On May 4, the Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve will be held for the 150^th time at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky. The Kentucky Derby is the most famous horse race in the U.S. and has become a cornerstone event in American culture, year in and year out, drawing more than 120,000 fans to the historic track on the first Saturday in May and millions of viewers watching around the world.

For its 150^th running, Churchill Downs has invested more than $200 million in updating the paddock area where horses prepare before the race and also has increased the total purse for the Derby, a Grade 1 stakes race, to $5 million.

Aside from all of the pageantry and parties that accompany the Derby every year, the Kentucky Derby is a unique horse race on the North American calendar. It’s restricted to 3-year-olds, meaning that owners have only one opportunity to win the Derby with any individual horse, and it’s held at the taxing distance of 1 ¼ miles, which none of the entrants has ever raced at before. On top of that, as many as 20 horses are allowed to run in the Kentucky Derby, a number that has been reached 22 out of the past 25 years. 

The winner of the Kentucky Derby each year becomes the only horse eligible to win the prestigious Triple Crown, a three-race series for 3-year-olds that also includes the Preakness Stakes and Belmont Stakes Presented by NYRA Bets. Thirteen horses that have won the Kentucky Derby have gone on to win the Preakness and Belmont and sweep the Triple Crown, achieving the highest level of fame in horse racing: Sir Barton (1919), Gallant Fox (1930), Omaha (1935), War Admiral (1937), Whirlaway (1941), Count Fleet (1943), Assault (1946), Citation (1948), Secretariat (1973), Seattle Slew (1977), Affirmed (1978), American Pharoah (2015), and Justify (2018).

Winning the Kentucky Derby is therefore the pinnacle of achievement for most people who participate in the sport, and a full field is expected on May 4. Horses earn a spot in the Derby starting gate by participating in the Road to the Kentucky Derby series created by Churchill Downs that awards points to competitors in selected prep races. The top two points earners from this year’s Road to the Kentucky Derby series – Sierra Leone and Fierceness – are expected to vie for post-time favoritism the Derby, which shapes up to be a typically great betting race and a formidable puzzle for horseplayers.

The 150^th Kentucky Derby will be broadcast live on NBC as part of a five-hour program on May 4 from 2:30 p.m.-7:30 p.m. ET and will also be livestreamed on Peacock. Post time for the Derby is 6:57 p.m.

America’s Best Racing has many resources to help fans new to the Kentucky Derby learn about the race’s rich history, what to bring to the event, and how to bet on the horses. Our Triple Crown page also has profiles of all of the contenders, and please also follow ABR on social media (Facebook, X, Instagram, YouTube, TikTok) for updates on the race in the days ahead plus photos and videos from our team on-site at Churchill Downs.

Sign up today and bet on the 150^th Kentucky Derby with  1/ST BET, the official app of the Preakness Stakes. That way, once you get to know the Kentucky Derby horses in this Cheat Sheet,  you can stop by 1st.com/bet/cheatsheet and make your bets on Saturday, May 4.

Whether you are interested in making a couple of bucks on the race or just want to know a little bit about this year’s runners, we’ve got you covered with our 2024 Kentucky Derby Cheat Sheet. 

---

1. Dornoch (20-1 morning-line odds)

Jockey: Luis Saez

Trainer: Danny Gargan

Owners: West Paces Racing, R. A. Hill Stable, Belmar Racing and Breeding, Two Eight Racing, and Pine Racing Stables

Career record: 6 starts – 3 wins – 2 seconds – 0 thirds

Career earnings: $552,275

Earnings per start: $92,046

Top Equibase Speed Figure: 102

Kentucky Derby points: 75

Pedigree: Good Magic – Puca, by Big Brown

Color: Bay

Running style: Pacesetter/press the pace

Notable achievements and interesting facts: Dornoch was one of the leading Kentucky Derby contenders in future wager pools over the winter after he closed out 2023 with back-to-back wins, including a nose victory over Sierra Leone in the Remsen Stakes. He kept that status after winning his 3-year-old debut, the Coolmore Fountain of Youth Stakes, March 2 against a field that was reduced by four scratches on the day of the race. In his next start, the Toyota Blue Grass Stakes, Dornoch settled off of the early pace for a change instead of contesting it, and did not muster much of a closing rally when asked by jockey Luis Saez, finishing a distant fourth behind last-to-first winner Sierra Leone. Much of the esteem surrounding Dornoch has diminished as a result of his final prep effort, but he could be eligible for a bounce-back effort at decent odds, especially if he reverts back to his forwardly placed running style. Breaking clean and fast is something he’ll have to do from the dreaded inside post position in order to avoid getting crowded and pushed back by horses to his outside as they try to angle in and save ground. Dornoch has consistently posted speed figures that give him a chance to at least finish third or fourth in the Kentucky Derby if not win the race, and his pedigree is beyond reproach for handling the 1 ¼-mile classic distance: as a son of sire (father) Good Magic and out of the dam (mother) Puca, he’s a full-brother to last year’s Kentucky Derby winner Mage.

