Road to the Kentucky Oaks Road to the Kentucky Oaks The Road to the Kentucky Oaks is a points system to qualify for the Kentucky Oaks, one of the most important races for three-year-old fillies and held the day before the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs. It features roughly 30 stakes races for Thoroughbred fillies between September (when the horses are age two) and April (when they are three) – the number and specific races have varied slightly over the years. The point system replaces the previous qualifying system which was based on graded stakes earnings. If more than 14 horses wish to enter the
Marquis Downs Friday and Saturday from late May to the first Saturday of September. Standardbred racing is conducted for the following four weeks, also every Friday and Saturday. A few stakes races are held at Marquis Downs, most notably the Saskatchewan Derby, Prairie Lily Sales Stake and Heritage Day which showcases the Saskatchewan breds. The minimum purse in 2007 was $3,000 and the Heritage races featured a $100,000 purse. Marquis Downs Marquis Downs is a horse race track in the Exhibition subdivision of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada. It features both thoroughbred and standardbred horse racing. Marquis Downs opened in 1969 with Thoroughbred racing.