2026-2027 ROAD TO THE KENTUCKY DERBY AND KENTUCKY OAKS PREP RACES
20 thoroughbred horses will get the once in a lifetime opportunity to run in the 153rd Kentucky Derby on May 1, 2027.
2026-2027 Road to the Kentucky Derby and Oaks Schedule
View the Full Prep Race Schedule for the 153rd Running of the Kentucky Oaks and Kentucky Derby below!*
*Race Schedule is Subject to Change
UPDATE
Kentucky Derby & Oaks Prep Races Season 2026-2027
Iroquois Stakes (September 12, 2026)
Pocahontas (September 12, 2026)
The Royal Lodge Stakes (September 25, 2026)
Churchill Tyres Beresford Stakes (September 26, 2026)
Champagne (October 3, 2026)
Frizette (October 3, 2026)
Qatar Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere (October 4, 2026)
American Pharoah (October 3, 2026)
Oak Leaf (October 3, 2026)
Claiborne Breeders’ Futurity (October 3, 2026)
William Hill Futurity Trophy Stakes (October 24, 2026)
Kentucky Jockey Club (November 28, 2026)
Golden Rod (November 28, 2026)
Cattleya (November 29, 2026)
Remsen (December 5, 2026)
Demoiselle (December 5, 2026)
Los Alamitos Futurity (December 12, 2026)
Remington Springboard Mile (December 19, 2026)
Gun Runner (December 19, 2026)
Untapable (December 19, 2026)
Smarty Jones (January 2, 2027)
Jerome (January 2, 2027)
Busanda (January 2, 2027)
Lecomte (January 16, 2027)
Fasig-Tipton Silverbulletday (January 16, 2027)
Southwest (February 6, 2027)
Martha Washington (January 23, 2027)
Holy Bull (January 30, 2027)
Forward Gal (January 30, 2027)
Robert B. Lewis (January 30, 2027)
Fasig-Tipton Risen Star (February 13, 2027)
Rachel Alexandra (February 13, 2027)
Rebel (March 13, 2027)
Honeybee (February 20, 2027)
Sam F. Davis (February 6, 2027)
Suncoast (February 6, 2027)
Gotham (February 27, 2027)
Busher (February 27, 2027)
San Felipe (February 27, 2027)
John Battaglia Memorial (February 27, 2027)
Fountain of Youth (February 27, 2027)
Davona Dale (February 27, 2027)
ESMARK Tampa Bay Derby (March 6, 2027)
The Patton (February 26, 2027)
Road to the Kentucky Derby Condition Stakes (February 24, 2027)
Jeff Ruby Steaks (March 20, 2027)
Bourbonette Oaks (March 20, 2027)
Twinspires.com Louisiana Derby (March 20, 2027)
Fasig-Tipton Fair Grounds Oaks (March 20, 2027)
Sunland Derby (February 14, 2027)
Sunland Park Oaks (February 13, 2027)
Florida Derby (March 27, 2027)
Gulfstream Park Oaks (March 27, 2027)
Arkansas Derby (April 10, 2027)
Wood Memorial (April 3, 2027)
Gazelle (April 3, 2027)
Blue Grass (April 3, 2027)
Santa Anita Derby (April 3, 2027)
Santa Anita Oaks (April 3, 2027)
Lexington (April 11, 2027)
UAE Derby (March 27, 2027)
Zen-Nippon Nisai Yushun (December 16, 2026)
Hyacinth (February 21, 2027)
Fukuryu (March 25, 2027)
Street Sense (October 25, 2026)
Rags to Riches (October 25, 2026)
Darley Alcibiades Stakes (October 2, 2026)
Cincinnati Trophy (February 19, 2027)
Santa Ysabel (February 28, 2027)
Ashland (April 2, 2027)
UAE Fillies' Mile (February 27, 2027)
Virginia Derby (March 13, 2027)
Virginia Oaks (March 13, 2027)
Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (October 30, 2026)
Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (October 30, 2026)
Starlet (December 5, 2026)
UAE 2000 Guineas (January 22, 2027)
Saudi Derby (February 6, 2027)
Dubai Road to the Kentucky Derby Stakes (February 19, 2027)
Santa Ynez (January 3, 2027)
Withers (January 30, 2027)
Las Virgenes (January 31, 2027)
Fantasy (March 27, 2027)
Leonatus (January 16, 2027)
September 2026
Iroquois Stakes
September 12, 2026
Churchill Downs • Louisville, KY, USA
Points: 10-5-3-2-1
The Royal Lodge Stakes
September 25, 2026
Newmarket • Suffolk, England, UK
Points: 10-5-3-2-1
Churchill Tyres Beresford Stakes
September 26, 2026
Curragh • Kildare, Ireland
Points: 10-5-3-2-1
October 2026
American Pharoah
October 3, 2026
Santa Anita Park • Arcadia, CA, USA
Points: 10-5-3-2-1
Claiborne Breeders’ Futurity
October 3, 2026
Keeneland • Lexington, KY, USA
Points: 10-5-3-2-1
Qatar Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere
October 4, 2026
ParisLongchamp • Paris, France
Points: 10-5-3-2-1
William Hill Futurity Trophy Stakes
October 24, 2026
Doncaster • Doncaster, England, UK
Points: 10-5-3-2-1
Street Sense
October 25, 2026
Churchill Downs • Louisville, KY, USA
Points: 10-5-3-2-1
Breeders’ Cup Juvenile
October 30, 2026
Keeneland • Lexington, KY, USA
Points: 30-15-9-6-3
November 2026
Kentucky Jockey Club
November 28, 2026
Churchill Downs • Louisville, KY, USA
Points: 10-5-3-2-1
September 2026
Pocahontas
September 12, 2026
Churchill Downs • Louisville, KY, USA
Points: 10-5-3-2-1
October 2026
Darley Alcibiades Stakes
October 2, 2026
Keeneland • Lexington, KY, USA
Points: 10-5-3-2-1
Rags to Riches
October 25, 2026
Churchill Downs • Louisville, KY, USA
Points: 10-5-3-2-1
Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies
October 30, 2026
Keeneland • Lexington, KY, USA
Points: 30-15-9-6-3
November 2026
Golden Rod
November 28, 2026
Churchill Downs • Louisville, KY, USA
Points: 10-5-3-2-1
The Road to the Kentucky Derby presented by Woodford Reserve is a series of races that awards points to the Top 5 finishers in each race.
Road to the Derby and Oaks Information
The Road to the Kentucky Derby is a series of prep races where 3-year-old Thoroughbreds earn points toward a place in the Kentucky Derby starting gate. The highest-ranked eligible contenders on the leaderboard earn the opportunity to compete beneath the Twin Spires.
How the Road to the Kentucky Oaks works
The Road to the Kentucky Oaks follows the season’s top 3-year-old fillies as they earn points toward a place in the Longines Kentucky Oaks.
Learn more about the Road to the Kentucky Derby and how horses get in the Oaks and Derby starting gate.
Prep Race FAQs
Learn how the 2026-2027 Road to the Kentucky Derby and Road to the Kentucky Oaks work, including prep race points, qualifying races, results and the path contenders take toward Churchill Downs.
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