Excitement is building for the 150th Run for the Roses, which is scheduled for this evening on Saturday, May 4. The final field of Kentucky Derby horses has been selected, and early money suggests this year's Derby could be a match race between Sierra Leone and Fierceness, but anything can happen once those gates are sprung at Churchill Downs.
With just four days to go, Robert Criscola ranks all 21 horses following the Encino scratch while providing analysis on which runners have the best Kentucky Derby odds.
Up-to-date Kentucky Derby horses
A maximum of 20 horses can participate in the first jewel of the 2024 Triple Crown for three-year-old thoroughbreds. The final field and Kentucky Derby post positions were determined on Saturday, April 27, with 22 horses entering. Epic Ride was officially added to the lineup on Tuesday after Encino was scratched due to concerns over a soft tissue strain. The horse, which is trained by John Ennis, opened as a 30-1 longshot.
Who is running in the 2024 Kentucky Derby?
We've listed all the horses, including Kentucky Derby favorites and Kentucky Derby long shots.
No. 17 Fierceness (5-2)
Fierceness has arguably the single-most impressive performance of any horse, regardless of age, this year when he romped in the Florida Derby last time out. However, his puzzlingly dull effort in his only other start of 2024 has some questioning his ability to deliver on the first Saturday in May.
No. 2 Sierra Leone (3-1)
Sierra Leone stamped himself as the Kentucky Derby favorite with two dramatic rallies to win the Risen Star Stakes and the Blue Grass Stakes, the latter of which contained many top-class prospects for the 2024 "Run for the Roses." Four-time Eclipse Award-winning trainer Chad Brown seeks his first Derby score.
No. 4 Catching Freedom (8-1)
Catching Freedom has two wins (Louisiana Derby and Smarty Jones Stakes) and a third (Risen Star) in three starts this season. He also broke his maiden at first asking at Churchill Downs last year.
No. 11 Forever Young (10-1)
Forever Young is a perfect 5-for-5 lifetime with wins in the Saudi Derby and UAE Derby this year. However, the latter race has yet to see a runner even hit the board in the Kentucky Derby since it was elevated to a 100-point prep race.
No. 8 Just A Touch (10-1)
Just a Touch has just one win from three career starts, but his runner-up placings in the Gotham Stakes and Blue Grass were well-received. Like Catching Freedom, he's trained by Brad Cox, who won the Derby via DQ in 2021 (Mandaloun).
No. 1 Dornoch (20-1)
Dornoch was toward the top of many Kentucky Derby boards at the start of 2024, but he hasn't gone on as well as many thought he would after a bias-aided win in the Remsen Stakes. He took a poor renewal of the Fountain of Youth Stakes before settling for fourth in the Blue Grass.
No. 3 Mystik Dan (20-1)
Mystik Dan was unable to replicate his freakishly good Southwest win earned in the slop in the Arkansas Derby, settling for third. He might just be a mud-runner based on his overall lacking form.
No. 6 Just Steel (20-1)
Just Steel disappointed in the Rebel Stakes but placed second in each of his other three starts in 2024 (Smarty Jones, Southwest Stakes, Arkansas Derby). He's trained by four-time Derby-winning conditioner D. Wayne Lukas.
No. 7 Honor Marie (20-1)
Honor Marie wasn't all that far behind Louisiana Derby winner Catching Freedom when last seen. Prior to his fifth-place misfire in the Risen Star, he won the Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes at Churchill.
No. 12 Track Phantom (20-1)
Track Phantom will likely be on or near the lead on the first Saturday in May. Though the talent is there (Lecomte Stakes winner, Top-4 placed in two other stakes), the apparent distance limitations are a concern.
No. 18 Stronghold (20-1)
Stronghold has never been worse than second in six-lifetime races, but both of his wins in the Sunland Derby and Santa Anita Derby came up slow.
No. 19 Resilience (20-1)
Resilience took the Wood Memorial to put himself on the Derby map, but the race hasn't produced a "Run for the Roses" winner since 2000. He took four starts to break his maiden and was fourth in the Risen Star, his only other stakes try.
No. 5 Catalytic (30-1)
Catalytic held his own in his first route attempt, placing a distant second in the Florida Derby. His credentials are light outside of that effort.
No. 10 T O Password (30-1)
T O Password punched his ticket to the Derby via the carve-out for Japan-based runners. He set soft fractions in his most recent victory yet prevailed by just a head.
