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:
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.
The following table shows the points earned in the eligible races for the main series.
| Rank< | -- [1] --> | Horse | Points | Earnings | Trainer | Owner | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Citizen Bull | 40 | $1,256,000 | Bob Baffert | SF Racing, Starlight Racing, Madaket Stables, Robert E. Masterson, Stonestreet Stables, Dianne Bashor, Determined Stables, Tom J. Ryan, Waves Edge Capital & Catherine Donovan | ||
| 2 | Gaming | 15 | $520,000 | Bob Baffert | Karl Watson, Michael E. Pegram & Paul Weitman | ||
| 3 | Jonathan's Way | 15 | $213,530 | Philip Bauer | Rigney Racing | ||
| 4 | Getaway Car | 11 | $268,000 | Bob Baffert | SF Racing, Starlight Racing, Madaket Stables, Robert E. Masterson, Stonestreet Stables, Dianne Bashor, Determined Stables, Tom J. Ryan, Waves Edge Capital & Catherine Donovan | ||
| 5 | 10 | $480,000 | Chad C. Brown | Flanagan Racing | |||
| 6 | East Avenue | 10 | $368,750 | Brendan P. Walsh | Godolphin | ||
| 7 | First Resort | 10 | $289,776 | Eoin G. Harty | Godolphin | ||
| 8 | Sovereignty | 10 | $119,280 | William I. Mott | Godolphin | ||
| 9 | Hill Road | 9 | $180,000 | Adrian Murray | Arno Racing | ||
| 10 | Tiztastic | 8 | $725,800 | Steven M. Asmussen | Winchell Thoroughbreds, Derrick Smith, Mrs. John Magnier & Michael Tabor | ||
| 11 | Ferocious | 8 | $232,500 | Gustavo Delgado | JR Ranch, Ramiro Restrepo, High Step Racing & OGMA Investments | ||
| 12 | Dapper Moon | 6 | $47,238 | Dallas Stewart | Valene Farms | ||
| 13 | Owen Almighty | 5 | $163,060 | Brian A. Lynch | Flying Dutchmen | ||
| 14 | Tip Top Thomas | 5 | $100,000 | Todd A. Pletcher | James J. Bakke & Gerald Isbister | ||
| 15 | Sandman | 4 | $28,195 | Mark E. Casse | D. J. Stable, St. Elias Stable, West Point Thoroughbreds & CJ Stables | ||
| 16 | Mo Plex | 3 | $156,250 | R and H Stable | |||
| 17 | McKinzie Street | 3 | $96,000 | Tim Yakteen | Leslie A. & Pierre Jean Amestoy Jr. & Roger K. Beasley | ||
| 18 | Filoso | 3 | $59,875 | Chad Summers | Gold Square | ||
| 19 | Mesero | 3 | $31,200 | Dale L. Romans | CJ Thoroughbreds & Delia Nash | ||
| 20 | Giocoso | 3 | $28,650 | J. Keith Desormeaux | Rocker O Ranch | ||
| 21 | Smoken Wicked | 2 | $109,200 | Dallas Stewart | Valene Farms | ||
| 22 | Emerald Bay | 2 | $18,000 | Bob Baffert | Karl Watson, Michael E. Pegram & Paul Weitman | ||
| 23 | Vekoma Rides | 1 | $20,000 | John C. Kimmel | Nedlaw Stable, Denholtz Stables, Dennis A. Drazin & Jerold L. Zaro | ||
| 24 | Render Judgment | 1 | $11,610 | Kenneth G. McPeek | Baccari Racing Stable | ||
| 25 | Show of Force | 1 | $8,000 | Todd W. Fincher | Triple V Racing | ||
| 26 | Bracket Buster | 1 | $5,820 | Victoria Oliver | BBN Racing |
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.
