Kentucky Derby: Would ’22 field be different under ’23 system?
If the points system for Kentucky Derby 2023 had been in place for the 2022 trail, there would have 114 horses listed instead of 90. And 42 points, not 40, would have been the cutline to be assured of getting into the race. And presuming the injuries and defections would have been the same, eventual winner Rich Strike would have made it in without the 11th-hour drama this year.
And after all that, the same 20 horses would have started.
New points system takes effect for Kentucky Derby 2023.
The addition of fifth-place horses means the value of qualifying points from the 37 designated prep races will be inflated in 2022-23. Points had been limited to the top four finishers from each prep since Churchill Downs inaugurated this system 10 years ago.
Rich Strike still would have needed help to get to starting gate, but that would have been assured early during Derby week, when Un Ojo suffered a bruised foot and Emmanuel was rerouted to the turf. Those two defections were announced the Sunday before the Derby.
Under the revisions for 2023, Rich Strike’s fifth-place finish in the inaugural Gun Runner Stakes at Fair Grounds and his fourth-place result in the John Battaglia Memorial at Turfway Park would have been rewarded with more points. Ethereal Road, whose exit the day before the 2022 Derby allowed Rich Strike to get in, would not have been a factor at all, because seven other horses who still were in the mix would have had more points.
Here is how last year’s Derby qualifying standings would have looked under the new system vs. how it looked the old way:
| Under new system | Pts. | *Earnings | Under old system | Pts. | *Earnings | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Epicenter | 168 | $940,000 | 1. Epicenter | 164 | $940,000 | |
| 2. White Abarrio | 123 | $769,650 | 2. Zandon | 114 | $663,500 | |
| 3. Tiz the Bomb | 120 | $1,012,610 | 3. White Abarrio | 112 | $769,650 | |
| 4. Zandon | 119 | $663,500 | 4. Mo Donegal | 112 | $561,500 | |
| 5. Mo Donegal | 116 | $561,500 | 5. Tiz the Bomb | 110 | $1,012,610 | |
| 6. Cyberknife | 100 | $752,000 | 6. Cyberknife | 100 | $752,000 | |
| 7. Crown Pride | 100 | $671,544 | 7. Crown Pride | 100 | $671,544 | |
| 8. Taiba | 100 | $450,000 | 8. Taiba | 100 | $450,000 | |
| 9. Simplification | 88 | $482,150 | 9. Simplification | 74 | $482,150 | |
| 10. Classic Causeway | 77 | $466,100 | 10. Smile Happy | 70 | $499,410 | |
| 11. Smile Happy | 70 | $499,410 | 11. Classic Causeway | 66 | $466,100 | |
| 12. Tawny Port | 65 | $351,400 | x. Slow Down Andy | 60 | $475,000 | |
| x. Slow Down Andy | 60 | $475,000 | 12. Tawny Port | 60 | $351,400 | |
| x. Early Voting | 60 | $277,500 | 13. Barber Road | 58 | $589,700 | |
| x. Un Ojo | 58 | $661,250 | x. Un Ojo | 54 | $661,250 | |
| x. Forbidden Kingdom | 50 | $392,500 | x. Forbidden Kingdom | 50 | $392,500 | |
| x. Morello | 50 | $242,500 | x. Early Voting | 50 | $277,500 | |
| 13. Barber Road | 47 | $589,700 | x. Morello | 50 | $242,500 | |
| 14. Happy Jack | 47 | $142,000 | 14. Messier | 40 | $390,000 | |
| x. Pappacap | 42 | $609,000 | 15. Zozos | 40 | $200,000 | |
| 15. Messier | 40 | $390,000 | 16. Summer Is Tomorrow | 40 | $200,000 | |
| 16. Zozos | 40 | $200,000 | 17. Charge It | 40 | $188,000 | |
| 17. Summer Is Tomorrow | 40 | $200,000 | 18. Happy Jack | 30 | $142,000 | |
| 18. Charge It | 40 | $188,000 | 19. Pioneer of Medina | 25 | $116,000 | |
| 19. Pioneer of Medina | 40 | $116,000 | x. Emmanuel | 25 | $111,700 | |
| x. Emmanuel | 40 | $111,700 | x. Pappacap | 24 | $609,000 | |
| 20. Rich Strike | 35 | $74,500 | x. In Due Time | 24 | $113,800 | |
| 21. Golden Glider | 32 | $87,250 | x. Ethereal Road | 22 | $231,000 | |
| 22. Island Falcon | 30 | $100,000 | x. Grantham | 21 | $85,000 | |
| 23. Rattle N Roll | 30 | $356,500 | 20. Rich Strike | 21 | $74,500 | |
| x. Secret Oath - f | 30 | $436,707 | x. Secret Oath - f | 20 | $436,707 | |
| 24. Skippylongstocking | 30 | $86,350 | 21. Rattle N Roll | 20 | $356,500 | |
| x. In Due Time | 26 | $113,800 | 22. Bye Bye Bobby | 20 | $176,700 | |
| 25. Kavod | 26 | $286,000 | x. Island Falcon | 20 | $100,000 | |
| 26. O Captain | 25 | $76,500 | x. Skippylongstocking | 20 | $86,350 | |
| x. Ethereal Road | 24 | $231,000 | x. Dean’s List | 20 | $72,000 | |
| x. Grantham | 24 | $85,000 | ||||
| *Non-restricted stakes. | ||||||
| f Filly. | ||||||
| x Off Derby trail. |
Before 2012-13, earnings in graded stakes determined the 20-horse field. The problem with that system was a disproportionate number of starters could come from richer races that did not necessarily have better horses.