Kentucky Derby 2026 Road to the Derby Schedule
The Kentucky Derby 2026 Road to the Derby schedule is out! Since 2013, horses must qualify to enter the Kentucky Derby by earning points in prep races beginning in the fall of their 2-year-old year. The top 20 points earners will determine the preference list for the 152nd Kentucky Derby on May 2, 2026.
The Kentucky Derby field has been limited to 20 starters since 1975. At least 20 horses have entered the 1 1/4-mile race for 3-year-olds in 24 of the last 27 years.
Up to three spots in the starting gate may be reserved for international runners. In addition to the traditional Road to the Derby, there are two series that carve out potential spots for horses from Japan, Europe and the UAE. Get the details on the Derby points series here.
Replays for all the Derby prep races can be found here.
Road to Kentucky Derby 2026
| Date | Race | Racetrack | Grade | Purse | Distance | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | 5th |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sept. 13, 2025 | Iroquois | Churchill Downs | 3 | $300,000 | one mile | 10 Spice Runner | 5 Comport | 3 Vost | 2 Nothing Personal | 1 Maximus Prime |
| Oct. 4, 2025 | Champagne | Aqueduct | 1 | $500,000 | one mile | 10 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
| Oct. 4, 2025 | Breeders' Futurity | Keeneland | 1 | $650,000 | 1 1/16 miles | 10 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
| Oct. 4, 2025 | American Pharoah | Santa Anita | 1 | $300,000 | 1 1/16 miles | 10 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
| Oct. 26, 2025 | Street Sense | Churchill Downs | 3 | $200,000 | 1 1/16 miles | 10 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
| Oct. 31, 2025 | Breeders' Cup Juvenile | Del Mar | 1 | $2,000,000 | 1 1/16 miles | 30 | 15 | 9 | 6 | 3 |
| Nov. 29, 2025 | Kentucky Jockey Club | Churchill Downs | 2 | $400,000 | 1 1/16 miles | 10 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
| Dec. 6, 2025 | Remsen | Aqueduct | 2 | $250,000 | 1 1/8 miles | 10 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
| *Dec. 13, 2025 | Los Alamitos Futurity | Los Alamitos | 2 | *$200,000 | 1 1/16 miles | 10 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
| Dec. 20, 2025 | Gun Runner | Fair Grounds | black-type | $100,000 | 1 1/16 miles | 10 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
| Dec. 20, 2025 | Remington Springboard Mile | Remington Park | listed | $300,000 | one mile | 10 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
| *Jan. 3, 2026 | Jerome | Aqueduct | black-type | *$150,000 | one mile | 10 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
| Jan. 3, 2026 | Smarty Jones | Oaklawn Park | listed | $250,000 | 1 1/16 miles | 10 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
| Jan. 17, 2026 | Lecomte | Fair Grounds | 3 | $250,000 | 1 1/16 miles | 20 | 10 | 6 | 4 | 2 |
| *Jan. 31, 2026 | Withers | Aqueduct | listed | *$250,000 | 1 1/8 miles | 20 | 10 | 6 | 4 | 2 |
| *Jan. 31, 2026 | Robert B. Lewis | Santa Anita | 3 | *$200,000 | one mile | 20 | 10 | 6 | 4 | 2 |
| *Jan. 31, 2026 | Holy Bull | Gulfstream Park | 3 | *$250,000 | 1 1/16 miles | 20 | 10 | 6 | 4 | 2 |
| Jan. 31, 2026 | Southwest | Oaklawn Park | 3 | $1,000,000 | 1 1/16 miles | 20 | 10 | 6 | 4 | 2 |
| *Feb. 7, 2026 | Sam F. Davis | Tampa Bay Downs | 3 | *$200,000 | 1 1/16 miles | 20 | 10 | 6 | 4 | 2 |
| Feb. 14, 2026 | Risen Star | Fair Grounds | 2 | $500,000 | 1 1/8 miles | 50 | 25 | 15 | 10 | 5 |
