On Saturday, Aqueduct Park will host its signature race and the final stop on the New York road to the Kentucky Derby. A field of eight 3-year-olds will do battle in the $750,000, Grade 2 Wood Memorial Stakes. A total of 170 Derby qualifying points are on the line, with the Winner receiving 100 points, the runner-up getting 40, the 3rd-place finisher earning 20, and the 4th-place … Continue reading The Wood Memorial
The Derby door of opportunity is still ajar, but time is running out. There are three major preps this Saturday each offering 100 points to the Winning horse, which virtually locks down a spot in the gate on May 7th. Here then, the big three this weekend: THE WOOD MEMORIAL STAKES New York’s premier Kentucky Derby prep race is contested at 1 1/8 miles (9 … Continue reading Three Big Preps On Saturday
The $1.25 million, Grade 1 Arkansas Derby at Oaklawn Park offers Kentucky Derby contenders the opportunity to compete for the top-level points (100-40-20-10) at a distance of a 1 1/8 miles. With the Run for the Roses less than six weeks away, this will be the last chance for the horses in this field to gather Derby qualifying points. There will be an urgency about Winning points … Continue reading Who Wins The Arkansas Derby?
By 1988, D. Wayne Lukas had established himself as one of America’s top trainers. The Kentucky Derby, however, had eluded him; he had not yet Won it despite having 12 starters since 1981. WINNING COLORS by being Victorious in the 1988 Santa Anita Oaks, established herself as a Derby prospect. She crushed the competition in a dominant gate-to-wire performance in the Oaks Winning by eight lengths. … Continue reading Fillies, Preps, & The Derby
The winter/spring meet at Fair Grounds wraps up this weekend with the track’s signature race, the $1 million dollar, Grade 2 Louisiana Derby on Saturday. The race is the first domestic Derby prep offering top-tier qualifying points, distributing them on a 100-40-20-10 basis to the first four finishers. It’s the last of four qualifying points races for Derby 148 held during the Fair Grounds meet. It’s slated … Continue reading Who Wins The Louisiana Derby?
Are you ready? The Road to the Kentucky Derby heats up in a big way with Saturday’s running of the $1 million dollar Louisiana Derby at Fairgrounds. The 1 3/16-mile, Grade 2 race awards a total of 170 Derby qualification points to the top four finishers on a 100-40-20-10 basis, which essentially guarantees both the Winner and the runner-up a spot in the gate for the 2022 … Continue reading Louisiana Derby Trends
Fair Grounds‘ road to the Kentucky Derby reaches its terminus Saturday with the $1 million dollar, Grade 2 Louisiana Derby. The Louisiana Derby is one of the oldest Derby prep races, first held back in 1894. The field will travel 1 3/16 miles on dirt in this race, making the Louisiana Derby the longest Derby prep. Since 1973, the race has been run as a Grade 2. … Continue reading Talented Louisiana Derby Winners
There are no Derby prep races this weekend. But, the 100-40-20-10 point preps are at hand- eight races compressed into 15 days, beginning next Saturday (03/26). As long as they are eligible (aka not Baffert horses), the Winners are mathematically assured of berths in the starting gate in the Run For The Roses. The 2nd-place horses have a good shot at getting there as well. … Continue reading Where The Winners Prep
This year’s Road To The Kentucky Derby is in full-swing, but if you’re new to horse racing you may have some questions about how all of this works. Well, wonder no more. Here is an easy overview about qualifying for The Run For The Roses. WHO: Three-Year-Old Thoroughbreds. When you hear that Winning the Kentucky Derby is a once-in-a-lifetime event, that’s a literal statement. Only … Continue reading How To Qualify For The Derby.
Another spot in the Kentucky Derby will be filled Saturday, as full field of twelve 3-year-olds clash in the $400,000 dollar, Grade 2 Fountain Of Youth Stakes at Gulfstream Park. The Winning horse will earn 50 qualifying points toward the Run For The Roses, which will assure him of one of the 20 spots in the starting gate. The contest is listed as race 12 on … Continue reading Who Wins The F.O.Y. Stakes?
