# 2016 Road to the Kentucky Derby

The field for the Kentucky Derby is limited each year to 20 horses, with two 'also eligibles' in case of a late withdrawal from the field. To determine eligibility, Churchill Downs developed the Road to the Kentucky Derby, which gives points to the top four finishers in specified races. The 2016 season consists of 34 races, 19 races for the Kentucky Derby Prep Season and 15 races for the Kentucky Derby Championship Season. Earnings in non-restricted stakes act as a tie breaker. Gun Runner finished first in the standings thanks to wins in the Risen Star Stakes and Louisiana Derby, then finished third in the Kentucky Derby. Nyquist, who finished second in the qualification standings, won the Derby.

## Standings

| Rank | Horse | Points | Earnings | Trainer | Owner |
| 1 | Gun Runner | 151 | $849,200 | Steven M. Asmussen | Winchell Thoroughbreds LLC & Three Chimneys Farm |
| 2 | Nyquist | 130 | $3,289,000 | Doug F. O'Neill | Reddam Racing LLC |
| 3 | Exaggerator | 126 | $1,628,000 | Keith Desormeux | Big Chief Racing, LLC, Head of Plains Partners LLC, Rocker O Ranch, LLC et al. |
| 4 | Outwork | 120 | $660,800 | Todd A. Pletcher | Repole Stable |
| 5 | Brody's Cause | 114 | $1,100,000 | Dale L. Romans | Albaugh Family Stable |
| 6 | Creator | 110 | $690,000 | Steven M. Asmussen | WinStar Farm LLC |
| 7 | Lani | 100 | $1,300,119 | Mikio Matsunaga | Yoko Maeda |
| 8 | Mor Spirit | 84 | $616,800 | Bob Baffert | Michael Lund Petersen |
| 9 | Mohaymen | 80 | $807,750 | Kiaran P. McLaughlin | Shadwell Stable |
| 10 | Danzing Candy | 60 | $290,000 | Clifford W. Sise Jr. | Halo Farms, Jim & Dianne Bashor |
| 11 | Destin | 51 | $338,000 | Todd A. Pletcher | Twin Creeks Racing Stables, LLC |
| 12 | Suddenbreakingnews | 50 | $637,000 | Donnie K. Von Hemel | Samuel F. Henderson |
| --- | Cupid | 50 | $540,000 | Bob Baffert | Michael B. Tabor, Susan Magnier, Derrick Smith |
| 13 | Oscar Nominated | 50 | $321,360 | Michael J. Maker | Kenneth & Sarah Ramsey |
| 14 | Shagaf | 50 | $270,000 | Chad Brown | Shadwell Stable |
| 15 | Whitmore | 44 | $400,000 | Ron Moquett | Robert V. LaPenta, Harry T. Rosenblum, Southern Springs Stables |
| 16 | Tom's Ready | 44 | $270,670 | Dallas Stewart | G M B Racing (Gayle Benson) |
| 17 | My Man Sam | 40 | $200,000 | Chad Brown | Sheep Pond Partners, Newport Stables LLC, Jay W. Bligh |
| 18 | Majesto | 40 | $190,000 | Gustavo Delgado | Grupo 7C Racing Stable |
| 19 | Trojan Nation | 40 | $190,000 | Paddy Gallagher | Julie Gilbert & Aaron Sones |
| --- | Polar River | 40 | | | |
| 20 | Mo Tom | 32 | $268,326 | Thomas M. Amoss | G M B Racing (Gayle Benson) |
| --- | Fellowship | 32 | $206,590 | Mark Casse | Jacks or Better Farm, Inc. (Fred & Jane Brei) |
| --- | Adventist | 32 | $155,000 | Leah Gyarmati | Treadway Racing Stable (Jeff Treadway) |
| 21 | Laoban | 32 | $142,000 | Eric Guillot | McCormick Racing LLC & Southern Equine Stable LLC |
| --- | Dazzling Gem | 30 | $145,000 | Brad Cox | Steve Landers Racing LLC |
| --- | Uncle Lino | 29 | $174,000 | Eric Guillot | Tom Mansor, Purple Shamrock Racing, Gary Sherlock |
| 22 | Cherry Wine | 25 | $145,000 | Dale L. Romans | William Pacella, Frank L. Jones Jr., Frank Shoop |
| --- | Sunny Ridge | 23 | | | |
| --- | Collected | 21 | | | |
| --- | Azar | 20 | | | |
| --- | Foreamo | 20 | | | |
| --- | Yu Change | 20 | | | |
| --- | Zulu | 20 | | | |
| --- | Flexibility | 15 | | | |
| --- | Greenpointcrusader | 14 | | | |
| --- | Swipe | 12 | | | |
| --- | Airoforce | 10 | | | |
| --- | Cocked and Loaded | 10 | | | |
| --- | Discreetness | 10 | | | |
| --- | Frank Conversation | 10 | | | |
| --- | Matt King Coal | 10 | | | |
| --- | Riker | 10 | | | |
| --- | Star Hill | 10 | | | |
| --- | Surgical Strike | 10 | | | |
| --- | Vale Dori | 10 | | | |
| --- | Vorticity | 8 | | | |
| --- | Kasseopia | 6 | | | |
| --- | Rated R Superstar | 6 | | | |
| --- | Awesome Speed | 5 | | | |
| --- | Candy My Boy | 5 | | | |
| --- | Rafting | 5 | | | |
| --- | Two Step Time | 5 | | | |
| --- | Gordy Florida | 4 | | | |
| --- | Let's Meet in Rio | 4 | | | |
| --- | One More Round | 4 | | | |
| --- | Synchrony | 4 | | | |
| --- | Toews On Ice | 4 | | | |
| --- | Tusk | 4 | | | |
| --- | American Dubai | 2 | | | |
| --- | Found Money | 2 | | | |
| --- | Gift Box | 2 | | | |
| --- | Harlan Punch | 2 | | | |
| --- | Holliday Don | 2 | | | |
| --- | I Will Score | 2 | | | |
| --- | I'malreadythere | 2 | | | |
| --- | In Equality | 2 | | | |
| --- | Portfolio Manager | 2 | | | |
| --- | Sail Ahoy | 2 | | | |
| --- | Tizarunner | 2 | | | |
| --- | Unbridled Outlaw | 2 | | | |
| --- | Uncle Walter | 2 | | | |
| --- | Bird of Trey | 1 | | | |
| --- | Conquest Big E | 1 | | | |
| --- | Conquest Windycity | 1 | | | |
| --- | Direct Message | 1 | | | |
| --- | Dressed in Hermes | 1 | | | |
| --- | Luna de Loco | 1 | | | |
| --- | Rare Candy | 1 | | | |
| --- | San Dimas | 1 | | | |
| --- | Sticksstatelydude | 1 | | | |
| --- | Urlacher | 1 | | | |
| --- | Van Damme | 1 | | | |
* Entrants for Kentucky Derby in blue
* "Also eligible" for Kentucky Derby in green
* Sidelined/Inactive/No longer under Derby Consideration/Not Triple Crown nominated in gray
* Winner of Kentucky Derby in bold

