2016 Road to the Kentucky Derby

The field for the Kentucky Derby is limited each year to 20 horses, with two 'also eligibles' in case of a late withdrawal from the field. To determine eligibility, Churchill Downs developed the Road to the Kentucky Derby, which gives points to the top four finishers in specified races. The 2016 season consists of 34 races, 19 races for the Kentucky Derby Prep Season and 15 races for the Kentucky Derby Championship Season. Earnings in non-restricted stakes act as a tie breaker. Gun Runner finished first in the standings thanks to wins in the Risen Star Stakes and Louisiana Derby, then finished third in the Kentucky Derby. Nyquist, who finished second in the qualification standings, won the Derby.

Standings

Entrants for Kentucky Derby in blue"Also eligible" for Kentucky Derby in greenSidelined/Inactive/No longer under Derby Consideration/Not Triple Crown nominated in grayWinner of Kentucky Derby in 'bold'''''

Prep season

Note: 1st=10 points; 2nd=4 points; 3rd=2 points; 4th=1 point

Race	Distance	Surface	Purse	Track	Date	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	Ref
Iroquois	1-1/16 miles	Dirt	$150,000	Churchill Downs	Sep 12 2015	Cocked and Loaded	Rated R Superstar	Unbridled Outlaw	Conquest Windycity
FrontRunner	1-1/16 miles	Dirt	$300,000	Santa Anita	Sep 26 201	Nyquist	Swipe	Hollywood Don	Rare Candy
Champagne	1-mile	Dirt	$300,000	Belmont	Oct 3 2015	Greenpointcrusader	Sunny Ridge	Portfolio Manager	Sail Ahoy
Breeders' Futurity	1-1/16 miles	Dirt	$400,000	Keeneland	Oct 3 2015	Brody's Cause	Exaggerator	Rated R Superstar	Sticksstatelydude
Grey Stakes	1-1/16 miles	Synthetic	$150,000	Woodbine	Oct 4 2015	Riker	Kasseopia	Tizzarunner	Van Damme
Breeders' Cup Juvenile	1-1/16 miles	Dirt	$2,000,000	Keeneland	Oct 31 2015	Nyquist	Swipe	Brody's Cause	Exaggerator
Delta Downs Jackpot	1-1/16 miles	Dirt	$1,000,000	Delta Downs	Nov 21 2015	Exaggerator	Sunny Ridge	Harlan Punch	Found Money
Remsen	1-1/8 miles	Dirt	$300,000	Aqueduct	Nov 28 2015	Mohaymen	Flexibility	Gift Box	Sail Ahoy
Kentucky Jockey Club	1-1/16 miles	Dirt	$150,000	Churchill Downs	Nov 28 2015	Airoforce	Mor Spirit	Mo Tom	Gun Runner
Los Alamitos Futurity	1-1/16 miles	Dirt	$500,000	Los Alamitos	Dec 19 2015	Mor Spirit	Toews On Ice	I'malreadythere	Urlacher
Jerome	1-mile 70 yards	Dirt	$200,000	Aqueduct	Jan 2 2016	Flexibility	Vorticity	In Equality	Bird of Trey
Sham	1-mile	Dirt	$100,000	Santa Anita	Jan 9 2016	Collected	Let's Meet in Rio	Laoban	Found Money
Lecomte	1-mile 70 yards	Dirt	$200,000	Fair Grounds	Jan 16 2016	Mo Tom	Tom's Ready	Uncle Walter	Destin
Smarty Jones	1-mile	Dirt	$150,000	Oaklawn	Jan 18 2016	Discreetness	Gordy Florida	Synchrony	Luna de Loco
Holy Bull	1-1/16 miles	Dirt	$350,000	Gulfstream	Jan 30 2016	Mohaymen	Greenpointcrusader	Fellowship	Conquest Big E
Withers	1-1/16 miles	Dirt	$200,000	Aqueduct	Jan 30 2016	Sunny Ridge	Vorticity	Adventist	Flexibility
Robert B. Lewis	1-1/16 miles	Dirt	$150,000	Santa Anita	Feb 6 2016	Mor Spirit	Uncle Lino	I Will Score	Dressed in Hermes
El Camino Real Derby	1-1/8 miles	Synthetic	$200,000	Golden Gate	Feb 13 2016	Frank Conversation	Tusk	Kasseopia	San Dimas
Southwest	1-1/16 miles	Dirt	$250,000	Oaklawn	Feb 15 2016	Suddenbreakingnews	Whitmore	American Dubai	Collected

