The 2024 Kentucky Derby hits the track on Saturday, May 4, at Churchill Downs. While the field isn’t set in stone, the projected list of competing horses is taking shape.
Fierceness leads the way as a 3-1 favorite, followed by Sierra Leone (7-2) and Catching Freedom (8-2). Here’s a closer look at the 2024 Kentucky Derby odds and preview:
Kentucky Derby Odds 2024: Fierceness, Sierra Leone favored at Churchill Downs
According to CBS Sports, there are currently four horses with 10-1 odds or better. Here’s a look at the quartet that leads the pack:
Fierceness is the odds-on favorite to win the Run for the Roses at 3-1. The horse is fresh off a win at the Florida Derby and was the Juvenile Champion in 2023. Fierceness has won three of his five career races. He comes out of Repole Stable and is trained by Todd A. Pletcher.
Sierra Leone is trained by Chad C. Brown, whose best finish at the Kentucky Derby was second with Good Magic in 2018. Leone is a true rising star in the racing world, coming off a convincing win at the Blue Grass Stakes. In four career starts, he has three first-place finishes and one second.
Note: FanDuel Racing may not have odds yet available for wagering on this race, but you can still register and activate your bonus ahead of the 2024 Kentucky Derby.
A last to first victory at the Louisiana Derby put Catching Freedom on the map as a true contender for the Kentucky Derby. The colt won by a length after trailing by 2.5 lengths at the eighth pole.
Trainer Brad Cox won the Kentucky Derby in 2021, albeit in controversial fashion. Mandaloun had to wait 11 months for the prize, after Medina’s Spirit was disqualified for a medication violation. Catching Freedom has three wins in five career starts.
Forever Young hails from Japan and is undefeated in five starts. He punched his Kentucky Derby ticket with a win at the UAE Derby. It will be challenging to manage the horse’s condition on its journey from Dubai to Kentucky, which has been proven in the past.
None of the 19 past UAE Derby winners have finished better than 5th at the Run for the Roses. Forever Young is trained by Yoshito Yahagi.
More Kentucky Derby Betting Odds: Dornoch, Track Phantom & more in middle tier
The second tier of horses have early Kentucky Derby odds that range from 12-1 to 18-1. At 12-1, we have Dornoch, trained by Danny Gargan. Dornoch missed the board for the first time in his career at the Blue Grass Stakes, but consistently posted Brisnet Speed Figures in the mid-to-upper 90s.
Track Phantom is next on the board at 15-1. He won at Gun Runner S. and Lecomte on the Road to the Kentucky Derby, but there are questions about his stamina. He finished second in the 1 1/8-mile Risen Star and fourth in the 1 3/16-mile Louisiana Derby. Here’s a look at some more middle-tier Kentucky Derby odds.
Mid-tier Kentucky Derby odds
Kentucky Derby long shot odds
If you’re looking for Kentucky Derby long shots, here are eight considerations that fall between 20-1 and 85-1. While massive upsets aren’t that common, there have been a few huge paydays for bettors throughout the years.
Who could forget Rich Strike’s 2022 win at 80-1? The biggest upset in Kentucky Derby history was achieved by Donerail in 1913 at 91-1.
Long shot Kentucky Derby odds
Kentucky Derby odds: Super long shots
If you’re wagering on any of the horses listed below, you’re hoping for something that has never happened before. But there’s a first time for everything, right? Remember, some of these are projections. In the end, only 20 horses will race. The field will be finalized on April 27.
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Ryan Hagen broke into the sports betting world early. As a 14-year-old, he sought out a kiosk clerk with relaxed gambling views and convinced him to sell him “Sport Select” tickets – which was the Canadian Lottery Corporation’s original sports betting program. He graduated from Royal Roads University in 2007 and has since combined his passion for sports and (legal) gambling into a career as a sports betting writer. He’s covered college sports, contributed to newspapers and magazines, and written for multiple sportsbooks and affiliates. Off the clock he can be found traveling, searching for noodles, or working on his golf swing.
