Can a trainer fly under the radar and win the Kentucky Derby?

[RacingFan1992]

I noticed the trainers today rarely deviate from the races that are in the point system. My question is "Is it possible for a trainer to race in less valuable and less prestigious races, win a big prep race such as the Florida Derby, Wood Memorial, and Blue Grass Stakes, and go onto win the Derby? For instance, a trainer has a horse who breaks his maiden first time out, races in 9 races his 2 year old year from the summer months such as June or July and finished in November. The horse receives a break until February/March with 2 starts before the big preps such as the FD, BGS, or WM. Would anyone consider him a contender if he wins the big preps with no prior points? One example would be run a horse in the Breeders' Futurity instead of running in the Champagne and instead of running in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile you opt to run in a race such as the Nashua at Aqueduct. What I am trying to say is let your competition trainers do your dirty work for you. Trainer A, B, and C take shots at one another in the major races while you compete in the less prestigious races and the result is their horses are dead tired while yours come out fresh as a daisy. The big wig trainers fight tooth and nail just to get to the Derby and when they do the horse sometimes flop.

[ultracapper]

I wouldn't care what the horse did before if he won the Wood or the Blue Grass. That immediately gives him a "look" in my book. It's been awhile since a pig has won the Wood. A number of them have come out of the race worse for wear recently, but the Wood winner is usually a pretty serious colt, even if he might have been 5 for 9 for $175K as a two year old.

Not sure what Funny Cide's 2 yo schedule was, but he won the FlaD (if I remember correctly) and then placed in the Wood to Empire Maker. 12-1 first Saturday in May. I'll take that. If it weren't for the loud backstory on that horse, he probably would have been flying real low on the radar, even with the two recently well run races, and I'd guess it would have been because of an unspectacular pre-FlaD campaign.

Always loved Tagg's response when asked after the Preakness what Funny Cide's secret was. "He's fast"

[ultracapper]

What was Mine That Bird's campaign? I couldn't even tell you in what race he accumulated any points to even qualify. I'd guess in the Midwest somewhere.

[RacingFan1992]

The point system was developed in 2012. Mine That Bird qualified because of graded earnings not points.

[ultracapper]

Dozen one way, 12 the other. Still had to qualify.

[maclr11]

He was 2nd in the borderland derby and 4th in the sunland derby.

[tanner12oz]

Pretty sure the borderland is no longer a qualifying race

[Mineshaft]

a trainer could fly under the radar in the past and win but not anymore with the points system in place.