Derby History: Saez experienced the feeling of winning the Kentucky Derby for about 22 minutes in 2019, as his mount Maximum Security crossed the finish line in front. However, that colt was disqualified by stewards for drifting out and interfering with several horses at the top of the stretch, so as it stands, Saez’s best finish in the Derby from 10 prior starters came aboard third-place Essential Quality in 2021. Trainer Danny Gargan will also start Society Man in the 2024 Derby and made his first appearance in 2019 with Tax, who finished 14^th. Randy Hill (R. A. Hill Stable) was co-owner of Tax and is the only member of this ownership group with previous Derby experience.

Bet Dornoch in the Kentucky Derby

---

2. Sierra Leone (3-1)

Jockey: Tyler Gaffalione

Trainer: Chad Brown

Owners: Peter Brant, Susan Magnier, Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith, Westerberg, and Brooke Smith

Career record: 4 starts – 3 wins – 1 second – 0 thirds

Career earnings: $918,000

Earnings per start: $229,500

Top Equibase Speed Figure: 107

Kentucky Derby points: 155

Pedigree: Gun Runner – Heavenly Love, by Malibu Moon

Color: Dark bay or brown

Running style: Closer

Notable achievements and interesting facts: The leading Kentucky Derby points earner for 2024 should vie for post-time favoritism with Fierceness, and this well-bred, expensive colt has a running style that’s in contrast to his main Derby rival. Sierra Leone is a deep closer who will need some racing luck by way of a solid early pace and a clean trip in order to put forth his best effort on Derby day. He’ll be positioned near the back of the large field early on in the race and probably won’t be given his cue to rally by jockey Tyler Gaffalione until the field enters the far turn at Churchill Downs – at which time Fierceness may have already moved up to challenge for the lead. Sierra Leone, who was purchased for $2.3 million as a yearling in 2022, has assembled a nearly perfect race record through four career starts. His only defeat came by a nose last December to Kentucky Derby foe Dornoch in the Remsen Stakes, and he’s won both of his starts this year – the Risen Star Stakes and the Toyota Blue Grass Stakes – with impressive off-the-pace rallies. His pedigree is a plus for handling the Kentucky Derby’s 1 ¼-mile distance, and his speed figures are competitive with the top Derby contenders. Look for him to save ground early from his inside post and then to surge into contention as the field turns for home, angling to the outside of horses to avoid any tiring runners that could block his momentum. If he can navigate that trip, Sierra Leone can live up to his billing and win the Kentucky Derby.

Derby History: Chad Brown will send his eighth and ninth horses to the Derby starting gate this year, with Domestic Product joining Sierra Leone. The four-time Eclipse Award-winning trainer has two prior in-the-money Derby finishes: runner-up Good Magic in 2018 and third-place Zandon in 2022. Jockey Tyler Gaffalione, an 11-time leading rider at Churchill Downs, will make his seventh Derby start; his best finish came aboard seventh-place War of Will in 2019. Sierra Leone’s owners have entered horses in several prior Derbys over the years either alone or through other partnerships, most successfully in 1984 when Peter Brant owned an interest in victor Swale and in 1995 when Michael Tabor’s Thunder Gulch won the Derby. In 2004, Lion Heart finished second for the partnership of Tabor and Derrick Smith.

Bet Sierra Leone in the Kentucky Derby

---

3. Mystik Dan (20-1)

Jockey: Brian Hernandez Jr.

