Miscellaneous Kentucky Derby

Facts and Figures about the Kentucky Derby

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Important Dates, Derby/Oaks General Admission Cost

Kentucky Derby Weekend Stakes

TV Coverage

Kentucky Derby Purse Structure

Kentucky Derby Post Position Draw; Also-Eligible List

Kentucky Derby Preference Rules and Eligibility

Triple Crown Nomination Information

Churchill Downs Thoroughbred and Jockey Safety Welfare Policies

Oaks/Derby Security Procedures and Policies; Allowed and Prohibited Items

IMPORTANT DATES, DERBY/OAKS GENERAL ADMISSION COST

Churchill Downs Spring Meeting Opening Night: April 27, 2019. Meeting concludes Saturday, June 29, 2019.

Kentucky Derby: May 4, 2019
Preakness Stakes: May 18, 2019
Belmont Stakes: June 8, 2019

Typically, Churchill Downs gates Open: 8:00 a.m. ET Oaks day and Derby day, and first post time is 10:30 a.m. ET Oaks day and Derby day

Kentucky Oaks Day General Admission
Day of Event TBA

Kentucky Derby General Admission
Day of Event TBA

Two Day Admission Tickets
Buy in advance for TBA

KENTUCKY DERBY WEEKEND STAKES

Updated March 26, 2018

Race order will be set in program.

Sat. Apr. 27	Opening Night
	$100,000 Wiliam Walker	3YO	5 Furlongs	Turf

Tue April 30	$90,.000 Champions Day Marathon	3YO & up	1 1/2 Mile	Dirt

Wed. May 1	$100,000 Kentucky Juvenile	2YO	5 Furlongs	Dirt

Thur. May 3	Thurby
	$100,000 Unbridled Sydney	F&M 3YO & up	5.5 Furlongs	Turf
	$90,000-added Opening Verse	3YO & up	1 Mile	Turf

Fri. May 4	Kentucky Oaks Day
	$1.25 million Longines Kentucky Oaks (GI)	3YO Fillies	1 1/8 Mile	Dirt
	$500,000 La Troienne (GI)	F&M 4YO & up	1 1/16 Mile	Dirt
	$400,000 Alysheba (GII)	4YO & up	1 1/16 Mile	Dirt
	$250,000 Eight Belles (GII)	3YO Fillies	7 Furlongs	Dirt
	$250,000 Edgewood (GIII) pres. by Forcht Bank	3YO Fillies	1 1/16 Mile	Turf
	$250,000 Twin Spires Turf Sprint (GII)	3YO & up	5.5 Furlongs	Turf

Sat. May 5	Kentucky Derby Day
	$3 million Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (GI)	3YO	1 1/4 Mile	Dirt
	$1,000,000 Old Forester Turf Classic (GI)	4YO & up	1 1/8 Mile	Turf
	$500,000 Humana Distaff (GI)	F&M 4YO & up	7 Furlongs	Dirt
	$500,000 Churchill Downs (GI)	4YO & up	7 Furlongs	Dirt
	$400,000 Longines Churchill Distaff Turf Mile (GII)	F&M 4YO & up	1 Mile	Turf
	$400,000 American Turf Presented by Ram Trucks (GII)	3YO	1 1/16 Mile	Turf
	$400,000 Pat Day Mile Presented by LG&E and KU (GIII)	3YO	1 1/16 Mile	Dirt

TV COVERAGE

All Times ET

Thurs., May 2	TBA TBA	NBCSN
Fri., May 3	TBA Undercard and Kentucky Oaks	NBCSN
Fri., May 4	TBA My Kentucky Home	NBCSN
Sat., May 4	TBA Kentucky Derby undercard	NBCSN
Sat., May 4	TBA Kentucky Derby and undercard	NBC

PREAKNESS STAKES
Fri., May 17	TBA	Black Eyed Susan Stakes	NBCSN
Sat., May 18	TBA	Preakness undercard	NBCSN
Sat., May 18	TBA	Preakness Stakes	NBC

BELMONT STAKES
Fri., June 7	TBA	Belmont Access	NBCSN
Sat., June 8	TBA	Belmont Stakes undercard	NBCSN
Sat., June 8	TBA	Belmont Stakes	NBC

KENTUCKY DERBY PURSE STRUCTURE

The value of the 2019 Derby is $3,000,000 added. The winner will receive $1,860.000 guaranteed plus additional monies; second: $600,000; third: $300,000; fourth: $150,000; fifth: $90,000.

The value of the 2018 Derby is $2,000,000 added. The winner will receive $1,240,000 guaranteed plus additional monies; second: $400,000; third: $200,000; fourth: $100,000; fifth: $60,000.

The value of the 2017 Derby is $2,395,800. The winner will receive $1,635,800; second: $400,000; third: $200,000; fourth: $100,000; fifth: $60,000.

The value of the 2016 Derby was $2,391,600. The winner received $1,631,600; second: $400,000; third: $200,000; fourth: $100,000; fifth: $60,000.

The value of the 2015 Derby was $2,178,800. The winner received $1,418,800; second: $400,000; third: $200,000; fourth: $100,000; fifth: $60,000.

The value of the 2014 Derby was $2,177,800. The winner received $1,417,800; second: $400,000; third: $200,000; fourth: $100,000; fifth: $60,000.

The value of the 2013 Derby was $2,174,800. The winner received $1,414,800; second: $400,000; third: $200,000; fourth: $100,000; fifth: $60,000.

The value of the 2012 Derby was $2,219,600. The winner received $1,459,600; second: $400,000; third: $200,000; fourth: $100,000; fifth: $60,000.

The value of the 2011 Derby was $2,171,800. The winner received $1,411,800; second: $400,000; third: $200,000; fourth: $100,000; fifth: $60,000.

