The Kentucky Derby Championship Series, which determines the horses eligible to run in the Kentucky Derby, consists of a total of 16 prep races. These races award points to the top finishers, with seven races offering a 50-25-15-10-5 point distribution and the final prep races offering double points (100-50-25-15-10). One exception is the Lexington Stakes, which has a different point split of 20-10-6-4-2
. On the actual Kentucky Derby race day, there are usually 14 races held at Churchill Downs, with the Kentucky Derby itself typically scheduled as Race 12. These include various other races that make for a full day of competitive horse racing
. In summary:
- 16 prep races in the Kentucky Derby Championship Series lead up to the Derby
- On Derby day, there are about 14 races total, including the Kentucky Derby as the main event
