Kentucky Derby 2016 Prep Schedule and Results

Kentucky Derby 2016 Prep Schedule and Results: The 142nd running of the Kentucky Derby takes place on Saturday, May 7, 2016 at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky. The Grade I dirt race for three-year-old colts and geldings is run at 1 1/4 miles and is worth a whopping $2,000,000.

The Kentucky Derby starting gate is limited to twenty contenders, each of which earn points on the Road To The Kentucky Derby to enter the starting gate on the first Saturday in May.

Kentucky Derby Prep Season (19 races)
Date, Race, Racetrack, Distance, Top 4 Points
Sept. 12, Iroquois, Churchill Downs, 1 1/16 Miles, 10-4-2-1
Winner Cocked and Loaded
Sept. 26, FrontRunner, Santa Anita, 1 1/16 Miles, 10-4-2-1
Winner Nyquist 
Oct. 3, Champagne, Belmont Park, 1 Mile, 10-4-2-1
Winner Greenpointcrusader 
Oct. 3, Breeders’ Futurity, Keeneland, 1 1/16 Miles, 10-4-2-1
Winner Brody’s Cause
Oct. 4, Grey, Woodbine, 1 1/16 Miles (Polytrack), 10-4-2-1
Winner Riker
Oct. 31, Breeders’ Cup Juvenile, Keeneland, 1 1/16 Miles, 20-8-4-2
Winner Nyquist
Nov. 21, Delta Downs Jackpot, Delta Downs, 1 1/16 Miles, 10-4-2-1
Winner Exaggerator
Nov. 28, Remsen, Aqueduct, 1 1/8 Miles, 10-4-2-1
Winner Mohaymen
Nov. 28, Kentucky Jockey Club, Churchill Downs, 1 1/16 Miles, 10-4-2-1
Winner Airoforce
Dec. 19, Los Alamitos Futurity, Los Alamitos, 1 1/16 Miles, 10-4-2-1
Winner Mor Spirit
Jan. 2, Jerome, Aqueduct (Inner Track), 1 Mile 70 Yards, 10-4-2-1
Winner Flexibility 
Jan. 9, Sham, Santa Anita, 1 Mile, 10-4-2-1
Winner Collected
Jan. 16, Lecomte, Fair Grounds, 1 Mile 70 Yards, 10-4-2-1
Winner Mo Tom
Jan. 18, Smarty Jones, Oaklawn Park, 1 Mile, 10-4-2-1
Winner Discreetness
Jan. 30, Holy Bull, Gulfstream Park, 1 1/16 Miles, 10-4-2-1
Winner Mohaymen
Jan. 30, Withers, Aqueduct, 1 1/16 Miles (Inner Track), 10-4-2-1
Winner Sunny Ridge
Feb. 6, Robert B. Lewis, Santa Anita, 1 1/16 Miles, 10-4-2-1
Winner Mor Spirit
Feb. 13, El Camino Real Derby, Golden Gate, 1 1/8 Miles (Tapeta), 10-4-2-1
Winner Frank Conversation 
Feb. 15, Southwest, Oaklawn Park, 1 1/16 Miles, 10-4-2-1
Winner Suddenbreakingnews

Kentucky Derby Championship Series (16 races)
Date, Race, Racetrack, Distance, Top 4 Points
Feb. 20, Risen Star, Fair Grounds, 1 1/16 Miles, 50-20-10-5
Winner Gun Runner 
Feb. 27, Fountain of Youth, Gulfstream Park , 1 1/16 Miles, 50-20-10-5
Winner Moyahmen
March 5, Gotham, Aqueduct, 1 1/16 Miles (Inner Track), 50-20-10-5
Winner Shagaf
March 12, Tampa Bay Derby, Tampa Bay Downs, 1 1/16 Miles, 50-20-10-5
Winner Destin
March 12, San Felipe, Santa Anita, 1 1/16 Miles, 50-20-10-5
Winner Danzing Candy
March 19, Rebel, Oaklawn Park, 1 1/16 Miles, 50-20-10-5
Winner Cupid
March 20, Sunland Derby, Sunland Park, 1 1/8 Miles, 50-20-10-5
March 26, Louisiana Derby, Fair Grounds, 1 1/8 Miles, 100-40-20-10
Winner Gun Runner
March 26, UAE Derby, Meydan Racecourse, 1 3/16 Miles, 100-40-20-10
Winner Lani
April 2, Spiral, Turfway Park, 1 1/8 Miles (Polytrack), 50-20-10-5
Winner Oscar Nominated
April 2, Florida Derby, Gulfstream Park, 1 1/8 Miles, 100-40-20-10
Winner Nyquist
April 9, Wood Memorial, Aqueduct, 1 1/8 Miles, 100-40-20-10
Winner Outwork
April 9, Blue Grass, Keeneland, 1 1/8 Miles, 100-40-20-10
Winner Brody’s Cause
April 9, Santa Anita Derby, Santa Anita, 1 1/8 Miles, 100-40-20-10
Winner Exaggerator
April 16, Arkansas Derby, Oaklawn Park, 1 1/8 Miles, 100-40-20-10
Winner Creator
April 16, Lexington, Keeneland, 1 1/16 Miles, 10-4-2-1 (“Wild Card”)
Winner Collected

