Road to the Kentucky Schedule Announced; Sam F. Davis Added, Grey Removed

Sep 12, 2016

The 38^th running of the Sam F. Davis Stakes (Grade III) at Tampa Bay Downs will replace Canada’s Grey Stakes (GIII) on the list of 35-select races that comprise the 2016-17 “Road to the Kentucky Derby,” Churchill Downs officials announced Monday.

Since 2013, Churchill Downs Racetrack has used a sliding scale of points awarded to the Top 4 finishers in choice races to determine preference for its 20-horse Kentucky Derby field, which will be run for the 143^rd time on Saturday, May 6, 2017.

As has been the case for the past three years, the Road to the Kentucky Derby “Prep Season” will commence at the home of the Kentucky Derby on Saturday, Sept. 17 with Churchill Downs’ $150,000 Iroquois (GIII) at 1 1/16 miles. Points awarded during the “Prep Season” are worth 10-4-2-1, respectively, except for the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile, which is worth twice as much (20-8-4-2).

Mid-February’s Sam F. Davis, the 1 1/16-mile race during the “Prep Season” that serves as a steppingstone to the Tampa Bay Derby (GII), returns to the “Road to the Kentucky Derby” series for the first time since 2013. It will replace the Grey, a 1 1/16-mile juvenile race over Woodbine’s Tapeta surface in early October that has lured six or less starters in three of its last four runnings.

The 16 significant events that comprise the “Kentucky Derby Championship Series” during the 10-week run-up to the first Saturday in May remain unchanged from a year ago.

This is the fifth consecutive year that Churchill Downs Racetrack will utilize a point system to determine entrants for its famed $2 million guaranteed Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (GI). At least 20 horses have entered the 1 ¼-mile classic for 3-year-old Thoroughbreds every year since 2004, and 16 of the last 18 years.

One spot in the Kentucky Derby starting gate could go to a Japan-based horse, thanks to a new partnership between Churchill Downs Incorporated and the Japan Racing Asssociation (“JRA”). On Monday, the two entities announced the new “Japan Road to the Kentucky Derby,” which is separate from the 35-race “Road to the Kentucky Derby.”

The “Japan Road to the Kentucky Derby” features two one-mile dirt stakes races at Tokyo Racecourse: the Cattleya Sho for 2-year-olds on Nov. 26 and the Hyacinth for 3-year-olds to be run in early 2017. The horse that accrues the most points in the “Japan Road to the Kentucky” will have first preference to compete in the Kentucky Derby. Points awarded to the Top 4 finishing positions in the Cattleya Sho will be 40-16-8-4, respectively, while the Hyacinth will carry a point value of 50-20-10-5. The points were structured to avoid an automatic qualifier for the winner of one particular race over the other.

Elsewhere, a similar series remains in place to qualify for the Kentucky Derby’s sister race, the $1 million Longines Kentucky Oaks (GI) for 3-year-old fillies on Friday, May 5, 2016. The lone change to the 30-race “Road to the Kentucky Oaks” series is the removal of Woodbine’s Mazarine (GIII) for 2-year-old fillies.

