<P> The remaining 18 spots in the starting gate (or up 20 if the European and Japanese offers are declined) are offered to the top finishers on the main Road to the Kentucky Derby . If one of those horses does not enter the Derby, their position is given to the next ranked horses on the list . Up to 24 horses may enter the race, with the bottom four point - earners listed as "also eligible". If any of the top 20 is scratched after entries are taken but before betting begins, the next ranked horse on the also eligible list will be eligible to run . </P> <P> If two or more horses have the same number of points, the tiebreaker to get into the Kentucky Derby will be earnings in non-restricted stakes races, whether or not they are graded . In the event of a tie, those horses will divide equally the points they would have received jointly had one beaten the other . If an owner wants to run a filly in the Derby, she will have to earn points in the same races as the colts and geldings--points earned of the Road to the Kentucky Oaks are not transferable to the Derby . </P> <P> The Road to the Kentucky Derby point system was created in 2012 to establish a "clear, practical and understandable path" to the first leg of horse racing's Triple Crown, according to the official website of Churchill Downs . A poll conducted by Churchill Downs prior to the changes showed 83% of respondents did not understand how horses became starters for the Kentucky Derby . The previous system was based on earnings from all graded stakes races, which essentially gave equal weight to earnings from juvenile races, sprints and even races on the turf as to the traditional Derby prep races . The new system completely disregards sprint races, and places heavy weight on later races, thus putting a premium on recent results . The points system has changed the way horses are prepared for the Derby, the composition of the field and how the race itself is run given the absence of pure sprinters to ensure a fast early pace . </P> <P> The series is divided into two phases, the Kentucky Derby Prep Season and the Kentucky Derby Championship Series . The prep season consists of early races on dirt or synthetic surfaces over distances of at least one mile that typically are run between late September and late February . Points are awarded to the top 4 finishers in each race on a 10 - 4 - 2 - 1 scale, except for the Breeders' Cup Juvenile, which has been awarded points on a 20 - 8 - 4 - 2 scale since 2016 . The championship season consists of two legs and a "wild card" round . The first leg includes minor prep races, usually Grade II, with a 50 - 20 - 10 - 5 scale . The second leg consists of the Super Six Prep races, each worth 100 points to the winner . They include such historic races as the Florida Derby (G1) at Gulfstream Park, the Santa Anita Derby (G1) at Santa Anita Park, the Arkansas Derby (G1) at Oaklawn Park, the Louisiana Derby (G2) at Fair Ground Race Course, the Blue Grass Stakes (currently G2) at Keeneland Race Course and the Wood Memorial Stakes (currently G2) at Aqueduct Racetrack . Originally, there was also one "wild card" race with a 10 - 4 - 2 - 1 scale . Starting in 2018, there are now two wild card races with points offered on a 20 - 8 - 4 - 2 basis . </P>

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