Dosage Index

This is by far the most popular way of examining who can make the Kentucky Derby distance of 1 1/4 miles and who can’t. A simple explanation is that dosage figures a given contender’s distance potential based on stallions from the first 4 generations of that horse’s pedigree. It’s a genetically-based theory that takes into account not only how well certain ancestors of the horse did, but also how far back in the horse’s line they are. Points are awarded for speed and stamina of top-notch horses that often appear in contenders’ pedigrees. These super stallions are called “chefs de race.” Any horse with a dosage of 4.00 or less is supposed to be able to make the derby distance. So far, since the derby began in 1875, only four winners have had dosages higher than 4.00; however, all of those were relatively recently. They were Strike The Gold in 1991, Real Quiet in 1998, Charismatic in 1999 and Giacomo in 2005. Because of a reclassification of his sire, Strike the Gold would now qualify. For details, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dosage_Index

Dual Qualifiers (DQ)
Dual qualifiers are those horses that not only have a dosage of 4.00 or less but also are within 10 pounds of the high weight in the Experimental Free Handicap rating. It is based only on races from the contenders’ 2-year-old season. The last Dual Qualifier to win the Kentucky Derby was Silver Charm in 1997. This year’s dual qualifiers are (with weight and dosage index): Dixie Chatter (120, 3.00); Into Mischief (120, 1.50); Court Vision (119, 3.67); Georgie Boy (119, 1.67); Wicked Style (119, 3.00); Kodiak Kowboy (118, 2.00); Majestic Warrior (118, 3.00); Tale of Ekati (118, 2.00).

War Pass, with a dosage of 4.09, is not a dual qualifier. Neither is Pyro (4.14). Colonel John, one of the leading West Coast candidates, also missed as a dual qualifier because his Experimental weight is 116 pounds, 11 fewer than War Pass.