2015-16 Road to the Kentucky Derby/Oaks features points increase for BC Juvenile/Juvenile Fillies

On Wednesday, Churchill Downs released the official schedule of races for the 2015-16 Road to the Kentucky Derby (G1) and Oaks (G1) and, for the first time, the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1) and Juvenile Fillies (G1) will offer 20 points to the winner for a starting berth in the Run for the Roses and its sister race.

Since the advent of the points-based system in 2012, those two events had been worth 10 points, the same as other juvenile and early season sophomore stakes.

That is the only change from last year’s series of races, though Churchill also modified the tiebreaker rule for two or more horses with the same number of points.

The first tiebreaker remains earnings in a non-restricted stakes, but a secondary tiebreaker of lifetime earnings has been added in case of any remaining ties.

The Road to the Kentucky Derby kicks off on September 12 at Churchill Downs in the Iroquois S. (G3), which is also a Breeders’ Cup “Win & You’re In” race for the BC Juvenile.

The Road to the Kentucky Oaks begins the same day at Churchill in the Pocahontas S. (G2), a “Win & You’re In” contest for the BC Juvenile Fillies.