The calendar has turned to May, and in the world of horse racing, that means it’s officially Kentucky Derby week.
The 2024 Kentucky Derby will be the 150th Run for the Roses and is set for Saturday, May 4. Twenty horses are set to compete in the race that’s happened annually – and without interruption – since 1875, including one substitute after a scratch from the race was announced Tuesday.
As the first leg of the American horse racing Triple Crown, it’s the most-watched and highest-attended horse race in the United States. Hundreds of thousands of people have already flocked to Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky for the race and preceding festivities while millions more are projected to tune in on TV.
Here’s everything you need to know about the 2024 Kentucky Derby.
KENTUCKY DERBY: Full horses list and odds for the 2024 Run for the Roses
Kentucky Derby 2024: TV, streaming and where to watch
-
When: Saturday, May 4
-
Coverage starts: 2:30 p.m. ET
-
Post time: 6:57 p.m. ET
-
Where: Churchill Downs, Louisville Kentucky
-
Cable TV: NBC
-
Streaming: Peacock; YouTube TV; fuboTV
HOW TO WATCH: See the full Kentucky Derby with a subscription to Peacock
How are starting positions decided in 2024 Kentucky Derby?
Each year, Churchill Downs decides the starting post position of each horse with a draw. One official will pull a piece of paper with a horse’s name out of a pile while another draws a paper with a gate number out of a separate pile.
In years past, this draw occurred on the Monday before the race, five days ahead of time. This year, the post-position draw occurred on Saturday, April 27, a full week before race day.
When is the Kentucky Oaks 2024?
The Kentucky Oaks, the Derby’s sister race, is a stakes race for three-year-old Thoroughbred fillies, or female horses.
This year’s Kentucky Oaks will take place one day before the Kentucky Derby – Friday, May 3, 2024. The drawing for post position for the Oaks occurred before the drawing for the Derby on April 27.
Who are the contenders for the 2024 Kentucky Derby?
Here is the updated list of horses and their posts after the post-position drawing and Encino’s withdrawal from the race.
Looking to bet: Wager on the Kentucky Derby with FanDuel
|
Post |
Horse |
Trainer |
Jockey |
|
1 |
Dornoch |
Danny Gargan |
Luis Saez |
|
2 |
Sierra Leone |
Chad Brown |
Tyler Gaffalione |
|
3 |
Mystik Dan |
Kenny McPeek |
Brian Hernandez Jr. |
|
4 |
Catching Freedom |
Brad Cox |
Flavien Prat |
|
5 |
Catalytic |
Saffie Joseph Jr. |
José Ortiz |
|
6 |
Just Steel |
D. Wayne Lukas |
Keith Asmussen |
|
7 |
Honor Marie |
Whit Beckman |
Ben Curtis |
|
8 |
Just a Touch |
Brad Cox |
Florent Geroux |
|
9 |
T O Password |
Daisuke Takayanagi |
Kazushi Kimura |
|
10 |
Forever Young |
Yoshito Yahagi |
Ryusei Sakai |
|
11 |
Track Phantom |
Steve Asmussen |
Joel Rosario |
|
12 |
West Saratoga |
Larry Demeritte |
Jesús Castañón |
|
13 |
Endlessly |
Michael McCarthy |
Umberto Rispoli |
|
14 |
Domestic Product |
Chad Brown |
Irad Ortiz Jr. |
|
15 |
Grand Mo the First |
Victor Barboza Jr. |
Emisael Jaramillo |
|
16 |
Fierceness |
Todd Pletcher |
John Velazquez |
|
17 |
Stronghold |
Phil D’Amato |
Antonio Fresu |
|
18 |
Resilience |
Bill Mott |
Junior Alvarado |
|
19 |
Society Man |
Danny Gargan |
Frankie Dettori |
|
20 |
Epic Ride |
John Ennis |
Adam Beschizza |
How many horses race in the Kentucky Derby?
Each year’s Kentucky Derby features 20 horses. They qualify from the United States as well as the “Japan Road to the Kentucky Derby” and “European Road to the Kentucky Derby,” according to the official race website.
How long is the Kentucky Derby?
The annual Kentucky Derby is 1 1/4 miles of racing, or 10 furlongs. It is about two kilometers.
What is the Kentucky Derby record?
Secretariat set the record at Churchill Downs in 1973 with a time of 1:59.4.
Odds for 2024 Kentucky Derby:
Odds via CBS Sports, as of Wednesday, May 1. Looking to wager? Check out the best mobile sports betting app offering horse racing promos for this weekend.
|
Post |
Horse |
Morning-line odds (American odds)* |
|
1 |
Dornoch |
20-1 (+2000) |
|
2 |
Sierra Leone |
3-1 (+300) |
|
3 |
Mystik Dan |
20-1 (+2000) |
|
4 |
Catching Freedom |
8-1 (+800) |
|
5 |
Catalytic |
30-1 (+3000) |
|
6 |
Just Steel |
20-1 (+2000) |
|
7 |
Honor Marie |
20-1 (+2000) |
|
8 |
Just a Touch |
10-1 (+1000) |
|
9 |
T O Password |
30-1 (+3000) |
|
10 |
Forever Young |
10-1 (+1000) |
|
11 |
Track Phantom |
20-1 (+2000) |
|
12 |
West Saratoga |
50-1 (+5000) |
|
13 |
Endlessly |
30-1 (+3000) |
|
14 |
Domestic Product |
30-1 (+3000) |
|
15 |
Grand Mo the First |
50-1 (+5000) |
|
16 |
Fierceness |
5-2 (+250) |
|
17 |
Stronghold |
20-1 (+2000) |
|
18 |
Resilience |
20-1 (+2000) |
|
19 |
Society Man |
50-1 (+5000) |
|
20 |
Epic Ride |
30-1 (+3000) |
KENTUCKY DERBY BETTING: How to bet on the Kentucky Derby with tips and strategies
We occasionally recommend interesting products and services. If you make a purchase by clicking one of the links, we may earn an affiliate fee. USA TODAY Network newsrooms operate independently, and this doesn’t influence our coverage.
Gannett may earn revenue from sports betting operators for audience referrals to betting services. Sports betting operators have no influence over nor are any such revenues in any way dependent on or linked to the newsrooms or news coverage. Terms apply, see operator site for Terms and Conditions. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, help is available. Call the National Council on Problem Gambling 24/7 at 1-800-GAMBLER (NJ, OH), 1-800-522-4700 (CO), 1-800-BETS-OFF (IA), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN). Must be 21 or older to gamble. Sports betting and gambling are not legal in all locations. Be sure to comply with laws applicable where you reside.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Kentucky Derby 2024: Everything you need to know