No. 14 Endlessly (30-1)
Despite trainer Michael McCarthy being less than optimistic about his ability to race on dirt, Endlessly could make his debut on the surface in the Derby. He's only lost once across six starts on turf and synthetic and won the Jeff Ruby Steaks with authority.
No. 15 Domestic Product (30-1)
Domestic Product ran second in the Holy Bull and first in the Tampa Bay Derby to prep for this, but neither effort was incredibly well-rated.
No. 13 West Saratoga (50-1)
Yet to win in four starts since the Iroquois Stakes at Churchill last September, West Saratoga is a long shot, albeit one that just ran a lifetime best effort in the Jeff Ruby.
No. 16 Grand Mo The First (50-1)
Grand Mo the First has made a habit of finishing third, including his most recent start in the Florida Derby.
No. 20 Society Man (50-1)
Society Man was a non-factor in the Withers Stakes, dropped back in with maidens to earn his lone win to date, then placed second in the Wood at 99-1. Is he improving at the right time, or was it a fluke?
No. 21 Epic Ride (50-1)
Epic Ride was third in the Blue Grass at a big price in his debut on conventional dirt. His synthetic track form seems just a cut below the elite.
No. 22 Mugatu (50-1)
Mugatu will need two scratches before 9 a.m. ET on Friday to get into the Derby field, and it's hard to make a case for him based on his 0-for-5 record in 2024 with a fifth-place finish in the Blue Grass Stakes last time out.
Kentucky Derby picks and predictions
Our experts are making Kentucky Derby picks and building bets all week.
Odds for the 2024 Kentucky Derby horses
| Post | Horse |  * |
 ** |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 17 | Fierceness | +250 | 5-2 | +300 |
| 2 | Sierra Leone | +300 | 3-1 | +275 |
| 4 | Catching Freedom | +800 | 8-1 | +800 |
| 8 | Just A Touch | +1000 | 10-1 | +1,000 |
| 11 | Forever Young | +1000 | 10-1 | +850 |
| 1 | Dornoch | +2000 | 20-1 | +2,800 |
| 3 | Mystik Dan | +2000 | 20-1 | +2,500 |
| 6 | Just Steel | +2000 | 20-1 | +2,800 |
| 7 | Honor Marie | +2000 | 20-1 | +2,000 |
| 9 | OTB | SCR | OTB | |
| 12 | Track Phantom | +2000 | 20-1 | +3,300 |
| 18 | Stronghold | +2000 | 20-1 | +1,800 |
| 19 | Resilience | +2000 | 20-1 | +2,500 |
| 15 | Domestic Product | +3000 | 30-1 | +2,500 |
| 5 | Catalytic | +3000 | 30-1 | +5,000 |
| 10 | T O Password | +3000 | 30-1 | +4,000 |
| 14 | Endlessly | +3000 | 30-1 | +3,300 |
| 13 | West Saratoga | +5000 | 50-1 | +6,600 |
| 16 | Grand Mo The First | +5000 | 50-1 | +6,600 |
| 20 | Society Man | +5000 | 50-1 | +2,500 |
| 21 | Epic Ride | +5000 | 50-1 | +4,000 |
| 22 | OTB | SCR | OTB | |
Odds as of 5-4-2024.
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Printable Kentucky Derby horses
Track your favorite horses with our printable sheet of Kentucky Derby horses, complete with post positions and morning-line odds.
How horses qualify for the Kentucky Derby
A series of qualifying races for eligible three-year-old horses, also known as the Road to the Kentucky Derby, begins in September and runs until early April. These races are mostly held in the United States. However, there are qualifying races in Japan and the United Kingdom.
These races are part of a points system that will decide the starting field for the Kentucky Derby, with some races worth more points than others. Horses are awarded points based on their performances in these qualifying events. The top 18 horses in the points standings (if the top points horses from Japan and UK opt in) are awarded starting spots in the Kentucky Derby.
