The point system in place is specifically for entry into the Kentucky Derby. Derby points races also award points for finishing second through fourth, with second getting 40 percent of the winner’s haul, third getting 20 percent, and fourth getting 10 percent. Thus, a 100-point race is worth 100 to the winner, 40 to the runner-up, 20 to the show horse, and 10 to the fourth-place finisher.

The Louisiana Derby win, coupled with a couple of earlier stakes placings, gives Hot Rod Charlie the current top spot on the points leaderboard with 110. No other runner has more than Louisiana Derby runner-up Midnight Bourbon’s 66 points, a number he’s earned the hard way: through a win in the 10-point Lecomte and four stakes placings, including the Louisiana Derby.

In 2019, 40 points was the cutoff to qualify for the Kentucky Derby; in most prior years since the system was implemented in 2013, 32 or more figured to be sufficient. Last year, of course, was an outlier because of the elongated Derby trail necessitated by the Covid-19 pandemic.

At the moment, an even dozen horses have more than 32 points, while 10 have 40 or more.

Not all of the horses who do have or may get to sufficient points to qualify will face the starter in Louisville, however. Life Is Good recently (60 points) recently came off the Derby trail because of injury. Drain the Clock (20 points) and Jackie’s Warrior (14) both are being pointed to races shorter than the classic distances.

Thus, at the moment, the horses tied for 20^th in points – Papetu and Moonlite Strike – have 11 points apiece. The former is 15-1 on the morning line for Saturday’s 100-point Florida Derby, the latter 12-1 on the morning line in the 100-point Jeff Ruby Steaks at Turfway Park.

Those are two of the three 100-point races on the Derby trail on Saturday, the third being the UAE Derby at Meydan on the Dubai World Cup undercard.

Additional 100-point races still to come:

• The Blue Grass Stakes at Keeneland April 3;
• The Santa Anita Derby April 3;
• The Wood Memorial at Aqueduct April 3; and
• The Arkansas Derby April 10.