2024 Road to the Kentucky Derby

The 2024 Road to the Kentucky Derby is a series of races through which horses qualified for the 2024 Kentucky Derby, which was held on May 4. The field for the Derby was limited to 20 horses, with up to four 'also eligibles' in case of a late withdrawal from the field. There were three separate paths for horses to take to qualify for the Derby: the main Road consisting of races in North America (plus one in Dubai), the Japan Road consisting of four races in Japan, and the European road consisting of seven races in England, Ireland and France. The top five finishers in the specified races received points, with higher points awarded in the major prep races in March and April. Earnings in non-restricted stakes races acted as a tie breaker.

For 2024, there are several changes in the Road to the Kentucky Derby. In the 2023 Road to the Kentucky Derby, there were of 37 races, with 22 races for the Kentucky Derby Prep Season and 15 races for the Kentucky Derby Championship Season. In 2024, the following changes were introduced:


 * Second-place points in all qualifying races have been increased to create added separation from second and third-place finishers
 * Third- and fourth-place points in races that award 100 points to winner have been decreased from 100-40-30-20-10 to 100-50-25-15-10
 * The Grade III Street Sense Stakes, held on October 29 at Churchill Downs was added to the Early Prep Season
 * The Grade III Sham Stakes was included in the original list of events, but Santa Anita Park did not schedule the event in 2024
 * Santa Anita Park decreased the distance of the Robert B. Lewis Stakes from $1 1/16$ miles to one mile
 * The El Camino Real Derby was removed from the Early Prep Season
 * For the Sunland Park Derby at Sunland Park, the qualification points were decreased from 50-20-15-10-5 to 20-10-6-4-2 and the distance of the event was decreased from $1 1/8$ to $1 1/16$ miles

Standings
The following table shows the points earned in the eligible races for the main series. Entrants that have been nominated are ranked in the standings.

Legend:

Initial prep events
Note: 1st=10 points; 2nd=5 points; 3rd=3 points; 4th=2 points; 5th=1 point (except the Breeders' Cup Juvenile: 1st=30 points; 2nd=15 points; 3rd=9 points; 4th=6 points; 5th=3 points)

Select prep events
Note: 1st=20 points; 2nd=10 points; 3rd=6 points; 4th=4 points; 5th=2 points 

First leg of series
Note: 1st=50 points; 2nd=25 points; 3rd=15 points; 4th=10 points; 5th=5 points

Second leg of series
These races are the major preps for the Kentucky Derby, and are thus weighted more heavily. Note: 1st=100 points; 2nd=50 points; 3rd=25 points; 4th=15 points; 5th=10 points

"Wild Card" events
Note: 1st=20 points; 2nd=10 points; 3rd=6 points; 4th=4 points; 5th=2 points

European Road to the Kentucky Derby
The European Road to the Kentucky Derby is designed on a similar basis to the Japan Road and is intended to provide a place in the Derby starting gate to the top finisher in the series. If the connections of that horse decline the invitation, their place is offered to the second-place finisher and so on. If neither of the top four accept, this place in the starting gate reverts to the horses on the main road to the Derby.

The series consists of seven races – four run on the turf in late 2023 when the horses are age two, plus three races run on a synthetic surface in early 2024.

Note:
 * the four races in 2023 for two-year-olds: 1st=10 points; 2nd=5 points; 3rd=3 points; 4th=2 points; 5th=1 point
 * the first two races in 2024: 1st=20 points; 2nd=10 points; 3rd=6 points; 4th=4 points; 5th=2 points
 * The Cardinal Condition Stakes: 1st=30 points; 2nd=15 points; 3rd=9 points; 4th=6 points 5th=3 points

The top four horses (colored brown within the standings) are eligible to participate in the Kentucky Derby provided the horse is nominated.
 * Qualification Table

Notes:
 * brown highlight – qualified
 * grey highlight – did not qualify

Japan Road to the Kentucky Derby
The Japan Road to the Kentucky Derby is intended to provide a place in the Derby starting gate to the top finisher in the series. If the connections of that horse decline the invitation, their place is offered to the second-place finisher and so on through the top five finishers.

Note:

ƒ Filly Cattleya Sho: 1st=10 points; 2nd=5 points; 3rd=3 points; 4th=2 points; 5th=1 point

Zen-Nippon Nisai Yushun: 1st=20 points; 2nd=10 points; 3rd=6 points; 4th=4 points; 5th=2 points

Hyacinth: 1st=30 points; 2nd=15 points; 3rd=9 points; 4th=6 points; 5th=3 points

Fukuyru : 1st=40 points; 2nd=20 points; 3rd=12 points; 4th=8 points; 5th=4 points

The top five horses (colored brown within the standings) are eligible to participate in the Kentucky Derby provided the horse is nominated.
 * Qualification Table

Notes:
 * brown highlight – qualified
 * grey highlight – did not qualify

Controversy
Owner Amr Zedan of Grade 1 Arkansas Derby winner Muth, on April 3, filed a temporary injunction that would require Churchill Downs to allow his horse into the Grade 1 Kentucky Derby (G1) field. Muth is trained by Hall of Famer Bob Baffert, who is suspended from entering and racing horses at tracks owned by Churchill Downs. The suspension was extended last summer. On April 18, Jefferson Circuit Judge Mitch Perry denied Zedan's temporary injunction motion after three hearings to schedule matters and hear arguments. Perry's ruling was appealed to the Kentucky Court of Appeals on April 24, but the order was upheld.