| Race | Distance | Purse | Track | Date | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | 5th | Ref | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Iroquois | 1 mile | $254,745 | Churchill Downs | Sep 14 2024 | Jonathan's Way | Owen Almighty | Giocoso | Mesero | Sandman | [2] | |
| Champagne | 1 mile | $500,000 | Aqueduct | Oct 5 2024 | Chancer McPatrick | Tip Top Thomas | Mo Plex | Smoken Wicked | Vekoma Rides | [3] | |
| American Pharoah | miles | $301,000 | Santa Anita | Oct 5 2024 | Citizen Bull | Getaway Car | McKinzie Street | Emerald Bay | Show of Force | [4] | |
| Breeders' Futurity | miles | $594,063 | Keeneland | Oct 5 2024 | East Avenue | Ferocious | Filoso | Dapper Moon | Mesero | [5] | |
| Street Sense | miles | $197,500 | Churchill Downs | Oct 27 2024 | Sovereignty | Tiztastic | Sandman | Dapper Moon | Bracket Buster | [6] | |
| Breeders' Cup Juvenile | miles | $2,000,000 | Del Mar | Nov 1 2024 | Citizen Bull | Gaming | Hill Road | Getaway Car | Ferocious | [7] | |
| Kentucky Jockey Club | miles | $381,250 | Churchill Downs | Nov 30 2024 | First Resort | Jonathan's Way | Tiztastic | Dapper Moon | Render Judgment | [8] | |
| Remsen | miles | $250,000 | Aqueduct | Dec 7 2024 | |||||||
| Springboard Mile | 1 mile | $300,000 | Remington | Dec 13 2024 | |||||||
| Los Alamitos Futurity | miles | $200,000 | Los Alamitos | Dec 14 2024 | |||||||
| Gun Runner Stakes | miles | $100,000 | Fair Grounds | Dec 21 2024 | |||||||
| Smarty Jones | 1 mile | $300,000 | Oaklawn | Jan 4 2025 | |||||||
| Jerome | 1 mile | $150,000 | Aqueduct | Jan 4 2025 |
Note: 1st=20 points; 2nd=10 points; 3rd=6 points; 4th=4 points; 5th=2 points
| Race | Distance | Purse | Track | Date | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | 5th | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lecomte | miles | $250,000 | Fair Grounds | Jan 18 2025 | ||||||
| Southwest | miles | $800,000 | Oaklawn | Jan 25 2025 | ||||||
| Holy Bull | 1 mile | $250,000 | Gulfstream | Feb 1 2025 | ||||||
| Robert B. Lewis | 1 mile | $150,000 | Santa Anita | Feb 1 2025 | ||||||
| Withers | miles | $250,000 | Aqueduct | Feb 1 2025 | ||||||
| Sam F. Davis Stakes | miles | $250,000 | Tampa Bay | Feb 8 2025 | ||||||
| John Battaglia Memorial Stakes | miles | $150,000 | Turfway | Feb 22 2025 | ||||||
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
| Race | Distance | Purse | Grade | Track | Date | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | 5th | Ref | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Risen Star | miles | $500,000 | 2 | Fair Grounds | Feb 15 2025 | |||||||
| Sunland Derby | miles | $500,000 | 3 | Sunland Park | Feb 16 2025 | |||||||
| Rebel | miles | $1,250,000 | 2 | Oaklawn | Feb 22 2025 | |||||||
| Fountain of Youth | miles | $400,000 | 2 | Gulfstream | Mar 1 2025 | |||||||
| Gotham | 1 mile | $300,000 | 3 | Aqueduct | Mar 1 2025 | |||||||
| San Felipe | miles | $400,000 | 2 | Santa Anita | Mar 2 2025 | |||||||
| Tampa Bay Derby | miles | $350,000 | 2 | Tampa Bay | Mar 8 2025 | |||||||
| Virginia Derby | miles | $500,000 | 3 | Colonial Downs | Mar 15 2025 |
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
| Race | Distance | Purse | Grade | Track | Date | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | 5th | Ref | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Louisiana Derby | miles | $1,000,000 | 2 | Fair Grounds | Mar 22 2025 | |||||||
| Jeff Ruby | miles | $700,000 | 3 | Turfway | Mar 22 2025 | |||||||
| Florida Derby | miles | $1,000,000 | 1 | Gulfstream | Mar 29 2025 | |||||||
| Arkansas Derby | miles | $1,500,000 | 1 | Oaklawn Park | Mar 29 2025 | |||||||
| Blue Grass Stakes | miles | $1,000,000 | 1 | Keeneland | Apr 5 2025 | |||||||
| Santa Anita Derby | miles | $750,000 | 1 | Santa Anita | Apr 5 2025 | |||||||
| Wood Memorial | miles | $750,000 | 2 | Aqueduct | Apr 5 2025 | |||||||
| Lexington | miles | $400,000 | 3 | Keeneland | Apr 12 2025 |
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.
| Race | Distance | Track | Date | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | 5th | Ref | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beresford Stakes | 1 mile | The Curragh | Sep 28 2024 | Hotazhell | Tennessee Stud | Windlord | Trinity College | Lambourn | [9] | |
| Royal Lodge Stakes | 1 mile | Newmarket | Sep 28 2024 | Wimbledon Hawkeye | Royal Playwright | Angelo Buonarroti | Puppet Master | Luther | [10] | |
| Prix Jean-Luc Lagardère | 1,400 metres (about 7 furlongs) | Longchamp | Oct 6 2024 | Camille Pissarro | Rashabar | Misunderstood | Field Of Gold | Henri Matisse | [11] | |
| William Hill Futurity Trophy | 1 mile | Doncaster | Oct 26 2024 | Hotazhell | Delacroix | Wimbledon Hawkeye | Seaplane | Anno Domini | [12] | |
| European Road to the Kentucky Derby Conditions Stakes | 1 mile | Kempton Park | Feb 26 2025 | |||||||
| 1 mile | Dundalk | Feb 28 2025 | ||||||||
| UAE Derby | 1,900 metres (about miles) | Meydan | Apr 5 2025 |
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.
| Race | Distance | Track | Date | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | 5th | Ref | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cattleya Stakes | 1,600 metres (~1 mile) | Tokyo Racecourse | Nov 23 | Natural Rise | Clay King | T O Elvis | Snappy Dresser | Kanreiski | [13] | |
| Zen-Nippon Nisai Yushun | 1,600 metres (~1 mile) | Kawasaki Racecourse | Dec 11 | |||||||
| Hyacinth | 1,600 metres (~1 mile) | Tokyo Racecourse | Feb 16 | |||||||
| Fukuryu | 1,800 metres (~ miles) | Nakayama Racecourse | Mar 22 |