Who will win Kentucky Derby 2024 at Churchill Downs? Predictions, odds, schedule for 150th annual race, experts picks
The 150th Kentucky Derby takes place this weekend. The positions have been set. Fans have begun to gather. The festivities have already begun, yet we are still more than four days away from the quickest two minutes in sports.
Twenty horses will compete for what is often regarded as the most coveted racing title. The winner will receive $3.1 million, a significant increase from the $1.86 million awarded to the winner just one year earlier.
The total purse has also increased significantly, to $5 million, up from $3 million last year. Second place will get $1 million, third will earn $500,000, fourth will earn $250,000, and fifth will earn $150,000. There is certainly a lot at stake for everyone concerned.
Here are the latest predictions and odds for this year's Run for the Roses.
Kentucky Derby 2024:Time, date, TV and streaming info for 150th Run for the Roses
Predictions for 2024 Kentucky Derby, expert picks
James Scully: Fierceness finishes in fifth place
This year's favorite is none other than Fierceness, with 5-2 odds, per CBS Sports. However, the kentuckyderby.com writer is fading the frontrunner, likely because of Fierceness' inconsistency. Fierceness has never won two races in a row. Instead, Scully has Sierra Leone, the second-favorite (3-1 odds), winning.
Kaitlin Free: Forever Young and Just a Touch to finish second and third place
To call Forever Young and Just a Touch longshots would be a disservice. Those horses are currently tied for the fourth-best odds to win the Kentucky Derby at 10-1. However, having Forever Young and Just a Touch finish ahead of both Fierceness (the odds-on favorite) and Catching Freedom (many experts' favorite upset pick) is definitely a bold claim.
Jody Demling, CBSSports.com
Winner: Sierra Leone
Comment: "Fierceness is probably the best horse in the race; no question he has got the best speed. One drew outside, one drew inside; one closes, one likes the speed. I think they meet in the end, and Sierra Leone catches Fierceness right on the wire, and it's a great Derby 150."
Alicia Hughes, Gaming Today horse racing reporter
Winner: Sierra Leone
Comment: "I think he has the fewest amount of questions around him, compared to some of the other top contenders. I think, on paper, Fierceness is the best horse on figures, but we don't know which version of him is going to show up. I'm going to stick with the horse that has been the most visually impressive to me so far, Sierra Leone."
Darren Rogers, Churchill Downs communications senior director
Winner: Just a Touch
Comment: "He's only had three starts. He's a little bit like last year's winner Mage, where he's playing late in the game. If you want to do it akin to maybe college basketball, Fierceness might be a stud senior, but Just a Touch might be that hot-shot freshman who might be good enough to take it all. If I had to bet, I'm going Just a Touch because of the odds, but Fierceness is going to be very tough to beat."
Dan Dry, KentuckyDerby.com photographer
Winner: Mystik Dan
Comment: "Hey, since my name is Dan, I got to go with Mystik Dan. Why not?"
Travis Stone, Churchill Downs track announcer
Winner: Just a Touch
Comment: "The Blue Grass was a sharp pace; he was right on top of it. Fierceness is going to be tough,
though."
Kevin Kerstein, Churchill Downs communications
Winner: Honor Marie
Comment: "A long shot in the Kentucky Derby for Louisville native Whit Beckman. These connections have invested so much into the horse race industry. This horse is doing better than I've seen any other horse on the racetrack doing."
Odds, Picks for 2024 Kentucky Derby:
Odds via CBS Sports, as of Wednesday, May 1.
Fierceness (5-2)
Sierra Leone (3-1)
Catching Freedom (8-1)
Forever Young (10-1)
Just a Touch (10-1)
Dornoch (20-1)
Mystik Dan (20-1)
Just Steel (20-1)
Honor Marie (20-1)
Encino (20-1)
Track Phanton (20-1)
Stronghold (20-1)
Resilience (20-1)
Catalytic (30-1)
T O Password (30-1)
Endlessly (30-1)
Domestic Product (30-1)
Grand Mo the First (50-1)
Society Man (50-1)
West Saratoga (50-1)
How to watch 2024 Kentucky Derby:
When: Saturday, May 4, 2024
Where: Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky
Coverage starts: 2:30 p.m. ET
Time: 6:57 p.m. ET; 3:57 p.m. PT
TV: NBC; USA TV Network
Stream: NBC Sports app; Peacock
Watch the race:Stream the Kentucky Derby with a Peacock subscription
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