07 May 2005, Louisville, Kentucky, USA --- The field of 20 horses round the first turn during the 131st Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs. Winner, Giacomo, ridden by Mike E. Smith, is on the far left in the pink and green silks. --- Image by © Steve Boyle/NewSport/Corbis

Race to the Derby – Kentucky Derby Fantasy Contest!

RACE TO THE DERBY – 2020

Welcome to our first ever “Race to the Derby” Fantasy Horse Racing contest that I am running independent of the Pleasanton Off-Track Betting Facility!

The contest is all about building a fantasy stable of 3-year-old horses and following them through the pursuit of making the Kentucky Derby.

The first race in the contest is Saturday, February 1 and it concludes with the running of the Kentucky Derby on Saturday, May 2. THE DEADLINE TO ENTER IS FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 14. SEND ALL ENTRIES TO [email protected]!!!!

The big change is this year we will be charging $20 person to enter the contest. The payoff will be for the first three places with first taking 60 percent of the prize money, second taking 30 percent and third getting 10 percent.

The key is to get out and get your friends to enter so we build a bigger prize pool! I will be pushing this out on my social media, as well as my ACES web site. Just think – if we get 100 people to enter (hey I can dream!) that would be a pool of $2,000 with first place taking $1,200!

All payments must be received by March 1 or your entry will be removed from the contest. Details on payment options will be sent out in a separate e-mail once you submit an entry.

Our scoring system will follow the structure for the Road to the Kentucky Derby prep series again this year.

To start pick any 10, 3-year-old horses for your beginning stable.

Points are earned by how the horses finish in the string of races throughout the Derby prep season. The first four finishers in each prep race earn points for their owners. The points are the same used to determine the field for the Kentucky Derby.

The prep races used will be the ones in the United States, along with the UAE Derby.

You can make six drops/additions along the way, but you will only get those six so use them wisely. At the end of the Kentucky Derby the final standings will be determined!

As has been the case I will be sending out weekly updates, as well as news and notes for the upcoming race.

In case of a tie, following the Kentucky Derby the total number of points accumulated in the Derby will be used as the first tie-break. In case of a tie after that, the contestants will be draw numbers out of a hat for the right to pick a horse for the Preakness (one horse per entrant), with the winner determined by the order of finish in the Preakness.

The prizes for the contest are as follows:

1st Place: 60 percent of prize pool

 

2nd Place: 30 percent of prize pool

 

3rd Place: 10 percent of prize pool

 

Following are the five stages of the contest with the points available with each race:

 

STAGE I (The Starting Gate – points 10-4-2-1)

Race                                       Track                                              Date

Robert B. Lewis             Santa Anita                                      February 1

Withers                           Aqueduct                                          February 1

Holy Bull                         Gulfstream Park                             February 1

Sam F. Davis                  Tampa Bay Downs                         February 8

El Camino Real              Golden Gate Fields                         February 15

Southwest                      Oaklawn Park                                  February 17

STAGE II (The Backstretch – points 50-20-10-5)

Risen Star                                   Fair Grounds                                   February 15

Fountain of Youth                    Gulfstream Park                             February 29

Gotham                                       Aqueduct                                          March 7

San Felipe                                   Santa Anita                                      March 7

Tampa Bay Derby                    Tampa Bay Downs                         March 7

Rebel                                            Oaklawn Park                                  March 14

Sunland Derby                          Sunland Park                                   March 22

STAGE III (The Lane – points 100-40-20-10)

Louisiana Derby                        Fair Grounds                                   March 21

UAE Derby                                 Meydan                                            March 28

Florida Derby                            Gulfstream Park                             March 28

Wood Memorial                       Aqueduct                                          April 4

Blue Grass                                  Keeneland                                        April 4

Santa Anita Derby                    Santa Anita                                      April 4

Arkansas Derby                        Oaklawn Park                                  April 11

STAGE IV (The Photo Finish – points 20-8-4-2)

 Jeff Ruby Stakes                        Turfway Park                                   March 14

Lexington                                    Keeneland                                        April 11

STAGE V (The Derby – Points 200-100-50-25)

Kentucky Derby                 Churchill Downs                             May 2

**SEND ALL ENTRIES OR QUESTIONS TO: [email protected]

 

2020 RACE TO THE DERBY FANTASY CONTEST

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