| *Feb. 15, 2026 | Sunland Derby | Sunland Park | listed | *$400,000 | 1 1/16 miles | 20 | 10 | 6 | 4 | 2 |
| *Feb. 21, 2026 | John Battaglia Memorial | Turfway Park | listed | *$175,000 | 1 1/16 miles (AW) | 20 | 10 | 6 | 4 | 2 |
| *Feb. 28, 2026 | Gotham | Aqueduct | 3 | *$300,000 | one mile | 50 | 25 | 15 | 10 | 5 |
| *Feb. 28, 2026 | Fountain of Youth | Gulfstream Park | 2 | *$400,000 | 1 1/16 miles | 50 | 25 | 15 | 10 | 5 |
| *Feb. 28, 2026 | San Felipe | Santa Anita | 2 | *$400,000 | 1 1/16 miles | 50 | 25 | 15 | 10 | 5 |
| March 1, 2026 | Rebel | Oaklawn Park | 2 | $1,000,000 | 1 1/16 miles | 50 | 25 | 15 | 10 | 5 |
| *March 7, 2026 | Tampa Bay Derby | Tampa Bay Downs | 3 | *$400,000 | 1 1/16 miles | 50 | 25 | 15 | 10 | 5 |
| *March 14, 2026 | Virginia Derby | Colonial Downs | black-type | *$500,000 | 1 1/8 miles | 50 | 25 | 15 | 10 | 5 |
| *March 21, 2026 | Jeff Ruby Steaks | Turfway Park | 3 | *$777,000 | 1 1/8 miles (AW) | 100 | 50 | 25 | 15 | 10 |
| March 21, 2026 | Louisiana Derby | Fair Grounds | 2 | $1,000,000 | 1 3/16 miles | 100 | 50 | 25 | 15 | 10 |
| *March 28, 2026 | Florida Derby | Gulfstream Park | 1 | *$1,000,000 | 1 1/8 miles | 100 | 50 | 25 | 15 | 10 |
| March 28, 2026 | Arkansas Derby | Oaklawn Park | 1 | $1,500,000 | 1 1/8 miles | 100 | 50 | 25 | 15 | 10 |
| *April 4, 2026 | Wood Memorial | Aqueduct | 2 | *$750,000 | 1 1/8 miles | 100 | 50 | 25 | 15 | 10 |
| *April 4, 2026 | Blue Grass | Keeneland | 1 | *$1,250,000 | 1 1/8 miles | 100 | 50 | 25 | 15 | 10 |
| *April 4, 2026 | Santa Anita Derby | Santa Anita | 1 | *$500,000 | 1 1/8 miles | 100 | 50 | 25 | 15 | 10 |
| *April 11, 2026 | Lexington | Keeneland | 3 | *$400,000 | 1 1/16 miles | 20 | 10 | 6 | 4 | 2 |
Japan road to Kentucky Derby 2026
| Date | Race | Racetrack | Grade | Purse | Distance | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | 5th |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nov. 29, 2025 | Cattleya | Tokyo | *US$199,591 | one mile | 10 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 1 | |
| Dec. 17, 2025 | Zen-Nippon Nisai Yushun | Kawasaki | *US$469,818 | one mile | 20 | 10 | 6 | 4 | 2 | |
| *Feb. 22, 2026 | Hyacinth | Tokyo | listed | *US$244,767 | one mile | 30 | 15 | 9 | 6 | 3 |
| *March 28, 2026 | Fukuryu | Nakayama | *US$230,697 | 1 1/8 miles | 40 | 20 | 12 | 8 | 4 |
Europe-Mideast road to Kentucky Derby 2026
| Date | Race | Racetrack | Grade | Purse | Distance | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | 5th |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sept. 27, 2025 | Royal Lodge | Newmarket | 2 | *US$157,475 | one mile (turf) | 10 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
| Sept. 27, 2025 | Beresford | Curragh | 2 | *US$120,801 | one mile (turf) | 10 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
| Oct. 5, 2025 | Prix Jean-Luc Lagardère | Longchamp | 1 | *US$432,977 | seven furlongs (turf) | 10 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
| Oct. 25, 2025 | Futurity Trophy | Doncaster | 1 | *US$275,259 | one mile (turf) | 10 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
| *Feb. 25, 2026 | Road to the Kentucky Derby Condition Stakes | Kempton | *US$74,760 | one mile (AW) | 20 | 10 | 6 | 4 | 2 | |
| *March 6, 2026 | Patton | Dundalk | *US$40,122 | one mile (AW) | 20 | 10 | 6 | 4 | 2 | |
| March 28, 2026 | UAE Derby | Meydan Racecourse | 2 | *US$1,000,000 | 1 3/16 miles | 100 | 50 | 25 | 15 | 10 |
* Race dates, distances and purses are to be announced by host track. Tables are based on recent historical placement and subject to change.