Prep races are completed, 2024 Kentucky Derby post positions have been drawn and the 2024 Kentucky Derby will take place on Saturday at Churchill Downs. There were 20 horses that drew into the 2024 Kentucky Derby field along with two alternates. The first of those alternates, Epic Ride, was called into action on Tuesday when Encino was scratched from the Kentucky Derby 2024 because of a leg injury. Epic Ride will now break from the No. 20 post and is 50-1 in the current 2024 Kentucky Derby odds. Rich Strike won the 2022 Kentucky Derby after getting in as an alternate and went off at over 80-1 before his magical run.
Fierceness is the 5-2 favorite and other 2024 Kentucky Derby horses include Sierra Leone (3-1), Catching Freedom (8-1), Forever Young (10-1) and Just a Touch (10-1). The 2024 Kentucky Derby post time is 6:57 p.m. ET. With so much to consider while making your 2024 Kentucky Derby picks, a little expert help can go a long way.
With only four 2024 Kentucky Derby trainers and four 2024 Kentucky Derby jockeys who have previously won the Run for the Roses, this could be a prime opportunity for several Hall-of-Fame-caliber trainers and jockeys to capture their first Kentucky Derby victory. Steve Asmussen is already in the Hall of Fame, but he’s still chasing his first Derby win after 25 previous tries. He’ll saddle Track Phantom (20-1) on Saturday. Meanwhile, Irad Ortiz Jr. has won the Eclipse Award for Outstanding Jockey in five of the last six years, but he’ll look for his first Derby win with Domestic Product (30-1).
Given all the history, there’s a method to picking which horses to focus on for exacta, trifecta and superfecta bets in a Kentucky Derby like this, and SportsLine expert Jody Demling knows what it is. He can help you make the best 2024 Kentucky Derby picks possible.
A fixture in the horse racing world who has been writing about, talking about and betting on races for years, Demling enters the 2024 Kentucky Derby having nailed the winner of the Belmont Stakes four of the last six years, including an exacta in 2022 with Mo Donegal and Nest. He also called Flightline’s win at the Breeders’ Cup Classic in November of that year.
Demling is at his best in the biggest horse races in the world like the Kentucky Derby 2024. In fact, he has hit 10 of the last 15 Derby-Oaks doubles at Churchill Downs. That means he held a ticket with the winners of both races all but five times in the last 15 years.
He’s also called 10 of the last 19 Preakness winners, including nailing his Preakness winner, exacta and superfecta picks in 2023, keenly understanding when the Kentucky Derby winner was poised for victory or a massive upset. Anyone who has followed him is up huge. Now, he’s sharing all of his 2024 Kentucky Derby bets here.
Top 2024 Kentucky Derby expert picks
Here’s a refresher on these types of bets from SportsLine’s Jody Demling:
Kentucky Derby Exacta: Pick the first- and second-place finishers in the correct order. A $2 exacta returned $330.44 at the 2023 Kentucky Derby with Mage and Two Phil’s.
Kentucky Derby Trifecta: Pick the first-, second- and third-place finishers in the correct order. A $1 trifecta returned $982.36 at the 2023 Kentucky Derby with Mage, Two Phil’s and Angel of Empire.
Kentucky Derby Superfecta: Pick the first-, second-, third- and fourth-place finishers in the correct order. A $1 superfecta returned a colossal $15,643.65 at the 2023 Kentucky Derby with Mage, Two Phil’s, Angel of Empire and Disarm.
Demling is not taking Fierceness (5-2) to win this year, even though he’s the favorite. Instead, he is building his tickets around Sierra Leone and a massive double-digit longshot who “keeps getting better and better.” You can see his picks here.
How to make 2024 Kentucky Derby bets
Demling has specific recommendations for exacta, trifecta and superfecta wagers so you can cover all your bases at the Kentucky Derby 2024. He’s sharing them over at SportsLine.
So which horses do you take? And in what combinations? Visit SportsLine to get Demling’s picks for exacta, trifecta and superfecta bets for the 2024 Kentucky Derby.
2024 Kentucky Derby odds, futures
| Prg # | Horse | Odds | Projection |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dornoch | 20-1 | SEE PICKS |
| 2 | Sierra Leone | 3-1 | SEE PICKS |
| 3 | Mystik Dan | 20-1 | SEE PICKS |
| 4 | Catching Freedom | 8-1 | SEE PICKS |
| 5 | Catalytic | 30-1 | SEE PICKS |
| 6 | Just Steel | 20-1 | SEE PICKS |
| 7 | Honor Marie | 20-1 | SEE PICKS |
| 8 | Just a Touch | 10-1 | SEE PICKS |
| 9 | Encino | 20-1 | SCR |
| 10 | T O Password (JPN) | 30-1 | SEE PICKS |
| 11 | Forever Young (JPN) | 10-1 | SEE PICKS |
| 12 | Track Phantom | 20-1 | SEE PICKS |
| 13 | West Saratoga | 50-1 | SEE PICKS |
| 14 | Endlessly | 30-1 | SEE PICKS |
| 15 | Domestic Product | 30-1 | SEE PICKS |
| 16 | Grand Mo the First | 50-1 | SEE PICKS |
| 17 | Fierceness | 5-2 | SEE PICKS |
| 18 | Stronghold | 20-1 | SEE PICKS |
| 19 | Resilience | 20-1 | SEE PICKS |
| 20 | Society Man | 50-1 | SEE PICKS |
| 21 | Epic Ride | 30-1 | SEE PICKS |