HOW TO GET INTO THE KENTUCKY DERBY STARTING GATE – The Road to the Kentucky Derby is a 35-race series that awards points to the Top 4 finishers in each race. The Top 20 point earners will earn a spot in the starting gate for the 142^nd running of the $2 million Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (Grade I) on Saturday, May 7, 2016. The Kentucky Derby field has been limited to 20 starters since 1975. At least 20 horses have entered the 1 ¼-mile race for 3-year-olds every year since 2004, and 15 of the last 17 years.

TIEBREAKERS – If two or more horses have the same number of points, the tiebreaker is earnings in non-restricted stakes races. In the case of remaining ties, the additional starter(s) and/or also-eligible horses shall be determined by lifetime earnings. In the case of remaining ties, the additional starter(s) and/or also-eligible horses shall be determined by lot (aka a “shake”).

FILLIES – If a filly wants to run in the Kentucky Derby she can, but she’ll have to earn her way into the field by accumulating points against open company just like the rest of the colts and geldings. Additionally, any points earned by a filly in the “Road to the Kentucky Derby” series against open company will be credited to her point total in the “Road to the Kentucky Oaks” series.

DEAD-HEATS – In the event of a dead-heat (tie) in a “Road to the Kentucky Derby” race, those horses will divide equally the points they would have received jointly had one beaten the other.

SPLIT DIVISIONS – In the event a “Road to the Kentucky Derby” race is split into divisions and each division awards its originally published purse money, points will be awarded as scheduled for each division. If the originally published purse is halved for each division, points will be halved as well.

NOMINATIONS – Horses born in 2013 can be made eligible to run in the 2016 Kentucky Derby and Triple Crown with a $600 early payment due by Jan. 23, 2016. A late period for nominations at $6,000 each will be open Jan. 24, 2016 through March 28, 2016. In addition to the Triple Crown nomination fee, owners must pay $25,000 to enter the Derby by 10 a.m. ET on Wednesday, May 4, 2016, and an additional $25,000 to start. A horse not nominated to the Triple Crown with sufficient points may be supplemented for $200,000.

POST POSITION DRAW – The Kentucky Derby post position draw – a traditional “pill pull” in which horses’ entry blanks are pulled simultaneously with a numbered pill to determine what stall a horse will break from the starting gate – will be held at Churchill Downs on Wednesday, May 4, 2016 at 5:30 p.m. ET (live on NBCSN). Up to 24 horses may enter the race and four horses can be listed as “also eligible” and would be ranked in order accordingly; they could draw into the field should any horse(s) be scratched before scratch time on Friday, May 6, 2016 at 9 a.m. ET.

PRIZE MONEY – The Kentucky Derby winner will receive a gold trophy plus an estimated $1.24 million payday. A total of $400,000 will be awarded to the runner-up, $200,000 to third, $100,000 to fourth and $60,000 to fifth.

BACKGROUND – Churchill Downs abandoned the graded stakes earnings criteria for the 2013 Kentucky Derby (used from 1986-2012) and proactively adopted a tiered point system to determine which horses would have preference for America’s greatest race. Today, a sliding scale of points is awarded to the Top 4 finishers in select races, and at the series’ end, the Top 20 point earners get first crack to start in the Kentucky Derby.

ABOUT THE DERBY – To have a horse draped in the garland of roses while raising the solid gold trophy high atop the Kentucky Derby winner’s stand is the Holy Grail for horsemen around the world. Restricted to 3-year-old Thoroughbreds, horses only have one chance to win the Kentucky Derby, and it’s quite an accomplishment just to receive a berth in the starting gate. Approximately 23,000 Thoroughbreds were foaled in North America in 2013, and if history is any indication, about one percent of the crop will be nominated to next spring’s Triple Crown. Only 20 will be allowed to “Run for the Roses,” as the Derby field has been limited to 20 starters since 1975. At least 20 horses have entered the race since 2004, and 15 of the last 17 years. Once a horse earns its coveted Kentucky Derby berth, it, in most cases, will race the extended 1 ¼-mile distance for the first time. A combination of speed and the stamina it takes to complete the final eighth of a mile in the Derby often determines a win or loss.

Kentucky Oaks 2016 Prep Races
Buy 2016 Kentucky Derby Tickets