2027 Kentucky Derby Points: Standings and Prep Schedule

Published on: November 10, 2026

By: Miles HenryFact Checked

Looking like a Derby horse and earning a spot in the starting gate are two different things. The points standings show who’s building a qualifying record, but the bigger spring preps can change the picture quickly.

Quick answer: The main American Road to the 2027 Kentucky Derby includes 36 prep races, running from Sept. 12, 2026, through April 10, 2027. Each awards points to the top five finishers. The standings decide most of the 20-horse field for the May 1 Derby, with up to three spots available through the separate European/Middle East and Japan series.

Start with the current standings and the next prep race below, then check the full schedule and how qualifying works.

2027 Kentucky Derby Points Leaderboard

Main Road to the Kentucky Derby points standings through the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile, Oct. 30, 2026
PointsHorses
40Hughes
25American History
19Salahudin
11Coach Pope
10U.S.S. Valor, Jas
5He Is No Lie, Gaudreau, Net Par, Staunch
3Caribbean Life, Club Reign, Q B Rocket, Imperial Honor, Mystik Bayou, Damavand
2Real Goodbar, Earth Song, Title Worthy, Domus, Blessed Flyer
1Real Gone, Johnny Hockey, Jaded, Emancipate, Card Man

Source: the official Kentucky Derby standings. Horses with the same total are grouped together, and their order within a group doesn’t indicate official rank. The European/Middle East and Japan series keep separate standings.

I break down how these colts are running, and which ones I’m watching, in my 2027 Kentucky Derby prospects.

Watch the 2026 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile replay below for a look at several horses on the early Derby points leaderboard.

2026 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile replay.

Next Kentucky Derby Prep Race

The next American Road points race is the Grade 2 Kentucky Jockey Club at Churchill Downs on Nov. 28, worth 10-5-3-2-1 to the top five. The Remsen at Belmont Park follows on Dec. 5, with the Los Alamitos Futurity on Dec. 12.

How Kentucky Derby Points Work

Each prep race awards points to its top five finishers, and most of the later preps are worth more points than the fall races, though there are a few exceptions. Here are the main points scales on the official 2026-27 schedule:

Kentucky Derby points by race tier
Race tierPoints (1st-2nd-3rd-4th-5th)When
10-point preps10-5-3-2-1September through January
Breeders’ Cup Juvenile30-15-9-6-3Oct. 30, 2026
20-point preps20-10-6-4-2Mostly January and February; the Lexington in April
50-point preps50-25-15-10-5Mid-February through mid-March
100-point preps100-50-25-15-10Late March and early April

The Derby field is capped at 20 starters, with most places decided by the American Road standings. Churchill Downs’ 2026-27 series announcement allows up to two invitations through the European/Middle East series and one through Japan. According to KentuckyDerby.com, ties on the American Road are broken first by earnings in non-restricted stakes races, then by lifetime earnings, then by a random draw. My Kentucky Derby guide covers the race itself, from its history to betting it.

The fall standings, including the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile, show who’s earned points, not who will be the best horse in May. A win in one of the 100-point spring preps can change a colt’s qualifying position in a single afternoon.

2026-27 Prep Race Schedule

These are the 36 races on the main American Road to the 2027 Kentucky Derby, from the official schedule. The Leonatus at Turfway Park is new to the series this year. The points shown are the scheduled allocations. Dates can change, so check the official schedule before you plan around a race.