Trainer: Ken McPeek

Owners: Lance Gasaway, 4 G Racing, and Valley View Farm

Career record: 6 starts – 2 wins – 1 second – 1 third

Career earnings: $641,360

Earnings per start: $106,893

Top Equibase Speed Figure: 110

Kentucky Derby points: 46

Pedigree: Goldencents – Ma’am, by Colonel John

Color: Bay

Running style: Stalker/closer

Notable achievements and interesting facts: Mystik Dan arguably has the best chance – albeit a remote one – of winning the Kentucky Derby among the bottom 12 contenders based on accumulated points. That’s due to his eye-catching romp in the Southwest Stakes back on Feb. 3, which was held on a muddy track at Oaklawn Park in Arkansas. On that day, Mystik Dan took to the “off” track with relish and shot up the rail to win going away by eight lengths, with Just Steel a distant second. He subsequently came back in the Arkansas Derby March 30 and, racing on a dry dirt track this time, was far less impressive, although he did endure some traffic trouble on the first turn and recovered to finish with interest in the late going. This colt also posted a win at Churchill Downs last fall by 7 ¾ lengths and with a fast speed figure, although at a sprint distance. He’s been training superbly at Churchill since the Arkansas Derby and although his pedigree suggests he’s best-suited to races around one mile, he’s shown enough ability, especially in terms of speed figures, to warrant a long look as an upset candidate. Boost his chances if there’s rain on Kentucky Derby day.

Derby History: Kentucky-based trainer Ken McPeek has brought nine horses to the Kentucky Derby in prior runnings. His best finish came in his very first appearance, when Tejano Run finished second in 1995. Jockey Brian Hernandez Jr. will be making his fifth start in the Derby.

Bet Mystik Dan in the Kentucky Derby

---

4. Catching Freedom (8-1)

Jockey: Flavien Prat

Trainer: Brad Cox

Owner: Albaugh Family Stables

Career record: 5 starts – 3 wins – 0 seconds – 1 third

Career earnings: $877,350

Earnings per start: $175,470

Top Equibase Speed Figure: 98

Kentucky Derby points: 125

Pedigree: Constitution – Catch My Drift, by Pioneerof the Nile

Color: Bay

Running style: Closer

Notable achievements and interesting facts: Fierceness and Sierra Leone have captured much of the attention heading into Derby 150 as the probable post-time favorites, while this accomplished colt has been preparing somewhat under the radar. His best speed figures are a cut below that pair, but overall, Catching Freedom is a solid middle-tier Derby contender and if he can move forward from his final Derby prep he can pull off the mild upset on May 4. He enters off of a last-to-first rallying victory in the Twinspires.com Louisiana Derby on March 30, where he angled toward the middle of the track after wheeling into the homestretch and outfinished Honor Marie, who made a similar move from behind, to prevail by a length. Prior to that win, Catching Freedom finished third behind Sierra Leone and Track Phantom in the Risen Star Stakes on Feb. 17, when he was in tight quarters between those foes in the late going but still gave a good effort. He also has another two-turn stakes win in the Jan. 1 Smarty Jones Stakes on his résumé, and on Derby day will have the services of jockey Flavien Prat, who has finished in the top three with five of his six prior Kentucky Derby starters. As with Sierra Leone, Catching Freedom will need the pace in the Kentucky Derby to be fast enough to set up his rally, and Prat must maneuver him through what typically is a bunched-up group of tiring horses in early stretch in order to find clear running room. Look for this colt to make his presence felt in the final sixteenth of a mile if he gets a clean trip.

Derby History: Trainer Brad Cox, a Louisville native and two-time Eclipse Award winner, officially secured his first Kentucky Derby win at last earlier this year, when the connections of Medina Spirit dropped their appeal of that colt’s disqualification in the 2021 Derby. Mandaloun, trained by Cox, was elevated to first in 2022 and the 2021 Derby chart was revised this February. Cox, who also sends Just a Touch to the 2024 Derby, has also finished third twice in this race from nine prior starters. Owner Albaugh Family Stables has been represented by six prior horses in the Derby, four as sole owner. Their colt Angel of Empire finished third in last year’s run for the roses with Flavien Prat aboard. That showing added to Prat’s fine record through six Derby appearances. He won the race in 2019 aboard Country House after Maximum Security was disqualified for interference, finished second in 2021 on Hot Rod Charlie (elevated from third after Medina Spirit was DQ’d), and has checked in third three times, including last year.

Bet Catching Freedom in the Kentucky Derby

---

5. Catalytic (30-1)

Jockey: Jose Ortiz

Trainer: Saffie Joseph Jr.

