Can a 2 yr old really run in the KY Derby? I thought it was for 3 yo horses?

Question

Can a 2 yr old really run in the KY Derby? I thought it was for 3 yo horses?

Answer 1

It is only for 3 year old horses.

You can click on the link below and then on each horse to see its birth date.

They probably allow a few months each side.

Answer 2

All horses are considered 3 on Jan.1, but if he ran in the Derby on May 5 and was born on say May 10 he would of actually been only 2 years old.

Answer 3

I would assume so since Street Sense ran and won, obviously they are good enough.

Answer 4

If you are referring to "Street Sense",he was 2 when he won The Breeders Cup Juvenile race,but he is 3 now.The Triple Crown races are for 3 year olds.

Answer 5

No a 2 year old can not run in the Kentucky Derby. It's only for the big 3 year olds!

Answer 6

No. Only three years old horses can run in any of the triple crown races. That includes the Kentucky Derby.

Answer 7

While some of the horses may not have reached their actual third birthday, all racehorses are classified as aging on January 1, though most horses' actual birthdates fall anywhere between February 1 and May 31.

If a horse is unfortunate enough to be born on December 31, he becomes a yearling after one day.  Such a horse will obviously be at a distinct disadvantage for competition because he will be about 8-11 months behind others in his "age group."

The reason for the universal birthdate is because it would be nearly impossible for racetracks, which schedule races for "two year olds," for "three year olds," for "three year olds and up" to be checking every horse's date of birth before allowing them to enter a race.  I mean, it's easier now with computers than it was 100 years ago, but who wants to go through the whole process of verifying horses who ship in to race from all over the country?  Besides, you'd have horses winning the big three year old races in February and March, but what are the commentators going to say?  "Because his birthday is April 12, he is three now and can race in today's Florida Derby but he won't be three on Kentucky Derby day so you won't see him in Louisville in May."  And if a horse's birthday is on May 10, would that mean he was okay to race in the Kentucky Derby last week but because he'd turn four before the Preakness, he couldn't run in that?  The end result would be mass confusion.

Answer 8

No, 2 year old horses cannot race in the Kentucky Derby. It is for 3 year olds. To JWH67: A reminder that there are 2 universal registration dates for thoroughbreds, NOT one. In the southern hemisphere, the official birthday of all registered thoroughbreds is AUGUST 1, NOT JANUARY 1. This applies to horses that are bred in places like central and South America, Australia, New Zealand, most of the Pacific Rim. Many if not most of these countries have racing, and most if not all of them have studs and large breeding farms. Just a reminder.