The 2019 Road to the Kentucky Derby was a series of races through which horses qualified for the 2019 Kentucky Derby, which was held on May 4, 2019. The field for the Derby is limited to 20 horses, with up to four 'also eligibles' in case of a late withdrawal from the field. There are three separate paths for horses to take to qualify for the Derby: the main Road consisting of races in North America (plus one in Dubai), the Japan Road consisting of four races in Japan, and a European Road consisting of seven races in England, Ireland and France.
The main Road to the Kentucky Derby gives points to the top four finishers in specified races. The 2019 season was supposed to remain the same as the 2018 Road to the Kentucky Derby, consisting of 35 races broken down into 19 races for the Kentucky Derby Prep Season and 16 races for the Kentucky Derby Championship Season. Earnings in non-restricted stakes act as a tie breaker. However, the San Felipe Stakes was not run in 2019 due to difficulties with the track surface at Santa Anita Park in the wake of heavy winter rains, while the Rebel Stakes was run in two divisions with the posts adjusted to 37.5-15-7.5-3.75 for each division.
For 2019, some small changes were made from 2018 for the other series: Race changes: In the European Road, the Cardinal Stakes replaced the Burradon Stakes. Added a fourth race to the Japan series – the Fukuryu Stakes. Points system changes: Fukuryu Stakes in Japan was set at 40-16-8-4 points to the top four placings. The Zen-Nippon Nisai Yushun points were doubled to 20-8-4-2.
Main Road to the Kentucky Derby Standings
The following table shows the points earned in the eligible races for the main series. Entries for the 2019 Kentucky Derby were taken on April 30. Omaha Beach was originally entered but was scratched on May 1 due to an entrapped epiglottis. Haikal subsequently scratched as well. As a result, Bodexpress drew into the race.
Country House, who qualified by finishing second in the Risen Star and third in the Arkansas Derby, was declared the winner after Maximum Security was disqualified for interference. RankHorsePointsEarningsTrainerOwnerRef1 Tacitus 150 $610,000William I. MottJuddmonte Farmsscratched Omaha Beach 137.5 $1,050,000Richard E. Mandella Fox Hill Farm2Vekoma 110 $747,600 George Weaver R.A. Hill Stable and Gatsas Stables3 Plus Que Parfait 104 $1,540,400 Brendan Walsh Imperial Racing 4Roadster100$636,000Bob BaffertSpeedway Stable LLC 5By My Standards100 $600,000Bret Calhoun Allied Racing Stable6 Maximum Security 100 $582,800 Jason Servis Gary & Mary West7Game Winner 85 $1,810,000Bob Baffert Gary & Mary West8 Code of Honor 74 $432,070 Claude R. McGaugheyWilliam Farishscratched Haikal 70 $322,500 Kiaran McLaughlin Shadwell Stable9Improbable65 $589,520 Bob BaffertWinStar Farm, China Horse Club and Starlight Racing10War of Will 60 $450,840Mark CasseGary Barber11 Long Range Toddy 53.5 $830,000Steven Asmussen Willis Horton Racing LLC12 Tax 52 $307,500 Danny GarganHugh Lynch and Corms Racing Stable, R.A. Hill Stable, Reeves Thoroughbred Racing 13 Cutting Humor 50 $462,467Todd Pletcher Starlight Racing14 Win Win Win 50 $316,000 Michael Trombetta Live Oak Plantation 15 Country House 50 $220,000 William Mott Mrs. J. V. Shields, E. J. M. McFadden and LNJ Foxwoods16 Gray Magician 41 $526,000Peter MillerWachtel Stable, Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners, Gary Barber17Spinoff 40 $224,000Todd PletcherWertheimer et Frère18Master Fencer qualified for the then 20th position through the Japan Road to the Kentucky Derby (below)19 Bodexpress 40 $188,000 Gustavo Delgado Top Racing, Global Thoroughbred & GDS Racing Stable Signalman 38 $492,840Kenneth McPeek Tommie M. Lewis & Magdalena Racingbypassing