Qualifying races on Road to Kentucky Derby 153 announced
September 10th, 2026
The official Road to the Kentucky Derby (RTKD) kicks off at Churchill Downs Saturday, with the 45th running of the $300,000 Iroquois (G3), and the 2026-27 schedule of qualifying races for the 153rd running of the Kentucky Derby (G1) has been released.
The one-mile Iroquois highlights five stakes carded for the 11-race program on the opening weekend of the 14-day September meet.
Debuting in 2013, the RTKD series awards a sliding scale of points to the top five finishing positions in select qualifying races. The leaderboard will determine the preference list for entries into the 20-horse Kentucky Derby (G1) at the conclusion of the series.
The Jerome has been removed from the 2026-27 RTKD schedule and been replaced by the Leonatus at Turfway Park in December.
The 153rd running of the $5 million Kentucky Derby will take place on Saturday, May 1, 2027. Known as America’s greatest race, the 1 1/4-mile classic for three-year-olds is held annually on the first Saturday in May at historic Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky.
Up to three spots in the Kentucky Derby starting gate may be reserved for international participants. In addition to the primary RTKD 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 (G2) next spring, 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 Kentucky Oaks (G1) at 1 1/8 miles on Friday, April 30, 2027, also will begin at Churchill Downs on Saturday with the $300,000 Pocahontas (G2).
Road to the Kentucky Derby & Oaks
Qualifying Races by Racetrack — Top 5 Points
Points shown for 1st through 5th place finishers. ✓ = Championship Series Race
Road to the Kentucky Derby — U.S. Races
Belmont Park (Elmont, NY)
| Race | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | 5th | Championship Series |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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)
| Race | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | 5th | Championship Series |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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)
| Race | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | 5th | Championship Series |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Virginia Derby | 50 | 25 | 15 | 10 | 5 | ✓ |
Fair Grounds (New Orleans, LA)
| Race | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | 5th | Championship Series |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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, FL)
| Race | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | 5th | Championship Series |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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)
| Race | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | 5th | Championship Series |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Breeders' Futurity | 10 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
|
| Breeders' Cup Juvenile | 30 | 15 | 9 | 6 | 3 |
|
| Lexington | 20 | 10 | 6 | 4 | 2 | ✓ |
| Blue Grass | 100 | 50 | 25 | 15 | 10 | ✓ |
Los Alamitos (Cypress, CA)
| Race | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | 5th | Championship Series |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Los Alamitos Futurity | 10 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
|
Oaklawn Park (Hot Springs, AR)
| Race | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | 5th | Championship Series |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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, OK)
| Race | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | 5th | Championship Series |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Remington Springboard Mile | 10 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
|
Santa Anita (Arcadia, CA)
| Race | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | 5th | Championship Series |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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)
| Race | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | 5th | Championship Series |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sunland Park Derby | 20 | 10 | 6 | 4 | 2 |
|
Tampa Bay Downs (Tampa, FL)
| Race | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | 5th | Championship Series |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sam F. Davis | 20 | 10 | 6 | 4 | 2 |
|
| Tampa Bay Derby | 50 | 25 | 15 | 10 | 5 | ✓ |
Turfway Park (Florence, KY)
| Race | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | 5th | Championship Series |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Leonatus | 10 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
|
| John Battaglia Memorial | 20 | 10 | 6 | 4 | 2 |
|
| Jeff Ruby Steaks | 100 | 50 | 25 | 15 | 10 | ✓ |
Road to the Kentucky Derby — Japan Races
Kawasaki (NAR) (Kanagawa, Japan)
| Race | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | 5th | Championship Series |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zen-Nippon Nisai Yushun | 20 | 10 | 6 | 4 | 2 |
|
Nakayama (JRA) (Chiba, Japan)
| Race | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | 5th | Championship Series |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fukuryu | 40 | 20 | 12 | 8 | 4 |
|
Tokyo (JRA) (Tokyo, Japan)
| Race | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | 5th | Championship Series |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cattleya | 10 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
|
| Hyacinth | 30 | 15 | 9 | 6 | 3 |
|
Road to the Kentucky Oaks — Races by Racetrack
Belmont Park (Elmont, NY)
| Race | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | 5th | Championship Series |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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)
| Race | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | 5th | Championship Series |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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)
| Race | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | 5th | Championship Series |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Virginia Oaks | 50 | 25 | 15 | 10 | 5 | ✓ |
Fair Grounds (New Orleans, LA)
| Race | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | 5th | Championship Series |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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, FL)
| Race | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | 5th | Championship Series |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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)
| Race | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | 5th | Championship Series |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alcibiades | 10 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
|
| Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies | 30 | 15 | 9 | 6 | 3 |
|
| Ashland | 100 | 50 | 25 | 15 | 10 | ✓ |
Los Alamitos (Cypress, CA)
| Race | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | 5th | Championship Series |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Starlet | 10 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
|
Meydan Racecourse (Dubai, UAE)
| Race | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | 5th | Championship Series |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UAE Oaks | 50 | 25 | 15 | 10 | 5 | ✓ |
Oaklawn Park (Hot Springs, AR)
| Race | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | 5th | Championship Series |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Martha Washington | 20 | 10 | 6 | 4 | 2 |
|
| Honeybee | 50 | 25 | 15 | 10 | 5 | ✓ |
| Fantasy | 100 | 50 | 25 | 15 | 10 | ✓ |
Santa Anita (Arcadia, CA)
| Race | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | 5th | Championship Series |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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)
| Race | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | 5th | Championship Series |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sunland Park Oaks | 20 | 10 | 6 | 4 | 2 |
|
Tampa Bay Downs (Tampa, FL)
| Race | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | 5th | Championship Series |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Suncoast | 20 | 10 | 6 | 4 | 2 |
|
Turfway Park (Florence, KY)
| Race | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | 5th | Championship Series |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cincinnati Trophy | 20 | 10 | 6 | 4 | 2 |
|
| Bourbonette Oaks | 50 | 25 | 15 | 10 | 5 | ✓ |
