Schedule released for second ‘Road to the Kentucky Derby’
Louisville, KY (Sports Network) – The schedule of races for the second “Road to the Kentucky Derby” points system was released Friday by Churchill Downs. The 2013-14 series will have 34 races in which Kentucky Derby hopefuls can accumulate points for entry in the first jewel of thoroughbred racing’s Triple Crown.
“Our team continues to believe that contraction is best for the ‘Road to the Kentucky Derby’ to flourish,” said Churchill Downs Racetrack President Kevin Flanery. “Many of our internal goals were met at the conclusion of this year’s inaugural series. We established a clear and understandable path to the Derby; saw increased fan interest and wagering; created compelling drama; and ensured that our starting gate was filled with top 3-year-olds that were best prepared to go a mile-and-a-quarter on the first Saturday in May. With a ‘less-is-more’ approach and continued support from stakeholders and our racetrack partners, we hope to continue to move the ball forward in 2013-14.”
Churchill Downs modified the list of races by adding two and dropping a total of four.
The series begins in September during Churchill’s Homecoming Meet. The Iroquois Stakes for 2-year-olds gets things started on Saturday, Sept. 7. Also added is Aqueduct’s Jerome Stakes early in 2014.
Races dropped are the Derby Trial at Churchill Downs, Great Britain’s Royal Lodge, Hollywood Park’s CashCall Futurity and Tampa Bay Down’s Sam F. Davis Stakes.
The series is divided into two sections: “Prep Season” and “Championship Series.” The “Wild Card” part will have just the Lexington Stakes at Keeneland two weeks before the Run for the Roses.
Races in the “Prep Season” are worth 10 points to the winner, 4 to the runner- up, 2 to third and 1 to fourth. “Championship Series” races are worth 50 points to the winner, 20 to the runner-up, 10 to third and 5 to fourth. The seven most important races, coming three to five weeks before the Derby gain 100 points to first, 40 to second, 20 to third and 10 to fourth. The Lexington will be valued at 10-4-2-1.
The 140th Kentucky Derby will be run Saturday, May 3, 2014. The purse remains at $2 million.
Categorized in: Horses