The value of the 2010 Derby was $2,185,200. The winner received $1,425,200; second: $400,000; third: $200,000; fourth: $100,000; fifth: $60,000.

The value of the 2009 Derby was $2,177,200. The winner received $1,417,200; second: $400,000; third: $200,000; fourth: $100,000; fifth: $60,000.

The value of the 2008 Derby was $2,211,800. The winner received $1,451,800; second: $400,000; third: $200,000; fourth: $100,000; fifth: $60,000.

KENTUCKY DERBY POST POSITION DRAW; ALSO-ELIGIBLE LIST

For the Kentucky Derby post position draw, a traditional pill pull is used. Horses’ entry blanks are pulled simultaneously with a numbered pill to determine the stall a horse will break from the starting gate. Here are the details:

POST POSITION DRAW DETAILS – The Kentucky Derby Post Position Draw time is scheduled to occur on Tuesday, April 30, 2019 at 11:00 a.m. ET in the Aristides Lounge on the second floor of Churchill Downs clubhouse. Streaming info is not announced. Up to 24 horses may enter the race for 20 post positions, with up to four horses listed as “also eligible” ranked in order. They could draw into the field should any horse or horses be scratched before scratch time on Friday, May 3, 2019 at 9:00 a.m. ET.

In 2010, Churchill Downs put away the two-step process for post positions in the Kentucky Derby -- whereby pills were pulled and connections chose a post position -- and returned to the traditional method, a simple pill pull used at tracks every day.

Track spokesman, the late John Asher, said in 2010 that some connections wanted the change. “There has been some sentiment through the years among some owners and trainers to return to the traditional blind draw,” Asher said. “We evaluate all parts of the Derby experience following each year's renewal, and the time simply felt right to return this year to the 'pill pull' format that has been part of the Kentucky Derby for the bulk of its 135-year history."

Since 2012 there has been an “also-eligible” list maintained for the first time since the 1982-1983 Derbies. Up to four horses will be named on the AE list for both the Kentucky Derby and the Kentucky Oaks.

KENTUCKY DERBY PREFERENCE RULES AND ELIGIBILITY

Only 3-year-old colts, geldings are fillies are eligible for the Kentucky Derby. In general, the race is limited to 20 starters, with preference given to those with the most points in a series of races called The Road to the Kentucky Derby.

Up to 24 horses may enter the Kentucky Derby, with 20 qualifying for the starting gate. Up to four horses will be listed as “also eligible” and ranked in order. They could draw into the field with scratches from the top 20.

If two or more horses have the same number of points, which can be the case whenever a point system is introduced, the tiebreaker to get into the Kentucky Derby or Kentucky Oaks will be earnings in non-restricted stakes races, whether they are graded or not. In the case of remaining ties, the tiebreaker shall be determined by lot (a "shake").

In the event of a dead-heat in a Road to the Kentucky Derby race, those horses will divide equally the points they would have received jointly had one beaten the other.

Starting in 2014, horses not nominated to the Triple Crown that are supplemented with a payment of $200,000 are on the same footing as early nominees. Horses with sufficient points make the Derby field. Previously, nominated horses had preference over supplemented horses.

TRIPLE CROWN NOMINATION INFORMATION

For more information, please visit our Triple Crown Nominations Page.

CHURCHILL DOWNS SAFETY INITIATIVES FOR KENTUCKY OAKS AND KENTUCKY DERBY

The key initiatives that are in place for the Kentucky Oaks and Kentucky Derby, as well as at CDI tracks, are as follows:

Independent, standardized third-party engineering analysis, testing and monitoring of track surfaces;
Postrace drug testing performed by a Racing Medication and Testing Consortium (“RMTC”) accredited laboratory; each sample is analyzed for more than 1,500 substances;
The banning of anabolic steroids;
The prohibition of “milkshaking,” which results in excessive levels of total carbon dioxide in Thoroughbred racehorses;
Prohibiting the transport of horses from CDI facilities for slaughter;
Permanent revocation of stall and competition privileges for any owner or trainer who sells a horse for slaughter stabled at a CDI track;
Revocation of stall and competition privileges for any owner or trainer convicted of animal abuse;
The banning of unsafe horseshoes, including front shoe toe grabs longer than two millimeters;
The use of low-impact riding whips with restricted usage rules;
The presence of on-site medical personnel, equipment, and state-of-the-art equine ambulances;
Immediate online access to jockey medical histories for emergency medical personnel;
$1 million in catastrophic injury insurance coverage per accident for jockeys paid for by CDI;
Mandatory and uniform reporting of equine injuries to The Jockey Club’s national Equine Injury Database System, thereby assisting in the compilation of comprehensive data and facilitating statistical analysis to improve safety around the country;
Professionally designed and installed safety rails on the inside of the dirt and turf course;
Mandatory usage by all jockeys, exercise riders, assistant starters and other on-track personnel of safety vests and safety helmets that meet internationally acknowledged quality standards;
3/8-inch foam padding on all parts of the starting gates;
Inspection of all horses by regulatory veterinarians prior to and following all races;
Review of security procedures around the barns and other racetrack backstretch areas;
Protocols for the treatment of horses that have been injured during racing or training, to ensure the most humane treatment possible;
Encouraging anyone that suspects any wrongdoing or witnesses improper conduct at all CDI tracks to speak up immediately via the independent and national office of the Thoroughbred Racing Protective Bureau’s Integrity hotline at (866) 847-8772 or [email protected]; and
Certification by the National Thoroughbred Racing Association’s Safety & Integrity Alliance program of all three CDI tracks.

OAKS/DERBY SECURITY PROCEDURES AND POLICIES

Security procedures and policies for the Kentucky Derby and Oaks include the following prohibited and permitted items listed here.