The official Euro/Mideast Road to the Kentucky Derby, sponsored by Woodford Reserve, kicks off this Saturday with two one-mile turf races for 2-year-olds in England and Ireland. The $156,500 Tattersalls Online Royal Lodge (Group 2) at Newmarket and the $134,500 Churchill Tyres Beresford Stakes (Group 2) at Curragh mark the start of a four-race Fall series. This series also features the Oct. 4 Qatar Prix Jean-Luc Lagardère (Group 1) at ParisLongchamp, run over seven furlongs on turf, and the Oct. 24 William Hill Futurity Trophy (Group 1) at Doncaster, a one-mile contest on grass. The top five finishers in each race will earn points on a scale of 10-5-3-2-1.
The full schedule for the Euro/Mideast Road to the Kentucky Derby, concluding with the UAE Derby (Group 2) at Dubai’s Meydan Racecourse on March 27, is still being finalized and will be announced soon. Since its inception in 2013, the Road to the Kentucky Derby awards points to the first five finishers in designated qualifying events. These points determine the priority order for entry into the 20-horse Kentucky Derby, the 1 ¼-mile classic held annually on the first Saturday in May at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky.
The upcoming 153rd Kentucky Derby, with a $5 million purse presented by Woodford Reserve, is set for Saturday, May 1. Up to three places in the starting gate may be reserved for international contenders. Apart from the main Road to the Kentucky Derby series, two international series offer spots to horses from Japan, Europe, and the UAE: the Euro/Mideast Road can grant two invitations to the highest point earners, while the Japan Road can offer one.
Historically, at least 20 horses have competed in the Derby in 25 of the past 28 years. In this weekend’s Royal Lodge, Burning Up, trained by Karl Burke, and Charlie Appleby’s First Law are co-favorites at 5-2 on the morning line, with the race scheduled as the second event at Newmarket at 8:55 a.m. ET. Meanwhile, the Beresford Stakes features a field of six 2-year-olds led by Aidan O’Brien’s Noble Exhibit and Shakespeare, running as the fourth race at Curragh at 10:10 a.m. ET.
This article originally appeared in the News section of the Paulick Report on September 25, 2026. Add Paulick Report as a Preferred Source here.
Fan Take: This announcement highlights the growing global reach of the Kentucky Derby, giving international horses a real shot at one of horse racing’s biggest prizes. For fans, it means more diverse and thrilling competition, potentially elevating the sport’s excitement and international prestige.
Source: sports.yahoo.com
