• Source: 2025 Road to the Kentucky Derby

The 2025 Road to the Kentucky Derby is a series of races through which horses qualified for the 2025 Kentucky Derby, which will be held on May 3. 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, the Japan Road consisting of four races in Japan, and the Euro/MidEast road consisting of seven races in England, Ireland, United Arab Emirates 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 2025, the main Road to the Kentucky Derby resembled the 2024 Road to the Kentucky Derby, consisting of 36 races, with 20 races for the Kentucky Derby Prep Season and 16 races for the Kentucky Derby Championship Season with the following changes:

The Grade III Virginia Derby to be held on March 15 at Colonial Downs has been added to the Championship Season
The UAE Derby has been moved from the main North American road and placed in the rebranded Euro/Mideast road
The Cardinal Stakes has been removed from the Euro/Mideast road
Also there has been an adjustment of points in Championship Series races on the Road to the Kentucky Derby. A minimum of six horses is required for full points to be awarded. Reduced points will be offered if fewer than six horses start. Three-fourth points will be available when five horses start, and half points if four or fewer horses start.




Standings


The following table shows the points earned in the eligible races for the main series.




Prep season






= 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)
The dates for most races shown below are based on the placement in the racing calendar from 2023/2024. Similarly, the purses shown below are based on the amounts from the previous year and will be updated when finalized.




= Select prep events

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




Championship series events






= First leg of series

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

with the exception of the Sunland Derby; 1st=20 points; 2nd=10 points; 3rd=6 points; 4th=4 points; 5th=2 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

with the exception of the Lexington Stakes; 1st=20 points; 2nd=10 points; 3rd=6 points; 4th=4 points; 5th=2 points




Euro/Mideast Road to the Kentucky Derby


The Euro/Mideast 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 2024 when the horses are age two, plus two races run on a synthetic surface in early 2025 and the UAE Derby which has been moved to this rebranded Road to the Kentucky Derby for the first time.

Note:

the four races in 2024 for two-year-olds: 1st=10 points; 2nd=5 points; 3rd=3 points; 4th=2 points; 5th=1 point
the first two races in 2025: 1st=20 points; 2nd=10 points; 3rd=6 points; 4th=4 points; 5th=2 points
The UAE Derby: 1st=100 points; 2nd=50 points; 3rd=25 points; 4th=15 points; 5th=10 points




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:

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




Notes






References

Kata Kunci Pencarian:

• 2025 Road to the Kentucky Derby
• Road to the Kentucky Derby
• 2024 Road to the Kentucky Derby
• 2024 Kentucky Derby
• UAE Derby
• 2025 in sports
• Cardinal Stakes (Great Britain)
• Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing (United States)
• National Treasure (horse)
• Lexington SC