The Road to the Kentucky Derby is complete. Here’s who qualified for the race.
The Road to the Kentucky Derby has reached its end.
On Saturday, the final qualifying points race toward reaching the Kentucky Derby was run: the Stonestreet Lexington Stakes at Keeneland.
Tawny Port won the race, claiming 20 qualifying points for the Kentucky Derby, enough to secure a starting Derby spot for the horse.
Major General in second took home eight points, In Due Time in third claimed four points and Ethereal Road in fourth earned two points.
With all of the points qualifying races now complete, the Road to the Kentucky Derby points leaderboard has been finalized.
The Kentucky Derby will feature the top 20 points earners that pass the entry box on May 2.
One invitation to the race is extended to each of the top points earners in the Europe Road to the Kentucky Derby and the Japan Road to the Kentucky Derby.
Points tiebreakers are decided by earnings in non-restricted stakes races, followed by lifetime earnings.
Leaderboard
1. Epicenter — 164 points
▪ Trainer: Steve Asmussen
▪ Jockey: Joel Rosario
▪ Earnings in non-restricted stakes races: $940,000
▪ Part of the Keeneland September Yearling Sale in 2020
2. Zandon — 114 points
▪ Trainer: Chad Brown
▪ Jockey: Flavien Prat
▪ Earnings in non-restricted stakes races: $663,500
▪ Winner of the 98th Blue Grass Stakes at Keeneland on April 9 by 2 1/2 lengths
3. White Abarrio — 112 points
▪ Trainer: Saffie Joseph Jr.
▪ Jockey: Tyler Gaffalione
▪ Earnings in non-restricted stakes races: $769,650
▪ Won the Florida Derby at Gulfstream Park on April 2
4. Mo Donegal — 112 points
▪ Trainer: Todd Pletcher
▪ Jockey: Joel Rosario
▪ Earnings in non-restricted stakes races: $561,500
▪ Mo Donegal’s sire, Uncle Mo, fathered 2016 Kentucky Derby winner Nyquist
5. Tiz the Bomb — 110 points
▪ Trainer: Kenny McPeek
▪ Jockey: Brian Hernandez Jr.
▪ Earnings in non-restricted stakes races: $1,012,610
▪ Won the Jeff Ruby Steaks at Turfway Park on April 2
6. Cyberknife — 100 points
▪ Trainer: Brad Cox
▪ Jockey: Florent Geroux
▪ Earnings in non-restricted stakes races: $752,000
▪ Won the Arkansas Derby on April 2
7. Crown Pride (Japan) — 100 points
▪ Trainer: Koichi Shintani
▪ Jockey: Damian Lane
▪ Earnings in non-restricted stakes races: $671,544
▪ Won the UAE Derby in March in Dubai by 2 3/4 lengths
8. Taiba — 100 points
▪ Trainer: Tim Yakteen
▪ Jockey: Mike Smith
▪ Earnings in non-restricted stakes races: $450,000
▪ Has won both career starts, including the Santa Anita Derby at Santa Anita Park on April 9
9. Simplification — 74 points
▪ Trainer: Antonio Sano
▪ Jockey: Jose L. Ortiz
▪ Earnings in non-restricted stakes races: $482,150
▪ Finished third in the Florida Derby at Gulfstream Park on April 2
10. Smile Happy — 70 points
▪ Trainer: Kenny McPeek
▪ Jockey: Corey Lanerie
▪ Earnings in non-restricted stakes races: $499,410
▪ Finished second to Zandon as the 9-5 race favorite in the 98th Blue Grass Stakes at Keeneland on April 9
▪ Classic Causeway accumulated 66 qualifying points toward the Kentucky Derby, but was ruled out of the race after a poor showing in the Florida Derby.
11. Tawny Port — 60 points
▪ Trainer: Brad Cox
▪ Jockey: Florent Geroux
▪ Earnings in non-restricted stakes races: $351,400
▪ Won Saturday’s Stonestreet Lexington Stakes
▪ Slow Down Andy also accumulated 60 qualifying points toward the Kentucky Derby, but will not run in the race after turning up sick according to trainer Doug O’Neill. This news was first reported by Horse Racing Nation.
