We've reached the eve of the Kentucky Derby, and the Kentucky Derby odds saw a minor change this morning as the early scratch deadline for also-eligibles to draw into the field came and went at 9 a.m. ET. That means No. 22 Mugatu, who was waiting on one more withdrawal from the main body of the Derby field, has scratched and will not run in the 150th "Run for the Roses."
Find out what this means for Kentucky Derby betting ahead of Saturday's race.
Friday's Kentucky Derby odds: Long shot Mugatu out, Fierceness still favored
Churchill Downs' early scratch deadline arrived in an uneventful manner, with no more defections in the wake of Encino scratching out on Tuesday. While Epic Ride was fortunate enough to draw into the race as the first also-eligible, Mugatu was not as lucky.
Mugatu might have been a more improbable winner than Rich Strike, who famously won the Derby as the first also-eligible to get into the field in 2022. He failed to hit the board in each of his last three starts heading into the first leg of the Triple Crown.
Meanwhile, early wagering for the Kentucky Derby sees Fierceness holding as a 5-2 favorite with over $1.4 million in the win pool alone. Sierra Leone has gone from 3-1 on the morning-line to 6-1 on Thursday to 5-1 as of 10 a.m. ET. Forever Young (7-1) and Catching Freedom (8-1) are the only other runners at single-digit odds right now but bear in mind that lots can change in the next day and a half. Over $89 million was bet to win, place, and show in last year's Kentucky Derby, more than 63 times what's currently in the win pool.
How should bettors re-approach the Kentucky Derby?
Unlike when Encino scratched on Tuesday and moved the Kentucky Derby post positions one spot inward for over half the field, the impact of Mugatu not getting into the Kentucky Derby field from the far outside stall figures to have little impact. Encino was also a live runner at 20-1, while Mugatu was the longest shot on the board in the early Derby wagering prior to his failing to draw into the race.
Kentucky Derby live odds
We have odds for all the remaining 20 Kentucky Derby horses.
| Post | Horse |  * |
 ** |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 17 | Fierceness | +250 | 5-2 | +300 |
| 2 | Sierra Leone | +300 | 3-1 | +250 |
| 4 | Catching Freedom | +800 | 8-1 | +1,000 |
| 8 | Just A Touch | +1,000 | 10-1 | +1,000 |
| 11 | Forever Young | +1,000 | 10-1 | +850 |
| 1 | Dornoch | +2,000 | 20-1 | +2,500 |
| 3 | Mystik Dan | +2,000 | 20-1 | +2,500 |
| 6 | Just Steel | +2,000 | 20-1 | +2,500 |
| 7 | Honor Marie | +2,000 | 20-1 | +2,000 |
| 9 | OTB | SCR | OTB | |
| 12 | Track Phantom | +2,000 | 20-1 | +2,500 |
| 18 | Stronghold | +2,000 | 20-1 | +1,400 |
| 19 | Resilience | +2,000 | 20-1 | +2,000 |
| 15 | Domestic Product | +3,000 | 30-1 | +2,500 |
| 5 | Catalytic | +3,000 | 30-1 | +4,000 |
| 10 | T O Password | +3,000 | 30-1 | +2,500 |
| 14 | Endlessly | +3,000 | 30-1 | +2,000 |
| 13 | West Saratoga | +5,000 | 50-1 | +5,000 |
| 16 | Grand Mo The First | +5,000 | 50-1 | +6,600 |
| 20 | Society Man | +5,000 | 50-1 | +2,500 |
| 21 | Epic Ride | +5,000 | 50-1 | +2,500 |
| 22 | OTB | SCR | OTB | |
Odds as of 5-3-2024.
*FanDuel Racing odds available in AZ, CO, IL, IN, KY, LA, MA, MD, MI, NY, OH, PA, VA, WV, WY
**bet365 Kentucky Derby odds not available in the United States
More Kentucky Derby picks and predictions
Our experts are making Kentucky Derby picks and building bets all week.
- Early Kentucky Derby Picks: Win, Place, Show & More
- Early Kentucky Oaks Picks: Just F Y I Will Keep Pace
- Kentucky Oaks Win, Place, and Show Picks and Predictions
Where can I bet on the Kentucky Derby?
There are numerous legal horse racing betting sites that allow you to bet on the Kentucky Derby, but not every sportsbook can offer Derby odds. We've created a guide detailing the best Kentucky Derby betting sites available in your area.
Which states have legal betting on the Kentucky Derby?
Sports bettors can enjoy some form of online or retail wagering in 34 states (+ DC), but horse racing enthusiasts have even more legal options. Check out our list of legal states for betting on horse racing to see if wagering on horse racing is legal in your state via the FanDuel Racing app.
Canada (excluding Ontario)
Almost all sports betting sites offer fixed-odds wagering on horse racing. Discover 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.
