Derby Points System

[Silver Charm]

Seems like Chinese arithmetic to me....I dunno maybe it works and all the right horses get in. I guess it balances just winning a casino inflated Grade 3 purse....but.right now its a guess!!

[Wrongly]

Silver

I think it plays to the general public more, they will only have to watch the last few prep races to know the players.  TV coverage is what they had in mind.  Doubt it makes for a better field.

[Silver Charm]

Well help me with this because I was thinking of this last nite. Does a horse winning a Grade III is January get the same 10 points a horse get say winning the Grade I Wood in April? Does any sort of recency of form come into play in this new formula? Because the Wood at least paid a lot more in purse than the Lecompte. And then again so did several Graded grass races.....

[BitPlayer]

No.  The last round of preps is worth 100 to the winner.  The preceding round is worth 50 points to the winner.

http://www.drf.com/events/road-kentucky-derby-churchill-downs

I like it.  I think it will make for better racing in the preps.

[covelj70]

There are alot of people complaining about the new system (not on this board but in the press I mean) but for whatever it\'s worth, I love the new system. There will be some tweaks needed in the future to get rid of some kinks (BC Juv meaningless, etc) but as a starting point, I think it\'s an excellent idea.

1) We eliminate horses that get into the Derby off of meaningless two year old form. For example, I think it was ridiculous that a horse like Sabercat was in last years Derby.  He wins the Delta Jackpot as a 2 year old and then finishes up the track as a 3 year old in a prep and then he gets a spot in the gate for the Derby?  no way.  Flashy Bull was another one a few years ago, gets into the Derby off a second in the Remsen and a DQ up to 2nd in one of the early prep races.  That shouldn\'t get a horse into the Derby and it wouldn\'t this year.

2) If a filly wants to run in the Derby against the boys, she has to beat the boys to get there.  I think this is a crucial element of the change in the system.  A filly can\'t take the path of least resistance to get to the Derby anymore.  Why should a top colt have to knock heads with the other top colts just to earn their way in when a filly can beat up on inferior competition without fully extending herself to get in?  Any horse that doesn\'t have to be flat out to get in has a huge advantage and it never sat well with me that the fillies could back door their way in like that.  Let them try the boys if they want but they have to earn the right like everyone else.

3) It puts emphasis on good form coming into the race which I think will make for a more formful Derby over time (not every year but more often than not).  A win in the Holy Bull this weekend is worth 10 points.  A 3rd in the Florida Derby is worth the same 10 points with a win in the FD worth 100 and second worth 50.  The only horses that are going to make it into the gate are the ones that run well in the final round of preps and I think that will most likely make for the most competitive and formful outcomes over time.

4) I think it\'s better for the horses.  This isn\'t being talked about as much but I think horsemen aren\'t pushing as much to have the horses over the top for the early round of prep races because they aren\'t that meaningful from a points perspective.  Its always better for the horses to give these young ones more time before you push them so hard and I think its possible that we may see more of these 3 years olds stick around a bit longer because they aren\'t being pushed as much so early in their 3 year old year since it\'s really impossible to lock up a spot in the Derby until at least the 2nd round of preps in Feb.

I know others have different opinions and I know the sytem needs some tweaks going forward but I think there has been too much emphasis from horses people on some of the minor things that need to be fixed going forward and not on the big picture of the good that will come from this.

I am willing to wager that we see a starting gate come derby day that looks awesome and people start to laud the new system but we shall see