Anothertwistafate 38 $268,960 Blaine Wright Peter Redekop Sueno 32 $285,000Keith Desormeaux Silverton Hill Bourbon War 31 $137,200Mark Hennig Bourbon Lane Stable & Lake Star Stable bypassing Mind Control 30 $492,500 Gregory Sacco Red Oak Stable & Madaket Stablesbypassing Somelikeithotbrown 30 $371,665 Mike Maker Skychai Racing and Sand Dollar StableInstagrand 30 $276,000 Jerry Hollendorfer OXO EquineMucho Gusto 24 $286,800Bob Baffert Michael Lund Petersen injured Gunmetal Gray 21.75 $247,500 Jerry Hollendorfer Hollendorfer & West Point Thoroughbreds Knicks Go 20 $675,085 Ben Colebrook Korea Racing Authority Stud Farmnot nominated Manguzi 20 $280,000 Ali Rashid Al Rayhi Ahmad Al ShaikhOwendale20$124,000Brad H. CoxRupp Racing Outshine 20 $74,500Todd Pletcher Let's Go Stable and Richard Schibell injured Maximus Mischief 12 $171,100 Robert E. Reid Jr Cash is King LLC and LC Racing bypassing Derma Lourve 10 $616,402 Hiroyuki Asanuma Hirofumi Todainjured Super Steed 10 $304,000 Mike Pressley Mike Pressley and Steed Jacksonnot nominated Complexity 10 $275,000 Chad C. Brown Klaravich Stables Harvey Wallbanger 10 $218,320 Kenneth McPeek Harold Lerner, AWC Stables, Nehoc Stables, Scott Akman & Pa Braverman Gray Attempt 10 $211,666 William H. Fires Dwight Pruett bypassingWell Defined 10 $172,970 Kathleen O'Connell Stonehedge bypassing Cairo Cat 10 $86,490 Kenneth McPeek Walking L Thoroughbreds Nolo Contesto 10 $60,000 John Sadler Hronis Racing bypassing Roiland 10 $57,460 Thomas Amoss James and Mary Durlacher Laughing Fox10$53,000Steven M. AsmussenLieblong, Alex and JoAnn not nominated Math Wizard 10 $50,000 Saffie Joseph Jr. John Fanelli, Collarmele Vitelli Stables, Bassett Stables, Ioannis Zoumas, Wynwood Thoroughbreds & Saffie A. Joseph Jr. bypassingHog Creek Hustle 9 $75,000 Vickie Foley Something Special Racingnot nominated Dynamic Racer 8 $52,150 Ronald Kahles Lou Dunn Diekemper Trust Market King 7.5 $77,222 D. Wayne Lukas Robert C. Baker & William L. Mack Galilean 7.5 $75,000 Jerry Hollendorfer West Point Thoroughbreds, Denise Barker, William Sandbrook bypassing Much Better 7 $50,000 Bob Baffert Three Chimneys Farm bypassing Our Braintrust 6 $147,000 Mark Casse Gary Barber bypassingWicked Indeed 6 $46,400 Steven Asmussen Winchell Thoroughbreds bypassingExtra Hope5.75 $79,500 Richard E. Mandella Jay Em Ess Stable Zenden 5 $91,270 Victor Barboza Jr. Pichi Investments bypassingHidden Scroll 5 $28,800 William Mott Juddmonte Farms bypassing Bankit 4 $106,000 Steven Asmussen Winchell Thoroughbreds & Willis Horton Racing bypassing Network Effect 4 $90,000 Chad C. Brown Klaravich Stables bypassing Everfast 4 $88,635 Dale Romans Calumet Farm not nominated Tight Ten 4 $67,900 Steve Asmussen Winchell Thoroughbreds Not That Brady4 $52,500 Rudy Rodriguez Michael Imperio, Rudy Rodriguez and Lianna Stables injuredKentucky Wildcat 4 $40,000 Thomas Albertrani Godolphin Moonster 4 $23,272 Dale Romans Calumet Farms bypassingKingly 4 $20,000 Bob Baffert Clearview Stables not nominated Call Paul 2 $311,420 Jason Servis Michael Dubb, David Simon, Bethlehem Stables and Bruce Irom bypassing Mr. Money 2 $124,000 W. Bret Calhoun Allied Racing Stable bypassing Rowayton 2 $96,000 Jerry Hollendorfer OXO Equine Six Shooter 2 $77,500 Paul E. Holthus Dundalk 5, NPH Stable and Wes Herek bypassingFive Star General2 $68,400 Arnaud Delacour WinStar Farm, China Horse Club & SF Racing bypassing Dunph 2 $53,000 Michael J. Maker Three Diamonds Farm bypassingManny Wah 2 $52,425 Wayne M. Catalano Susan Moulton bypassingStandard Deviation 2 $50,000 Chad C. Brown Klaravich Stables bypassing Easy Shot 2 $42,500 Keith Desormeaux Calumet Farm bypassing Family Biz 2 $41,475 Edward Barker Danny Chen, James Cestaro & Campbell Road Stables