## Prep season

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)
| Race | Distance | Surface | Purse | Track | Date | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th |
| Iroquois | 1-1/16 miles | Dirt | $150,000 | Churchill Downs | Sep 12 2015 | Cocked and Loaded | Rated R Superstar | Unbridled Outlaw | Conquest Windycity |
| FrontRunner | 1-1/16 miles | Dirt | $300,000 | Santa Anita | Sep 26 201 | Nyquist | Swipe | Hollywood Don | Rare Candy |
| Champagne | 1-mile | Dirt | $300,000 | Belmont | Oct 3 2015 | Greenpointcrusader | Sunny Ridge | Portfolio Manager | Sail Ahoy |
| Breeders' Futurity | 1-1/16 miles | Dirt | $400,000 | Keeneland | Oct 3 2015 | Brody's Cause | Exaggerator | Rated R Superstar | Sticksstatelydude |
| Grey Stakes | 1-1/16 miles | Synthetic | $150,000 | Woodbine | Oct 4 2015 | Riker | Kasseopia (GB) | Tizzarunner | Van Damme |
| Breeders' Cup Juvenile | 1-1/16 miles | Dirt | $2,000,000 | Keeneland | Oct 31 2015 | Nyquist | Swipe | Brody's Cause | Exaggerator |
| Delta Downs Jackpot | 1-1/16 miles | Dirt | $1,000,000 | Delta Downs | Nov 21 2015 | Exaggerator | Sunny Ridge | Harlan Punch | Found Money |
| Remsen | 1-1/8 miles | Dirt | $300,000 | Aqueduct | Nov 28 2015 | Mohaymen | Flexibility | Gift Box | Sail Ahoy |
| Kentucky Jockey Club | 1-1/16 miles | Dirt | $150,000 | Churchill Downs | Nov 28 2015 | Airoforce | Mor Spirit | Mo Tom | Gun Runner |
| Los Alamitos Futurity | 1-1/16 miles | Dirt | $500,000 | Los Alamitos | Dec 19 2015 | Mor Spirit | Toews On Ice | I'malreadythere | Urlacher |
| Jerome | 1-mile 70 yards | Dirt | $200,000 | Aqueduct | Jan 2 2016 | Flexibility | Vorticity | In Equality | Bird of Trey |
| Sham | 1-mile | Dirt | $100,000 | Santa Anita | Jan 9 2016 | Collected | Let's Meet in Rio | Laoban | Found Money |
| Lecomte | 1-mile 70 yards | Dirt | $200,000 | Fair Grounds | Jan 16 2016 | Mo Tom | Tom's Ready | Uncle Walter | Destin |
| Smarty Jones | 1-mile | Dirt | $150,000 | Oaklawn | Jan 18 2016 | Discreetness | Gordy Florida | Synchrony | Luna de Loco |
| Holy Bull | 1-1/16 miles | Dirt | $350,000 | Gulfstream | Jan 30 2016 | Mohaymen | Greenpointcrusader | Fellowship | Conquest Big E |
| Withers | 1-1/16 miles | Dirt | $200,000 | Aqueduct | Jan 30 2016 | Sunny Ridge | Vorticity | Adventist | Flexibility |
| Robert B. Lewis | 1-1/16 miles | Dirt | $150,000 | Santa Anita | Feb 6 2016 | Mor Spirit | Uncle Lino | I Will Score | Dressed in Hermes |
| El Camino Real Derby | 1-1/8 miles | Synthetic | $200,000 | Golden Gate | Feb 13 2016 | Frank Conversation | Tusk | Kasseopia (GB) | San Dimas |
| Southwest | 1-1/16 miles | Dirt | $250,000 | Oaklawn | Feb 15 2016 | Suddenbreakingnews | Whitmore | American Dubai | Collected |

