KY Derby Point System

[Calzone Lord]

Originally Posted by 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.

First of all -- who are all of the fillies who have raced in the Kentucky Derby that didn't belong?

Here is a list of every filly to race in the Derby since 1945:

2010 Devil May Care
2008 Eight Belles
1999 Excellent Meeting
1999 Three Ring
1995 Serena's Song
1988 Winning Colors
1984 Life's Magic
1984 Althea
1982 Cupecoy's Joy
1980 Genuine Risk
1959 Silver Spoon

That's a pretty outstanding collection right there. 2 of the 11 even won the race.

But, I know, My Adonis needs and deserves to be in the starting gate -- over these undeserving fillies.

And Grade 1 two-year-old route racing is more interesting and often more truly run races than the Derby preps. A lot of top 2-year-olds don't come back to form at age 3, but it's often because of physical setbacks and they rarely make the Derby -- and when they do -- they're virtually never taking the spot of a better horse.

You're basically just eliminating horses like Birdstone and Lemon Drop Kid who were outstanding Grade 1 winning 2yo routers -- but had a few minor setbacks and performed poorly in the Derby preps. Is My Adonis more deserving because he clunked up for 3rd in the Holy Bull and 2nd Gotham and 4th in the Wood Memorial?