Road to the Kentucky Derby
| Race | Date | Track | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breeders’ Cup Juvenile | November 3, 2023 | Santa Anita Park | Fierceness |
| Smarty Jones Stakes | January 1, 2024 | Oaklawn Park | Catching Freedom |
| Jerome Stakes | January 6 | Aqueduct | Drum Roll Please |
| Lecomte Stakes | January 20 | Fair Grounds | Track Phantom |
| Southwest Stakes | February 3 | Oaklawn Park | Mystik Dan |
| Withers Stakes | February 3 | Aqueduct | Uncle Heavy |
| Holy Bull Stakes | February 3 | Gulfstream Park | Hades |
| Robert B. Lewis Stakes | February 3 | Santa Anita Park | Nysos* |
| Sam F. Davis Stakes | February 10 | Tampa Bay Downs | No More Time |
| Risen Star Stakes | February 17 | Fair Grounds | Sierra Leone |
| Sunland Derby | February 18 | Sunland Park | Stronghold |
| Rebel Stakes | February 24 | Oaklawn Park | Timberlake |
| Fountain of Youth Stakes | March 2 | Gulfstream Park | Dornoch |
| John Battaglia Memorial | March 2 | Turfway Park | Encino |
| San Felipe Stakes | March 2 | Santa Anita Park | Imagination* |
| Gotham Stakes | March 2 | Aqueduct | Deterministic |
| Tampa Bay Derby | March 9 | Tampa Bay Downs | Domestic Product |
| Louisiana Derby | March 23 | Fair Grounds | Catching Freedom |
| Jeff Ruby Steaks | March 23 | Turfway Park | Endlessly |
| UAE Derby | March 30 | Meydan (Dubai) | Forever Young |
| Arkansas Derby | March 30 | Oaklawn Park | Muth* |
| Florida Derby | March 30 | Gulfstream Park | Fierceness |
| Santa Anita Derby | April 6 | Santa Anita Park | Stronghold |
| Blue Grass Stakes | April 6 | Keeneland | Sierra Leone |
| Wood Memorial | April 6 | Aqueduct | Resilience |
| Lexington Stakes | April 13 | Keeneland | Encino |
| Kentucky Derby | May 4 | Churchill Downs | TBD |
*winner trained by Bob Baffert and is ineligible for the Kentucky Derby.
Types of Kentucky Derby horses
The Kentucky Derby isn’t open to just any horse. The “Run for the Roses” is limited to thoroughbred colts and fillies racing as three-year-olds.
Thoroughbred
Thoroughbred horses are predominantly used for racing, as they have a taller and slimmer build and are more athletic than standardbred horses, which are muscular and used in harness racing. Thoroughbred horses are able to sustain speeds over longer distances, with the Kentucky Derby raced at a 1 1/4 miles.
Age of horses
Three-year-old horses can be considered teenagers in terms of growth, nearly fully developed but not quite at the maturity or muscle build of the four-year-old horse. Limiting the field to three-year-old horses allows for only a handful of prep races and adds an aura of mystery to the Kentucky Derby field, serving as a coming-out party for the next generation of elite race horses.
Where can I bet on the Kentucky Derby?
Several legal horse racing betting sites allow you to wager on the Kentucky Derby, but not every sportsbook is allowed to offer Derby odds. We have created a guide outlining the best Kentucky Derby betting sites available in your area.
Which states have legal betting on the Kentucky Derby?
While sports bettors can enjoy some form of online or retail wagering in 34 states (+ DC), horse racing enthusiasts have even more legal options. Refer to our list of legal states for betting on horse racing to see if horse race betting is legal in your state via the FanDuel Racing app.
Canada (excluding Ontario)
Almost all sports betting sites offer fixed-odds betting on horse racing. Check out the best sports betting sites in Canada or sign up now with one of our top partners, bet365, and earn up to $200 in bet credits!
Ontario
Following the changes to the iGaming regulations on April 4, 2022, horse racing betting is no longer available at sportsbooks. Those in Ontario who are looking to bet on the Kentucky Derby will need to sign up at one of Woodbine's two online offerings, HPIbet and Dark Horse Bets.
Kentucky Derby Horses FAQs
The Kentucky Derby is capped at 20 horses but is often raced with fewer as horses drop out or get scratched closer to Derby Day.
There is only one official Kentucky Derby race held on the first weekend in May, however, there are 36 prep races leading up to the 2021 Kentucky Derby.
Horses qualify for the Kentucky Derby by racing in the designated qualifying races and recording enough points to rank among the Top 18 (if top points horses from Japan and UK opt in).
A thoroughbred is a particular breed of horse with a tall and slim build known for its athleticism.
