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The road to the 151st Kentucky Derby is sell under way, and with a series of crucial prep races for the big event, many hopefuls are determined to qualify by accumulating points in the following races. With qualification points on the line and history to make, these races are a must-watch event for every fan.

Let’s look at some key races on the road to the Kentucky Derby.

Fountain of Youth

First run in 1945, the Fountain of Youth has produced Kentucky Derby contenders. However, only very few winners have been more amazing than Spectacular Bid. This horse was a Horse of the Year and a Hall of Fame inductee and has crushed rivals by 8 ½ length and even stopped the timer in 1:41:20, which is just 0.20 milliseconds off the stakes record that was set in 1978 by Sensitive Prince.

Beaten Fountain of Youth contenders have also enjoyed many strong successes in the Kentucky Derby, a testament to the quality of competition the race attracts. This is especially true for Derby winners, including Carry Back, Dust Commander, Swale, Pleasant Colony, Unbridled, Cannonade, and Go for Gin. However, during the 21st century, only one Kentucky Derby winner has been produced so far.

As part of the road to Kentucky, the Fountain of Youth awards 50 qualification points to the winner, essentially making the race “Win and You’re In” for hopeful 2025 Kentucky Derby contestants.

Gotham Stakes

The Gotham Stakes is a Grade 3 horse race held yearly at the Aqueduct Race Track in New York. It’s part of the road to Kentucky, covering a distance of one-mile dirt for thoroughbreds. The race typically occurs in March.

The race has produced numerous iconic winners over the decades, many of whom have seen major successes later on. Perhaps the most famous of them is Secretariat in 1973, who clocked an impressive time of 1:33:40.

Other notable winners from the Gotham Stakes are Easy Goer, known for his rivalry with Sunday Silence, and Dr. Fager, who was regarded as one of the fastest racers of his era. The race has also produced recent champions, including Raise Cain in 2023 and Deterministic in 2024.

Tampa Bay Derby

First held in 1981, the Tampa Bay Derby quickly started due to the 1982 winner Reinvested. The horse went on to finish third in the Kentucky Derby. Later, Tampa Bay Derby runner-ups Menifee and Impeachment made a name for themselves in the Kentucky Derby, making the race give the Tampa Bay Derby the Grade 3 status back in 2002.

This upgrade and a couple of purse increases made the race a target for Kentucky Derby hopefuls. 2006 runner-up Bluegrass Cat boosted the race when he finished second in the Kentucky Derby. After that, an even bigger boost was given by Street Sense in 2007 when the horse went on to win both the Tampa Bay Derby and the Kentucky Derby.

The Tampa Bay Derby continued to grow in the 2010s, reaching Grade 2 in 2011. The prize money reached $400,000 in 2018, just a year after Pletcher Tapwrit took advantage of a Tampa Bay Derby win as he sprang to success in Belmont. As part of the road to Kentucky, the Tampa Bay Derby offers 100 Derby qualification points divided into its top five winners on a 50-25-15-10-5 basis.

Virginia Derby

The Virginia Derby is an annual race held at Colonial Downs in Virginia. This Grade 3 race typically runs over 1 1/8 miles on turf. The derby attracts top-notch three-year-old thoroughbreds in the United States and has produced several Kentucky hopefuls in the past. The race offers significant prize money and is one of the premier races in Virginia, making it highly relevant for bettors worldwide.

The Virginia Derby has a rich history of spectacular winners, including Kitten’s Joy in 2004, with jockey Edgar S. Prado and trainer Dale Romans. This pairing has left a significant mark in history over the years. English Channel, the winner in 2025, also later became an international star. He was followed by Gio Ponti, winner of 2008, and established himself as one of the fastest on turf in his era.

Final Words

As the road to the 2025 Kentucky Derby unfolds, these key prep races will shape up the final field at Churchill Downs. With a mixture of talents, tradition, and competition, these events are just as important to the fans as much as for the contenders, as these events will produce the future winner for the upcoming Kentucky Derby.