Owners: Tami Bobo, Julie Davies, and George Isaacs

Career record: 3 starts – 1 win – 2 seconds – 0 thirds

Career earnings: $216,825

Earnings per start: $72,275

Top Equibase Speed Figure: 90

Kentucky Derby points: 50

Pedigree: Catalina Cruiser – One Show Only, by Distorted Humor

Color: Bay

Running style: Press the pace/stalker

Notable achievements and interesting facts: Catalytic outran his 29-1 odds to finish second in the Curlin Florida Derby Presented by Hill ‘n’ Dale Farms at Xalapa on March 30, punching his ticket to the Kentucky Derby where he’ll need to outrun what are very likely to be even longer odds to finish in the money. He won his only start last year at age 2 in a sprint race and returned in another sprint to check in second on March 8, before attempting two turns and a major class hike in the Florida Derby. In that race, Catalytic raced behind pacesetting Fierceness throughout and was no match for that foe, who won by 13 ½ lengths, but he also finished a clear second, 2 ½ lengths in front of Grand Mo the First. Outside of Fierceness, Catalytic has not competed against any of the leading 3-year-olds this spring, and he would have to increase his speed figures by about 15-20 points to be a factor during the closing stages of the Kentucky Derby. A far more likely scenario has Catalytic involved in the early pace setup, which could speed up the early fractions in the Derby and help come-from-behind horses such as Sierra Leone and Catching Freedom.

Derby History: Catalytic’s co-owner Tami Bobo also co-owned 2022 Derby fourth-place finisher Simplification. Saffie Joseph will bring his third horse to the Kentucky Derby this year. Jockey Jose Ortiz has made eight prior starts in the Kentucky Derby, finishing second aboard Good Magic in 2018 and third a year later on Tacitus. He also rode Simplification in 2022.

Bet Catalytic in the Kentucky Derby

---

6. Just Steel (20-1)

Jockey: Keith Asmussen

Trainer: D. Wayne Lukas

Owner: BC Stables

Career record: 11 starts – 2 wins – 4 seconds – 1 third

Career earnings: $724,545

Earnings per start: $65,868

Top Equibase Speed Figure: 112

Kentucky Derby points: 65

Pedigree: Justify – Irish Lights, by Fastnet Rock

Color: Bay

Running style: Stalker

Notable achievements and interesting facts: Just Steel brings Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas back to the Kentucky Derby for the first time since 2018, and this colt’s also the 2024 contender with the most racing experience with 11 starts to date. The son of 2018 Triple Crown winner Justify has faced off against some of the best horses in his age group going back to last summer when he made three starts at Saratoga, and he tallied his only stakes win to date in his final start of 2023 when he won the Ed Brown Stakes at a sprint distance. All four of his starts this year at age 3 have come in Kentucky Derby prep races around two turns: second in the Smarty Jones Stakes to Catching Freedom, second in the Southwest Stakes to Mystik Dan, seventh in the Rebel Stakes, and then improving back to finish second again in his final prep, the Arkansas Derby March 30 (won by Muth, who is ineligible to compete in the Kentucky Derby). Just Steel’s run in the Arkansas Derby was his best start by far this year, as he churned through the stretch to finish two lengths behind the winner but 4 ¼ lengths in front of third-place Mystik Dan, and he earned a sharp speed figure as well. His bloodlines are suitable for racing even longer in the Kentucky Derby and overall his form is solid enough to make Just Steel a good candidate for exacta and trifecta tickets in Derby 150, even if he is an outsider as a win candidate.

Derby History: While Just Steel is the first Derby horse for young jockey Keith Asmussen and owner BC  Stables, he will be the 50th – second most all-time – for the legendary D. Wayne Lukas. “The Coach,” age 88, has four prior Kentucky Derby wins on his résumé: the filly Winning Colors (1988), Thunder Gulch (1995), Grindstone (1996), and Charismatic (1999). Lukas has also trained one runner-up and five third-place finishers.

Bet Just Steel in the Kentucky Derby

---

7. Honor Marie (20-1)

Jockey: Ben Curtis

Trainer: D. Whitworth Beckman

Owners: Ribble Farms, Michael Eiserman, Earl Silver, Kenneth Fishbein, and Dave Fishbein

Career record: 5 starts – 2 wins – 2 seconds – 0 thirds

Career earnings: $526,175

Earnings per start: $105,235

Top Equibase Speed Figure: 98

Kentucky Derby points: 65

Pedigree: Honor Code – Dame Marie, by Smart Strike

Color: Bay

Running style: Closer

Notable achievements and interesting facts: Honor Marie profiles as a live longshot in the Kentucky Derby who sits a notch below the top-tier contenders based on speed figures but who has shown an affinity for Churchill Downs’ dirt track and is eligible to improve in his third start of the year. He won his debut race last September at Churchill and then, after finishing second on this track, closed out 2023 with another victory under the Twin Spires, this time in the Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes going around two turns. Honor Marie closed from 11^th of 12 starters to finish fifth behind Sierra Leone in the Risen Star Stakes on Feb. 17, his 3-year-old debut, and then moved forward off of that effort by rallying again and finishing second to Catching Freedom in his final Derby prep, the Twinspires.com Louisiana Derby on March 23. He has the same come-from-behind running style as the winners of those two races, and it follows that like them, he’ll need to work out a good trip behind a solid early pace in order to have a chance at pulling the upset. The 1 ¼-mile distance should be within his ability based on pedigree, and even in his fifth-place finish Honor Marie was trying hard to make up ground at the end.