Championship series

First leg of series

Note: 1st=50 points; 2nd=20 points; 3rd=10 points; 4th=5 points
The Sunland Derby was not eligible in 2016 because of quarantine restrictions associated with an outbreak of equine herpesvirus.

Race	Distance	Surface	Purse	Track	Date	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	Ref
Risen Star	1-1/16 miles	Dirt	$400,000	Fair Grounds	Feb 20 2016	Gun Runner	Forevamo	Mo Tom	Candy My Boy
Fountain of Youth	1-1/16 miles	Dirt	$400,000	Gulfstream	Feb 27 2016	Mohaymen	Zulu	Fellowship	Awesome Speed
Gotham	1-1/16 miles	Dirt	$500,000	Aqueduct	Mar 5 2016	Shagaf	Laoban	Adventist	Sunny Ridge
San Felipe	1-1/16 miles	Dirt	$300,000	Santa Anita	Mar 12 2016	Danzing Candy	Mor Spirit	Exaggerator	Uncle Lino
Tampa Bay Derby	1-1/16 miles	Dirt	$350,000	Tampa Bay Downs	Mar 12 2016	Destin	Outwork	Star Hill	Rafting
Rebel	1-1/16 miles	Dirt	$700,000	Oaklawn	Mar 19 2016	Cupid	Whitmore	Creator	Cherry Wine
Spiral	1-1/8 miles	Synthetic	$500,000	Turfway	Apr 2 2016	Oscar Nominated	Azar	Surgical Strike	Two Step Time
~~Sunland Derby~~					n/a

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=40 points; 3rd=20 points; 4th=10 points

Race	Distance	Surface	Purse	Track	Date	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	Ref
UAE Derby	~1-3/16 miles	Dirt	$2,000,000	Meydan Racecourse	Mar 26 2016	Lani	Polar River	Yu Change	Vale Dori
Louisiana Derby	1-1/8 miles	Dirt	$1,000,000	Fair Grounds	Mar 26 2016	Gun Runner	Tom's Ready	Dazzling Gem	Mo Tom
Florida Derby	1-1/8 miles	Dirt	$1,000,000	Gulfstream	Apr 2 2016	Nyquist	Majesto	Fellowship	Mohaymen
Wood Memorial	1-1/8 miles	Dirt	$1,000,000	Aqueduct	Apr 9 2016	Outwork	Trojan Nation	Adventist	Matt King Coal
Blue Grass Stakes	1-1/8 miles	Dirt	$1,000,000	Keeneland	Apr 9 2016	Brody's Cause	My Man Sam	Cherry Wine	Laoban
Santa Anita Derby	1-1/8 miles	Dirt	$1,000,000	Santa Anita	Apr 9 2016	Exaggerator	Mor Spirit	Uncle Lino	Danzing Candy
Arkansas Derby	1-1/8 miles	Dirt	$1,000,000	Oaklawn Park	Apr 16 2016	Creator	Suddenbreakingnews	Whitmore	Dazzling Gem

;"Wild Card"
Note: 1st=10 points; 2nd=4 points; 3rd=2 points; 4th=1 point

Race	Distance	Surface	Purse	Track	Date	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	Ref
Lexington	1-1/8 miles	Dirt	$150,000	Keeneland	Apr 16 2016	Collected	One More Round	Synchrony	Direct Message

;Notes