2026-27 Road to the Kentucky Derby prep races (American Road)
DateRaceTrackPointsWinner
Sept. 12, 2026IroquoisChurchill Downs10-5-3-2-1Salahudin
Oct. 3, 2026American PharoahSanta Anita Park10-5-3-2-1Hughes
Oct. 3, 2026ChampagneBelmont Park10-5-3-2-1U.S.S. Valor
Oct. 3, 2026Claiborne Breeders’ FuturityKeeneland10-5-3-2-1American History
Oct. 25, 2026Street SenseChurchill Downs10-5-3-2-1Jas
Oct. 30, 2026Breeders’ Cup JuvenileKeeneland30-15-9-6-3Hughes
Nov. 28, 2026Kentucky Jockey ClubChurchill Downs10-5-3-2-1Upcoming
Dec. 5, 2026RemsenBelmont Park10-5-3-2-1Upcoming
Dec. 12, 2026Los Alamitos FuturityLos Alamitos10-5-3-2-1Upcoming
Dec. 19, 2026Gun RunnerFair Grounds10-5-3-2-1Upcoming
Dec. 19, 2026Springboard MileRemington Park10-5-3-2-1Upcoming
Jan. 2, 2027Smarty JonesOaklawn Park10-5-3-2-1Upcoming
Jan. 16, 2027LecomteFair Grounds20-10-6-4-2Upcoming
Jan. 16, 2027WithersBelmont Park20-10-6-4-2Upcoming
Jan. 16, 2027LeonatusTurfway Park10-5-3-2-1Upcoming
Jan. 23, 2027Holy BullGulfstream Park20-10-6-4-2Upcoming
Feb. 6, 2027Robert B. LewisSanta Anita Park20-10-6-4-2Upcoming
Feb. 6, 2027Sam F. DavisTampa Bay Downs20-10-6-4-2Upcoming
Feb. 6, 2027SouthwestOaklawn Park20-10-6-4-2Upcoming
Feb. 13, 2027Risen StarFair Grounds50-25-15-10-5Upcoming
Feb. 20, 2027GothamBelmont Park50-25-15-10-5Upcoming
Feb. 20, 2027John Battaglia MemorialTurfway Park20-10-6-4-2Upcoming
Feb. 21, 2027Sunland Park DerbySunland Park20-10-6-4-2Upcoming
Feb. 27, 2027Fountain of YouthGulfstream Park50-25-15-10-5Upcoming
March 6, 2027Tampa Bay DerbyTampa Bay Downs50-25-15-10-5Upcoming
March 6, 2027San FelipeSanta Anita Park50-25-15-10-5Upcoming
March 13, 2027RebelOaklawn Park50-25-15-10-5Upcoming
March 13, 2027Virginia DerbyColonial Downs50-25-15-10-5Upcoming
March 20, 2027Jeff Ruby SteaksTurfway Park100-50-25-15-10Upcoming
March 20, 2027Louisiana DerbyFair Grounds100-50-25-15-10Upcoming
March 27, 2027Florida DerbyGulfstream Park100-50-25-15-10Upcoming
April 3, 2027Wood MemorialBelmont Park100-50-25-15-10Upcoming
April 3, 2027Blue GrassKeeneland100-50-25-15-10Upcoming
April 3, 2027Santa Anita DerbySanta Anita Park100-50-25-15-10Upcoming
April 10, 2027Arkansas DerbyOaklawn Park100-50-25-15-10Upcoming
April 10, 2027LexingtonKeeneland20-10-6-4-2Upcoming

The 100-Point Spring Preps

Seven American Road races award 100 points to the winner and 50 to the runner-up: the Jeff Ruby Steaks, Louisiana Derby, Florida Derby, Wood Memorial, Blue Grass, Santa Anita Derby, and Arkansas Derby. That makes them especially important for horses still trying to secure a spot in the Derby field. The full schedule above shows when and where each is run.

The Louisiana Preps at the Fair Grounds

The Fair Grounds in New Orleans hosts four Derby points races each winter. The series starts with the 10-point Gun Runner on Dec. 19, followed by the 20-point Lecomte in January, the 50-point Risen Star in February, and the 100-point Louisiana Derby on March 20. The Gun Runner and Lecomte are both run at 1 1/16 miles, then the distance goes to 1 1/8 miles for the Risen Star and 1 3/16 miles for the Louisiana Derby.

Horseman’s Take I race horses at Fair Grounds, and I have a two-year-old colt by Goldencents. It would be a dream to see him earn a chance in one of these Louisiana stakes. That gives me another reason to follow this series closely.
Two year old colt, son of Goldencents.
My two year old colt.

The European/Middle East and Japan Roads

Horses can also earn a Derby spot through two international series with their own points and standings. The European/Middle East series runs through the UAE Derby at Meydan on March 27, 2027, which pays 100-60-30-15-10. The Japan series includes the Cattleya, Zen-Nippon Nisai Yushun, Hyacinth, and Fukuryu. Points from these series don’t count on the American leaderboard above. The official schedule lists every race in both series.

2027 Kentucky Derby ProspectsKentucky Derby Guide2026 Breeders’ Cup Recap

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