## Championship series
### First leg of series

Note: 1st=50 points; 2nd=20 points; 3rd=10 points; 4th=5 points The Sunland Derby was not eligible in 2016 because of quarantine restrictions associated with an outbreak of equine herpesvirus.
| Race | Distance | Surface | Purse | Track | Date | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th |
| Risen Star | 1-1/16 miles | Dirt | $400,000 | Fair Grounds | Feb 20 2016 | Gun Runner | Forevamo | Mo Tom | Candy My Boy |
| Fountain of Youth | 1-1/16 miles | Dirt | $400,000 | Gulfstream | Feb 27 2016 | Mohaymen | Zulu | Fellowship | Awesome Speed |
| Gotham | 1-1/16 miles | Dirt | $500,000 | Aqueduct | Mar 5 2016 | Shagaf | Laoban | Adventist | Sunny Ridge |
| San Felipe | 1-1/16 miles | Dirt | $300,000 | Santa Anita | Mar 12 2016 | Danzing Candy | Mor Spirit | Exaggerator | Uncle Lino |
| Tampa Bay Derby | 1-1/16 miles | Dirt | $350,000 | Tampa Bay Downs | Mar 12 2016 | Destin | Outwork | Star Hill | Rafting |
| Rebel | 1-1/16 miles | Dirt | $700,000 | Oaklawn | Mar 19 2016 | Cupid | Whitmore | Creator | Cherry Wine |
| Spiral | 1-1/8 miles | Synthetic | $500,000 | Turfway | Apr 2 2016 | Oscar Nominated | Azar | Surgical Strike | Two Step Time |
| Sunland Derby | | | | | n/a | | | | |

### Second leg of series

These races are the major preps for the Kentucky Derby, and are thus weighted more heavily. Note: 1st=100 points; 2nd=40 points; 3rd=20 points; 4th=10 points
| Race | Distance | Surface | Purse | Track | Date | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th |
| UAE Derby | ~1-3/16 miles | Dirt | $2,000,000 | Meydan Racecourse | Mar 26 2016 | Lani | Polar River | Yu Change | Vale Dori |
| Louisiana Derby | 1-1/8 miles | Dirt | $1,000,000 | Fair Grounds | Mar 26 2016 | Gun Runner | Tom's Ready | Dazzling Gem | Mo Tom |
| Florida Derby | 1-1/8 miles | Dirt | $1,000,000 | Gulfstream | Apr 2 2016 | Nyquist | Majesto | Fellowship | Mohaymen |
| Wood Memorial | 1-1/8 miles | Dirt | $1,000,000 | Aqueduct | Apr 9 2016 | Outwork | Trojan Nation | Adventist | Matt King Coal |
| Blue Grass Stakes | 1-1/8 miles | Dirt | $1,000,000 | Keeneland | Apr 9 2016 | Brody's Cause | My Man Sam | Cherry Wine | Laoban |
| Santa Anita Derby | 1-1/8 miles | Dirt | $1,000,000 | Santa Anita | Apr 9 2016 | Exaggerator | Mor Spirit | Uncle Lino | Danzing Candy |
| Arkansas Derby | 1-1/8 miles | Dirt | $1,000,000 | Oaklawn Park | Apr 16 2016 | Creator | Suddenbreakingnews | Whitmore | Dazzling Gem |

#### "Wild Card"

Note: 1st=10 points; 2nd=4 points; 3rd=2 points; 4th=1 point
| Race | Distance | Surface | Purse | Track | Date | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | Ref |
| Lexington | 1-1/8 miles | Dirt | $150,000 | Keeneland | Apr 16 2016 | Collected | One More Round | Synchrony | Direct Message | |

#### Notes

* ↑ Earnings from non-restricted stakes prior to the running of the Kentucky Derby.
* ↑ Oscar Nominated was not Triple Crown nominated, so needed to pay a $200,000 supplement to enter
* ↑ The Sunland Derby was not eligible in 2016 because of quarantine restrictions associated with an outbreak of equine herpevirus