bypassing Limonite 2 $26,200 Steven Asmussen Winchell Thoroughbreds & Willis Horton Racing So Alive 2 $22,223 Todd Pletcher Robert LaPenta More Ice 2 $21,984 Jerry Hollendorfer Jerry Hollendorfer, Kenwood Racing and Richard Robertson not nominated Pole Setter 2 $17,950 Brad Cox Steve Landers Racing bypassing Boldor 2 $16,667 Steven Asmussen Susie and Ed Orr not nominated Sombeyay 1 $158,500 Todd Pletcher Starlight Racing Sir Winston1 $80,081 Mark Casse Tracy Farmernot nominated Tobacco Road 1 $63,400 Steven Asmussen L and N Racing not nominatedDueling 1 $38,000 Jerry Hollendorfer Michael Stinsonnot nominatedAurelius Maximus 1 $30,000 Chad C. Brown Stonestreet Stables, G. Bolton, P. Leidel bypassing Tone Broke 1 $24,000 Steven Asmussen L and N Racing bypassing Epic Dreamer 1 $20,800 Kelly Breen Epic Racingnot nominated Jefe 1 $18,000 Keith Desormeaux Big Chief Racing, Madaket Stables, Rocker O Ranch, Keith Desormeaux bypassingCounter Offer 1 $12,000 Ian Wilkes Six Column Stables bypassing King for a Day 1 $9,100 Todd Pletcher Red Oak Stable bypassing Magnificent McCool 1 $9,000 Doug O'Neill Phoenix Thoroughbred IIIbypassing Gates of Dawn 1 $9,000 John Servis Leonard Green bypassingAngelo's Pride 1 $6,000 William Delia William Delia, Anthony George & Mike Stone Winner of Kentucky Derby in bold Entrants for Kentucky Derby in blue "Also eligible" for Kentucky Derby in green Did not qualify/Not nominated/No longer under Derby consideration/Sidelined in gray-->
Prep season results
Note: 1st=10 points; 2nd=4 points; 3rd=2 points; 4th=1 point (except the Breeders' Cup Juvenile: 1st=20 points; 2nd=8 points; 3rd=4 points; 4th=2 point)
RaceDistancePurseTrackDate1st2nd3rd4thRefIroquois miles$150,000Churchill DownsSep 15 2018 Cairo Cat Tight Ten Pole Setter Tobacco Road American Pharoah miles$300,000Santa AnitaSep 29 2018Game Winner Gunmetal GrayRowayton Jefe Champagne1 mile$500,000BelmontOct 6 2018 Complexity Code of Honor Call Paul Aurelius Maximus Breeders' Futurity miles$500,000KeenelandOct 6 2018 Knicks Go Signalman Standard Deviation Sombeyay Breeders' Cup Juvenile miles$2,000,000Churchill DownsNov 2 2018 Game Winner Knicks Go Signalman Mr. Money Kentucky Jockey Club miles$200,000Churchill DownsNov 24 2018 Signalman Plus Que Parfait Limonite King for a Day Remsen miles$250,000AqueductDec 1 2018 Maximus Mischief Network Effect Tax Bourbon War Los Alamitos Futurity miles$300,345Los AlamitosDec 8 2018 Improbable Mucho Gusto Extra Hope Dueling Springboard Mile1 mile$400,000RemingtonDec 16 2018 Long Range Toddy Bankit Dunph Tone Broke Jerome1 mile$150,900AqueductJan 1 2019 Mind Control Our Braintrust Family BizGates of DawnSham1 mile$100,702Santa AnitaJan 5 2019 Gunmetal Gray Sueno Much Better Gray Magician Lecomte$200,000Fair GroundsJan 19 2018 War of Will Hog Creek Hustle Manny Wah Wicked Indeed Smarty Jones1 mile$150,000OaklawnJan 25 2018 Gray Attempt Long Range Toddy Boldor Six Shooter Holy Bull miles$350,000GulfstreamFeb 2 2019 Harvey Wallbanger Everfast Maximus Mischief Epic Dreamer Withers miles$250,000AqueductFeb 2 2019 Tax Not That Brady Our Braintrust Sir Winston Robert B. Lewis miles$147,351Santa AnitaFeb 2 2019 Mucho Gusto Gunmetal Gray Easy Shot Magnificent McCool Sam F. Davis Stakes miles$250,000Tampa BayFeb 9 2019 Well Defined Kentucky Wildcat So Alive Counter Offer El Camino Real Derby miles$101,800Golden GateFeb 16 2019 Anothertwistafate Kingly More Ice Angelo's Pride Southwest miles$500,000OaklawnFeb 18 2019 Super Steed Sueno Long Range Toddy Six Shooter
Championship series results
First leg of series Note: 1st=50 points; 2nd=20 points; 3rd=10 points; 4th=5 points except for the Rebel Stakes
Rebel Stakes (both divisions) 1st=37.5 points; 2nd=15 points; 3rd=7.5 points; 4th=3.75 points