Derby History: This is the first Derby appearance for Honor Marie’s ownership group and for up-and-coming trainer Whit Beckman, who is based at Churchill Downs. Jockey Ben Curtis, a native of Ireland who began riding in the U.S. last fall, will also make his Derby debut aboard Honor Marie.

Bet Honor Marie in the Kentucky Derby

---

8. Just a Touch (10-1)

Jockey: Florent Geroux

Trainer: Brad Cox

Owners: Qatar Racing, Resolute Racing, and Marc Detampel

Career record: 3 starts – 1 win – 2 seconds – 0 thirds

Career earnings: $281,700

Earnings per start: $93,900

Top Equibase Speed Figure: 105

Kentucky Derby points: 75

Pedigree: Justify – Touching Beauty, by Tapit

Color: Bay

Running style: Stalker

Notable achievements and interesting facts: Just a Touch is a lightly raced Kentucky Derby contender, having only made three starts, all coming earlier this year. In that respect, he follows in the hoofsteps of sire Justify, who brought a 3-for-3 record to the 2018 Kentucky Derby and won commandingly to set up a sweep of the Triple Crown. Just a Touch, on the other hand, is 1-for-3, his win coming in a six-furlong sprint back in January, followed by back-to-back runner-up efforts in Kentucky Derby preps. He rallied late to nab second in the one-mile Gotham Stakes in early March, and then in his two-turn debut, he took the lead in early stretch of the Toyota Blue Grass Stakes April 6 but could not withstand a late rally from Sierra Leone and settled for second, 1 ½ lengths behind that foe. Just a Touch was 3 ¾ lengths clear of third-place Epic Ride in the Blue Grass, however, and earned a good speed figure. With only three starts under his belt, this colt has plenty of untapped potential – and if he can muster a career-best race on May 4, he’s got a chance to finish in the top three at good odds. Just a Touch retains the services of jockey Florent Geroux, who’s been aboard for all of his prior starts, and Geroux should have his mount forwardly placed early in the Derby and in position to challenge the leaders around the far turn.

Derby History: Louisville native and two-time Eclipse Award winner Brad Cox gained his first Kentucky Derby win on a severely delayed timeline as Mandaloun was officially confirmed as 2021 victor earlier this year following the disqualification of Medina Spirit. He has also finished third twice in this race from nine prior starters. Geroux was aboard Mandaloun in 2021 and is now enshrined into history as a Derby winner. The jockey has one third-place finish as well from seven prior starters.

Bet Just a Touch in the Kentucky Derby

---

9. Encino (WITHDRAWN)

Jockey: Axel Concepcion

Trainer: Brad Cox

Owner: Godolphin

Career record: 4 starts – 3 wins – 1 second – 0 thirds

Career earnings: $378,315

Earnings per start: $94,579

Top Equibase Speed Figure: 108

Kentucky Derby points: 40

Pedigree: Nyquist – Glittering Jewel, by Bernardini

Color: Dark bay or brown

Running style: Press the pace

Notable achievements and interesting facts: This well-bred colt shone in his first try on a dirt track April 13 when winning the Stonestreet Lexington Stakes, and that victory in the final points race for the Kentucky Derby plus a defection secured him a spot in the field. On April 27, his connections confirmed that Encino will start in the Derby where he'll wheel back on three weeks of rest. He took the Lexington Stakes on the front end under an aggressive ride by jockey Florent Geroux and responded to a stretch challenge by The Wine Steward to prevail by three-quarters of a length. An impressive performance indeed, but it would be a lot to ask of a still-developing colt to come back and repeat (or possibly improve) that effort in such a short time. Encino’s three prior starts to the Lexington came on an all-weather track, including a win in the John Battaglia Memorial Stakes, but his pedigree is favorable for both dirt and the mile-and-a-quarter distance as he's a son of 2016 Kentucky Derby winner Nyquist and his dam (mother) is a half-sibling to 2007 Derby winner Street Sense. Geroux is tabbed to ride Just a Touch in Derby 150, and Encino will be reunited with young jockey Axel Concepcion on May 4 after Concepcion rode him in all three of his races at Turfway. It will be interesting to see whether Concepcion will be as aggressive with Encino in the Kentucky Derby as Geroux was in the Lexington Stakes, as the colt showed versatility in his starts on the all-weather surface, winning his maiden in gate-to-wire fashion and coming off of the pace in the John Battaglia Memorial.

