wayne Lukas as he went from celebrating to despair on Friday. Right before Lukas made the decision to remove Ethereal Road from the Kentucky Derby, one of his trained horses won the Kentucky Oaks.

The Kentucky Oaks takes place every year on the Friday before the big race, and this is another massive race on the circuit. Secret Oath came from the back of the pack to win the Kentucky Oaks in almost an identical race as what Rich Strike ran.

This win was almost as surprising as the win from Rich Strike as Secret Oath had just run a disappointing race at the Arkansas Derby. Nest was the favorite at the Kentucky Oaks, and that horse made one final charge, but the effort came up just a bit short.

The win by Secret Oath is the fifth career victory for trainer Lukas, but it was the first victory since 1990. Lukas trained horses that won this event three different times during the 1980s.

Baffert Still Fighting Back

There was one big name missing from the 2022 Kentucky Derby as trainer Bob Baffert was banned from Churchill Downs. Baffert received the ban after his horse, Medina Spirit, was stripped of the 2021 race after testing positive for a banned substance.

Baffert won’t be in attendance at the next two races on the Triple Crown circuit either, but the Hall of Fame trainer continues to fight back. His team has continued to appeal the decision from Churchill Downs, but he has yet to put together a winning argument.

Medina Spirit was found to have betamethasone in his system after he was tested following the 2021 victory. The Kentucky Derby crown was ultimately stripped earlier this year, and that decision also kept Baffert from participating in the event this year.

Baffert has continued to argue that it was a simple ointment that was given to the horse, and cannot understand why the ban hasn’t been lifted. Not only is Baffert banned from the biggest races, but he is essentially out of racing completely at this point.

Medina Spirit suffered a heart attack during a workout on December 6 of 2021 and died from that event.

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