Kentucky Derby Entry Rules Changed for 2013

A Kentucky Derby "tradition" that many fans disliked will come to an end in 2013, as the system of graded stakes earnings to determine the 20-horse field will be replaced by a points system, similar to that used by the Breeders' Cup and by NASCAR, to determine who gets to go for the championship. The surprise announcement was made at 11:00am ET on Thursday June 14 at Churchill Downs, just 5 days after the conclusion of the 2012 Triple Crown season. A parallel system will be used for the Kentucky Oaks, which also used graded earnings until this year.

Rather than tallying earnings in any graded/group stakes anywhere in the world, the new "Road to the Kentucky Derby" will feature just 36 races overall. 17 marquee events in the final 10 weeks before the Derby will be called the "Kentucky Derby Championship Series". The "road" will be divided into two phases, each offering different points to the top 4 finishers:

"Kentucky Derby Prep Season" - 19 races on dirt or synthetic over distances of at least 1 mile, between late September and late February. There will be two races outside the United States: the Royal Lodge at Newmarket, England (the lone turf race in the series), and the Grey Stakes at Woodbine, Canada, that will also score points These races will award points on a 10-4-2-1 scale. Of the three Breeders' Cup races for juvenile males, only the Juvenile scores points, excluding the Juvenile Turf and Juvenile Sprint from consideration.

"Kentucky Derby Championship Series" - a 3-part series of 17 races on dirt or synthetic surfaces at distances over a mile, traditionally run in the final 10 weeks before the Derby. The first leg of this series includes the Risen Star, Fountain of Youth, Gotham, Tampa Bay Derby, San Felipe, Rebel, Spiral, and Sunland Derby, each offering a 50-20-10-5 point scale. The second leg, worth 100-40-20-10 points, features the Florida Derby, UAE Derby, Louisiana Derby, Wood Memorial, Santa Anita Derby, Arkansas Derby, and the Blue Grass. The final leg are the two "wild cards", the Lexington and the Derby Trial, with a 20-8-4-2 point scale.

In the event of a dead-heat 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. If two or more horses have the same number of points, which can often be the case whenever a point system is introduced, the tiebreaker to get into the Kentucky Derby or Kentucky Oaks will be earnings in non-restricted stakes races, whether they are graded or not. 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.

After commissioning a poll of more than 300 sports fans nationwide that showed 83% did not understand how a Thoroughbred qualified to compete in the Kentucky Derby, Churchill Downs officials decided to move forward with a change in the system. Churchill Downs president Kevin Flanery said, "People understand that the Kentucky Derby is the Super Bowl of horse racing, but they don't understand what the 'league' structure is and what the series is to get there. We think by simplifying this series with a point system, making it more cohesive and introducing the 'Kentucky Derby Championship Series' in the 10 weeks that precede the race can spark fan interest and engage the casual fan earlier. If there's compelling drama and people have a better understanding of what it takes to get into the Derby, we think there's a good chance they'll become more interested in our sport."

Asked about the future, Flanery added, "We've left room for growth and innovation. I can envision this as a 40-race series down the road. We plan to work with the racetracks that are part of the 'Road to the Kentucky Derby' to promote the series and help build business on days when their races take place. We see this new point-based series as something the serious handicapper and the casual sports fan can wrap their arms around – a clear, cohesive and understandable path to the Derby and one that will be fun to follow. It's a powerful marketing initiative that has the ability to get thousands of new fans to pay attention to our sport in advance of the Triple Crown. It will take time, but we want to be proactive and do something."