Road to the Kentucky Derby – Standings After Nine Races
The road to the Kentucky Derby is a long one, with a total of 36 prep races run in preparation for the first leg of the Triple Crown. That does not include the races in Japan and Europe; so you get an idea of just how tough it is to become a part of that esteemed 20-horse field at the Derby.
This past weekend saw a pair of points races run, which altered the standings a little. With those races now in the books; we have had 9 of the 36 races completed, so there is still a long way to go. We will be keeping you regularly updated with all that is going on with the road to the Derby in the coming weeks; and while it is still very early in the proceedings; we thought it might be a good idea to take a look at the standings right now.
Before we continue, take a look at some of the 2021 Kentucky Derby futures & betting odds currently available at JAZZSports.ag:
| 2021 KENTUCKY DERBY – ODDS TO WIN | Odds |
| Essential Quality | +850 |
| Life Is Good | +1000 |
| Keepmeinmind | +1500 |
| Highly Motivated | +2000 |
| Jackies Warrior | +2500 |
| Prime Factor | +2500 |
Who Picked Up Points This Past Weekend?
We are seeing something a little different on the road to the Derby this year, as it is possible for horses to win or place in prep races and still not receive any points. The reason for that is because Lasix is being phased out in 2021, so horses running with the medication are not eligible for points.
That affected a trio of horses – Senor Buscador, Red N Wild, and Saffa’s Day – at the Springboard Mile at Remington Park on Friday. The only horse in the top four in that race to pick up points was Cowan; who received 4 points for finishing 2nd behind Senor Buscador.
It was a different story at the Los Alamitos Futurity on Saturday; with all of the top four horses picking up valuable points. The big winner there was Spielberg, who won by a nose and picked up 10 points in the process. Spielberg is now 4th in the overall standings with 12 points and is sitting at +3500 to win the Kentucky Derby at Jazz Sports. The other points getters on Saturday were The Great One (4), Petruchio (2), and Red Flag (1).
In the overall standings, it is still Essential Quality who leads the way with 30 points. Keepmeinmind (18) and Jackie’s Warrior (12) round out the top three. Essential Quality is still the very early favorite to win the Derby.
Follow Jazz Horse Racing for more 2021 Kentucky Derby updates; as well as other news, tips, and results from the sport of kings.
