KY Derby Point System

[Thunder Gulch]

They could have just tweaked the graded earnings system by discounting the 2yo and filly races, and we could have a better system. I was always irked by the cry for somebody on the bubble who scheduled a 2 prep spring and then fell short of expectations in one of them. I agree completely that 2yo races and sprints should be discounted, but not by a 10-1 ratio. If you're going to do that, how about discounting your beloved Bluegrass since it's not on dirt? The breeders will never let that happen, but with so much emphasis on the March/April races, the Bluegrass will become more irrelevant than ever in terms of producing Derby contenders, and instead will continue a parade of turf bred misfits. If you have a proven dirt Derby contender needing a few more points, do you go to Keenland?

The other thing I don't like is that they are assigning the races to run and taking it out of the track hands. Somewhere like Sunland bumps purses to try to make themselves a relevant Derby prep, but it would now be hard for somebody else to step up to the plate putting money in the game because nobody will take that route since Churchill says it isn't the way to go.