LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) — The road to the 152nd Kentucky Derby takes many horses across the United States. From New York to Florida to California and in between, trainers gear up their horses in prep races to build up points and qualify for a trip to Churchill Downs.
Officially, that journey starts in September with the Iroquois Stakes at Churchill Downs and runs all the way to the Lexington Stakes at Keeneland in mid-April.
Below is a list of the most prominent Derby prep races with results and full replay videos. And to see the real-time Derby points standings, click here.
Smarty Jones Stakes: Jan. 3 at Oaklawn Park
- Win: Strategic Risk (Mark Casse)
- Place: Silent Tactic
- Show: Baytown Dreamer
Holy Bull Stakes: Jan. 31 at Gulfstream Park
- Win: Nearly (Todd Pletcher)
- Place: Bravaro
- Show: Project Ace
Robert B. Lewis Stakes: Feb. 7 at Santa Anita Park
- Win: Plutarch (Bob Baffert)
- Place: Intrepido
- Show: Secured Freedom
Sam F. Davis Stakes: Feb. 7 at Tampa Bay Downs
- Win: Renegade (Todd Pletcher)
- Place: Wayne's Law
- Show: The Puma
Fasig-Tipton Risen Star Stakes: Feb. 14 at Fair Grounds Race Course
- Win: Paladin (Chad Brown)
- Place: Chip Honcho
- Show: Golden Tempo
John Battaglia Memorial Stakes: Feb. 21 at Turfway Park
- Win: Great White (John Ennis)
- Place: Fulleffort
- Show: Maximus Prime
Fountain of Youth Stakes: Feb. 28 at Gulfstream Park
- Win: Commandment (Brad Cox)
- Place: Chief Wallabee
- Show: Solitude Dude
Gotham Stakes: Feb. 28 at Aqueduct
- Win: Iron Honor (Chad Brown)
- Place: Crown the Buckeye
- Show: Right to Party
Rebel Stakes: March 1 at Oaklawn Park
- Win: Class President (Todd Pletcher)
- Place: Silent Tactic
- Show: Litmus Test
San Felipe Stakes: March 7 at Santa Anita Park
- Win: Potente (Baffert)
- Place: Robusta
- Show: So Happy
Tampa Bay Derby: March 7 at Tampa Bay Downs
- Win: The Puma (Delgado)
- Place: Further Ado
- Show: Canaletto
Louisiana Derby: March 21 at Fair Grounds
- Win: Emerging Market
- Place: Pavlovian
- Show: Golden Tempo
Jeff Ruby Steaks: March 21 at Turfway Park
- Win: Fulleffort (Brown)
- Place: Stark Contrast
- Show: Medici
Arkansas Derby: March 28 at Oaklawn Park
- Win: Renegade (Pletcher)
- Place: Silent Tactic
- Show: Taptastic
Florida Derby: March 28 at Gulstream Park
- Win: Commandment (Cox)
- Place: The Puma
- Show: Chief Wallabee
UAE Derby: March 28 at Meydan Racecourse
- Win: Wonder Dean (JPN/Takayanagi)
- Place: SIX SPEED
- Show: Pyromancer
Santa Anita Derby: April 4 at Santa Anita Park
- Win: So Happy (Glatt)
- Place: Potente
- Show: Vitruvian Man
Wood Memorial: April 4 at Aqueduct
- Win: Albus (Mott)
- Place: Right to Party
- Show: Ocelli
Blue Grass Stakes: April 4 at Keeneland
- Win: Further Ado (Cox)
- Place: Ottinho
- Show: Talkin
Lexington Stakes: April 11 at Keeneland
- Win: Trendsetter (Colebrook)
- Place: The Hell We Did
- Show: Corona de Oro
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