When Omaha Beach held off Improbable to win the Arkansas Derby (G1) April 13 at Oaklawn Park, it wrapped up an especially exciting Road to the Kentucky Derby prep season.
Before turning our focus to the actual race, I thought we could take a final look back at this year's prep season in a "by the numbers" format.
150
Points earned by Road to the Kentucky Derby points leader Tacitus.
2
Years in which the points leader has gone on to win the Kentucky Derby: Orb and California Chrome.
3
* Horses ranked in the top 12 who made their initial starts on turf: No. 2 Omaha Beach, No. 4 Plus Que Parfait, and No. 12 War of Will.
* Trainers with multiple horses in this year's top 19 by points: Bob Baffert (No. 5 Roadster, No. 8 Game Winner, and No. 11 Improbable), Bill Mott (Tacitus and No. 17 Country House), and Todd Pletcher (No. 15 Cutting Humor and No. 19 Spinoff).
* Horses who won 100-point races this year who did not earn any other points in the series: Santa Anita Derby (G1) winner Roadster, Twinspires.com Louisiana Derby (G2) winner By My Standards, and Xpressbet Florida Derby (G1) winner Maximum Security.
* Horses with $1 million or more in non-restricted stakes earnings who are ranked in the top 19: Omaha Beach, $1,050,000; Plus Que Parfait, $1,540,400; Game Winner, $1,810,000.
4
Owners with interests in multiple horses among the top 19 points earners: Randy Hill (part owner of both No. 3 Vekoma and No. 14 Tax), Gary and Mary West (No. 7 Maximum Security and Game Winner), Starlight Racing (part owner of Improbable and full owner of Cutting Humor), and Gary Barber (full owner of War of Will and part owner of No. 18 Gray Magician).
5
* Times the points leader has finished with exactly 150 points: Tacitus this year, Magnum Moon last year, Girvin in 2017, California Chrome in 2014, and Orb in 2013.
* Horses among the top nine points earners who are conditioned by Racing Hall of Fame trainers: Tacitus, Bill Mott; Omaha Beach, Richard Mandella; Roadster and Game Winner, Bob Baffert; and No. 9 Code of Honor, Shug McGaughey.
9
Lowest ranking of a horse to win the Derby: Justify last season.
40
Points earned by the current final horse in the field, Spinoff. It would be the highest total ever needed to make the Derby field.
100
The lowest point total accumulated by horses who won the Derby: Justify last year and Always Dreaming in 2017.