12. Barber Road — 58 points
▪ Trainer: John Alexander Ortiz
▪ Jockey: Reylu Gutierrez
▪ Earnings in non-restricted stakes races: $589,700
▪ Finished second in the Arkansas Derby to Cyberknife on April 2
13. Un Ojo — 54 points
▪ Trainer: Ricky Courville
▪ Jockey: Ramon A. Vazquez
▪ Earnings in non-restricted stakes races: $661,250
▪ Lost his left eye in a pasture accident as a yearling
14. Early Voting — 50 points
▪ Trainer: Chad Brown
▪ Jockey: Jose Ortiz
▪ Earnings in non-restricted stakes races: $277,500
▪ Finishes second to Mo Donegal in the Wood Memorial at Aqueduct Racetrack on April 9
▪ Forbidden Kingdom accumulated 50 qualifying points toward the Kentucky Derby, but will not run the race after finishing last in the Santa Anita Derby.
15. Morello — 50 points
▪ Trainer: Steve Asmussen
▪ Jockey: Jose Lezcano
▪ Earnings in non-restricted stakes races: $242,500
▪ Morello has won three of his four career starts
16. Messier — 40 points
▪ Trainer: Tim Yakteen
▪ Jockey: John Velazquez
▪ Earnings in non-restricted stakes races: $390,000
▪ Was formerly trained by Bob Baffert
17. Zozos — 40 points
▪ Trainer: Brad Cox
▪ Jockey: Florent Geroux
▪ Earnings in non-restricted stakes races: $200,000
▪ Lifetime earnings: $291,200
18. Summer Is Tomorrow — 40 points
▪ Trainer: Bhupat Seemar
▪ Jockey: Mickael Barzalona
▪ Earnings in non-restricted stakes races: $200,000
▪ Lifetime earnings: $267,606
19. Charge It — 40 points
▪ Trainer: Todd Pletcher
▪ Jockey: Luis Saez
▪ Earnings in non-restricted stakes races: $188,000
▪ Has finished first or second in all three career starts
20. Happy Jack — 30 points
▪ Trainer: Doug O’Neill
▪ Jockey: Abel Cedillo
▪ Earnings in non-restricted stakes races: $142,000
▪ Finished third in the Santa Anita Derby at Santa Anita Park on April 9
21. Pioneer of Medina — 25 points
▪ Trainer: Todd Pletcher
▪ Jockey: Tyler Gaffalione
▪ Earnings in non-restricted stakes races: $116,000
▪ Sired by Pioneerof the Nile, who finished second in the 2009 Kentucky Derby
22. In Due Time — 24 points
▪ Trainer: Kelly Breen
▪ Jockey: Paco Lopez
▪ Earnings in non-restricted stakes races: $113,800
▪ Finished third in Saturday’s Stonestreet Lexington Stakes
23. Ethereal Road — 22 points
▪ Trainer: D. Wayne Lukas
▪ Jockey: Victor Espinoza
▪ Earnings in non-restricted stakes races: $231,000
▪ Finished fourth in Saturday’s Stonestreet Lexington Stakes
24. Rich Strike — 21 points
▪ Trainer: Eric Reed (lost horses, tack and supplies in December 2016 fire at Mercury Equine Center in Lexington)
▪ Jockey: Sonny Leon
▪ Earnings in non-restricted stakes races: $74,500
▪ Won only race in September at Churchill Downs (maiden claiming race). Worked a half-mile in :48 over a fast main track Saturday morning at Keeneland.
25. Rattle N Roll — 20 points
▪ Trainer: Kenny McPeek
▪ Jockey: Brian Hernandez Jr.
▪ Earnings in non-restricted stakes races: $356,500
▪ Finished sixth in the 98th Blue Grass Stakes at Keeneland on April 9
26. Skippylongstocking — 20 points
▪ Trainer: Saffie Joseph Jr.
▪ Jockey: Junior Alvarado
▪ Earnings in non-restricted stakes races: $86,350
▪ Finished third in the Wood Memorial at Aqueduct Racetrack on April 9
27. Major General — 18 points
▪ Trainer: Todd Pletcher
▪ Jockey: Irad Ortiz Jr.
▪ Earnings in non-restricted stakes races: $251,525
▪ Finished second in Saturday’s Stonestreet Lexington Stakes
28. Golden Glider — 15 points
▪ Trainer: Mark Casse
▪ Jockey: Ricardo Santana Jr.
▪ Earnings in non-restricted stakes races: $87,250
▪ Finished fourth in the 98th Blue Grass Stakes at Keeneland on April 9
This story was originally published April 16, 2022 at 5:39 PM.
