The results of Tuesday’s Blue Grass Stakes helped expand the Kentucky Derby bubble with three horses previously on the outside now safely in the body of the race and another who was safely in now out. Add in the fact that two of the three horses who earned their way into the Kentucky Derby field via the Euro/Mideast series and Japan series are now confirmed to run and there figures to be some anxious moments in the days and weeks ahead for those looking to get into the field. Burnham Square, East Avenue, and River Thames – the top three Blue Grass finishers – are now in the field with the top two definitely intending to run. The connections of River Thames want to see how the horse comes out of the Blue Grass before committing to the Derby. Those three horses are among the 17 3-year-olds who qualified under North America’s Road to the Kentucky Derby, a series of 36 races that offered qualifying points. In a change from previous years, two spots are being held for the top points earners in the Euro/Mideast Road to the Kentucky Derby while one spot is reserved for the top points earner from the Japan series. The other North American horses solidly in the Derby field are Sandman, Journalism, Rodriguez, Tiztastic, Tappan Street, Sovereignty, Final Gambit, Coal Battle, Chunk of Gold, Citizen Bull, Publisher, American Promise, and Flood Zone. :: KENTUCKY DERBY 2025: Top contenders, point standings, prep schedule, news, and more Saturday’s Lexington Stakes at Keeneland is the final race that offers Derby points but even the winner will not have enough points to come close to making the field. Admire Daytona and Heart of Honor, who finished noses apart in last Saturday’s U.A.E. Derby in Dubai, are the top points-earners on the Euro/Mideast Road. Admire Daytona arrived in Kentucky on Wednesday and gets out of quarantine on Friday. Heart of Honor, trained in England by Jamie Osborne, has not yet been committed to the Derby. Luxor Cafe, the top point earner from the Japan Road, was confirmed Wednesday as an intended runner in the race, according to Kate Hunter, the Japanese liaison for the Derby. Luxor Cafe, who won 4 of 6 starts in Japan, is expected to arrive in Kentucky on April 23. Owen Almighty, the Tampa Bay Derby winner who was in the Kentucky Derby field on points, is no longer under consideration after he dead-heated for sixth with Chancer McPatrick in the Blue Grass, trainer Brian Lynch said Wednesday. That opens a spot for Flying Mohawk, the Jeff Ruby Steaks runner-up and the plan is for him to run, trainer Whit Beckman said Wednesday. Flood Zone, who won the Gotham at Aqueduct before finishing seventh in the U.A.E. Derby, is currently in the body of the race. He earned 50 points for winning the Gotham and his non-restricted stakes earnings of $176,7000 have him in over other horses who have amassed 50 points. Flood Zone, trained by Brad Cox, arrived back in Kentucky on Wednesday and will be released from quarantine on Friday. Cox said Wednesday that he wants to see the horse train before deciding his Derby status. Cox said he had no excuse for Flood Zone’s lackluster run in the U.A.E. Derby. Cox has two other horses in the Derby field – Jeff Ruby winner Final Gambit and Florida Derby winner Tappan Street. Final Gambit, who has never raced on dirt, worked five furlongs in 1:00.80 Wednesday morning at Churchill Downs. “I’m super happy with the way he’s handled the dirt, Cox said. “He was moving great, training right along.” Tappan Street, who Cox left in South Florida following his Florida Derby victory, is due to work Friday at Payson Park. River Thames is trained by Todd Pletcher. Coincidentally, Pletcher trains Grande, the Wood Memorial runner-up, who, pending decisions on Flood Zone and Heart of Honor, sits 21st on the points list. Following Grande, in order, are Madaket Road, Built, Neoequos, Render Judgment, and Baeza. The connections of Madaket Road want to run. The connections of Built have not yet made up their mind. :: DRF Road to the Derby Package Available Now! Save 37% on key handicapping essentials through Kentucky Derby Day. While the Kentucky Derby field is limited to 20 starters, as many as 24 can enter the race, with four being placed on the also-eligible list. However, horses who plan on being entered must be on the grounds at Churchill by 11 a.m. April 26, one week before the race and entry day for the Derby. In 2022, Rich Strike drew into the Derby field the day before race and won at odds of 80-1, the second-biggest upset in the history of the race. The Blue Grass Stakes left several top riders in need of Derby mounts. Reigning Eclipse Award-winning jockey Flavien Prat rode Chancer McPatrick, who won’t get into the Derby. Of the current horses in the Derby field, Prat has ridden Publisher, a maiden on whom he finished second in the Arkansas Derby and fourth in the Rebel. He has ridden each of the last two Derbies for Cox. Five-time Eclipse Award winner Irad Ortiz Jr. rode River Thames Wednesday and has ridden Madaket Road to a second-place finish the Rebel. :: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.