2016-17 ROAD TO THE KENTUCKY DERBY SCHEDULE

Date, Race, Racetrack, Distance, Top 4 Points

Sept. 17, Iroquois, Churchill Downs, 1 1/16 Miles, 10-4-2-1

Oct. 1, FrontRunner, Santa Anita, 1 1/16 Miles, 10-4-2-1

Oct. 8, Champagne, Belmont Park, 1 Mile, 10-4-2-1

Oct. 8, Breeders’ Futurity, Keeneland, 1 1/16 Miles, 10-4-2-1

Nov. 5, Breeders’ Cup Juvenile, Santa Anita, 1 1/16 Miles, 20-8-4-2

Nov. 19, Delta Downs Jackpot, Delta Downs, 1 1/16 Miles, 10-4-2-1

*Nov. 26, Remsen, Aqueduct, 1 1/8 Miles, 10-4-2-1

Nov. 26, Kentucky Jockey Club, Churchill Downs, 1 1/16 Miles, 10-4-2-1

Dec. 10, Los Alamitos Futurity, Los Alamitos, 1 1/16 Miles, 10-4-2-1

*Jan. 7, Jerome, Aqueduct, 1 Mile & 70 Yards, 10-4-2-1

*Jan. 7, Sham, Santa Anita, 1 Mile, 10-4-2-1

Jan. 16, Smarty Jones, Oaklawn Park, 1 Mile, 10-4-2-1

Jan. 21, Lecomte, Fair Grounds, 1 Mile & 70 Yards, 10-4-2-1

*Jan. 28, Withers, Aqueduct, 1 1/16 Miles, 10-4-2-1

Feb. 4, Holy Bull, Gulfstream Park, 1 1/16 Miles, 10-4-2-1

*Feb. 4, Robert B. Lewis, Santa Anita, 1 1/16 Miles, 10-4-2-1

*Feb. 11, Sam F. Davis, Tampa Bay Downs, 1 1/16 Miles, 10-4-2-1

*Feb. 11, El Camino Real Derby, Golden Gate, 1 1/8 Miles (Tapeta), 10-4-2-1

Feb. 20, Southwest, Oaklawn Park, 1 1/16 Miles, 10-4-2-1

Feb. 25, Risen Star, Fair Grounds, 1 1/16 Miles, 50-20-10-5

March 4, Fountain of Youth, Gulfstream Park, 1 1/16 Miles, 50-20-10-5

*March 4, Gotham, Aqueduct, 1 1/16 Miles, 50-20-10-5

*March 11, Tampa Bay Derby, Tampa Bay Downs, 1 1/16 Miles, 50-20-10-5

*March 11, San Felipe, Santa Anita, 1 1/16 Miles, 50-20-10-5

March 18, Rebel, Oaklawn Park, 1 1/16 Miles, 50-20-10-5

March 25, UAE Derby, Meydan Racecourse, 1 3/16 Miles, 100-40-20-10

March 25, Spiral, Turfway Park, 1 1/8 Miles (Polytrack), 50-20-10-5

March 26, Sunland Derby, Sunland Park, 1 1/8 Miles, 50-20-10-5

April 1, Louisiana Derby, Fair Grounds, 1 1/8 Miles, 100-40-20-10

April 1, Florida Derby, Gulfstream Park, 1 1/8 Miles, 100-40-20-10

*April 8, Wood Memorial, Aqueduct, 1 1/8 Miles, 100-40-20-10

*April 8, Blue Grass, Keeneland, 1 1/8 Miles, 100-40-20-10

*April 8, Santa Anita Derby, Santa Anita, 1 1/8 Miles, 100-40-20-10

April 15, Arkansas Derby, Oaklawn Park, 1 1/8 Miles, 100-40-20-10

*April 15, Lexington, Keeneland, 1 1/16 Miles, 10-4-2-1

2016-17 JAPAN ROAD TO THE KENTUCKY DERBY SCHEDULE

Date, Race, Racetrack, Distance, Top 4 Points

Nov. 26, Cattleya Sho, Tokyo Racecourse, 1 Mile, 40-16-8-4

TBA, Hyacinth, Tokyo Racecourse, 1 Mile, 50-20-10-5

2016-17 ROAD TO THE KENTUCKY OAKS SCHEDULE

Date, Race, Racetrack, Distance, Top 4 Points

Sept. 17, Pocahontas, Churchill Downs, 1 1/16 Miles, 10-4-2-1

Oct. 1, Chandelier, Santa Anita, 1 1/16 Miles, 10-4-2-1

Oct. 7, Alcibiades, Keeneland, 1 1/16 Miles, 10-4-2-1

Oct. 8, Frizette, Belmont Park, 1 Mile, 10-4-2-1

Nov 5, Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies, Santa Anita, 1 1/16 Miles, 20-8-4-2

Nov. 19, Delta Downs Princess, Delta Downs, 1 Mile, 10-4-2-1

*Nov. 26, Demoiselle, Aqueduct, 1 1/8 Miles, 10-4-2-1

Nov. 26, Golden Rod, Churchill Downs, 1 1/16 Miles, 10-4-2-1

Dec. 10, Starlet, Los Alamitos, 1 1/16 Miles, 10-4-2-1

*Jan. 7, Santa Ynez, Santa Anita, 6 ½ Furlongs, 10-4-2-1

*Jan. 21, Busanda, Aqueduct, 1 Mile & 70 Yards, 10-4-2-1

Jan. 21, Silverbulletday, Fair Grounds, 1 Mile & 70 Yards, 10-4-2-1

Feb. 4, Forward Gal, Gulfstream Park, 7 Furlongs, 10-4-2-1

*Feb 4, Las Virgenes, Santa Anita, 1 Mile, 10-4-2-1

Feb. 11, Martha Washington, Oaklawn Park, 1 Mile, 10-4-2-1

Feb. 25, Rachel Alexandra, Fair Grounds, 1 1/16 Miles, 50-20-10-5

*Feb. 25, Busher, Aqueduct, 1 1/16 Miles, 50-20-10-5

*March 4, UAE Oaks, Meydan Racecourse, 1 3/16 Miles, 50-20-10-5

March 4, Davona Dale, Gulfstream Park, 1 1/16 Miles, 50-20-10-5

*March 4, Santa Ysabel, Santa Anita, 1 1/16 Miles, 50-20-10-5

March 11, Honeybee, Oaklawn Park, 1 1/16 Miles, 50-20-10-5

March 25, Bourbonette Oaks, Turfway Park, 1 Mile (Polytrack), 50-20-10-5

March 26, Sunland Park Oaks, Sunland Park, 1 1/16 Miles, 50-20-10-5

April 1, Fair Grounds Oaks, Fair Grounds, 1 1/16 Miles, 100-40-20-10

April 1, Gulfstream Park Oaks, Gulfstream Park, 1 1/8 Miles, 100-40-20-10

*April 8, Ashland, Keeneland, 1 1/16 Miles, 100-40-20-10

*April 8, Gazelle, Aqueduct, 1 1/8 Miles, 100-40-20-10

*April 8, Santa Anita Oaks, Santa Anita, 1 1/16 Miles, 100-40-20-10

April 14, Fantasy, Oaklawn Park, 1 1/16 Miles, 100-40-20-10

*April 16, Beaumont, Keeneland, 7 Furlongs, 10-4-2-1

* = Race dates and distances to be announced by host track; date based on previous year's placement