Derby History: Louisville native and two-time Eclipse Award winner Brad Cox gained his first Kentucky Derby win on a severely delayed timeline as Mandaloun was officially confirmed as 2021 victor earlier this year following the disqualification of Medina Spirit. Cox has also finished third twice in this race from nine prior starters. Godolphin, the international racing business owned by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al Maktoum of Dubai, has sent 12 prior horses to the Kentucky Derby with the best finish a third by Cox-trained Essential Quality, the eventual Belmont Stakes winner, in 2021. Axel Concepcion won the 2023 Eclipse Award as outstanding apprentice jockey and will be making his first Derby start. UPDATE: Trainer Brad Cox announced April 30 that Encino would not run in the May 4 Kentucky Derby due to a soft tissue strain.

---

10. T O Password (30-1)

Jockey: Kazushi Kimura

Trainer: Daisuke Takayanagi

Owner: Tomoya Ozasa

Career record: 2 starts – 2 wins – 0 seconds – 0 thirds

Career earnings: $163,339

Earnings per start: $81,670

Top Equibase Speed Figure: n/a

Kentucky Derby points: Japan Road to Kentucky Derby invitee

Pedigree: Copano Rickey – T O Rachel, by King Kamehameha

Color: Bay

Running style: Pacesetter

Notable achievements and interesting facts: This colt secured a spot in the 2024 Kentucky Derby by collecting the most points in the Japan Road to the Kentucky Derby series. He’s only made two career starts in his home country and won both of them, but those wins came in races held at a competition level that’s far below the prep races contested in the U.S. and even in Dubai. Forever Young, another Japan-based colt, took the Dubai path to Derby 150 and is regarded by most handicappers as having a legitimate chance at winning on May 4, while T O Password, drawn just to his inside in the startng gate, is a complete outsider. His win in the Fukuryu Stakes March 23 came in a slow time, and he was all out to hold on for a head victory after setting the pace (the Fukuryu Stakes was held in a clockwise configuration around two turns, the opposite of how U.S. races are contested). Based on that form, it’s difficult to see how T O Password will be able to match strides with projected pacesetter Track Phantom and the handful of other U.S.-based Derby horses that prefer to race near the lead – including Fierceness.

Derby History: This is the first Kentucky Derby for T O Password’s owner and trainer. Jockey Kazushi Kimura has enjoyed success racing in North America over the past few years, winning meet titles at Woodbine in Canada and also holding his own on the Southern California circuit. Kimura rode Japan-based Mandarin Hero to a 12^th-place finish in his first Derby appearance last year.

Bet T O Password in the Kentucky Derby

---

11. Forever Young (10-1)

Jockey: Ryusei Sakai

Trainer: Yoshito Yahagi

Owner: Susumu Fujita

Career record: 5 starts – 5 wins – 0 seconds – 0 thirds

Career earnings: $2,049,451

Earnings per start: $409,890

Top Equibase Speed Figure: n/a

Kentucky Derby points: 100

Pedigree: Real Steel – Forever Darling, by Congrats

Color: Bay

Running style: Stalker/closer

Notable achievements and interesting facts: The narrative around Forever Young heading into Derby 150 starts with the abysmal record of horses who competed in the UAE Derby Sponsored By Atlantis The Royal in the run for the roses: zero top-three finishes from 19 starters. That bit of history is followed up, however, by this colt’s impressive accomplishments over the past seven months: a perfect 5-for-5 record and wins in the Boutique Group Saudi Derby and the UAE Derby in his two prior starts to the Kentucky Derby. Both of those wins came in the Middle East after Forever Young shipped there from his native Japan, where he dominated local opposition in three starts last year at age 2. His win in the UAE Derby March 30 was especially encouraging, as he raced wide throughout most of the 1 3/16-mile race but still managed to finish powerfully to score by two lengths. Obviously, the level of competition he’ll face on Derby day will be turned up several notches, and it’s advisable to watch his gallops at Churchill Downs closely during the days leading up to May 4 to see how he handles the track. There have been “buzz horses” shipping in from Dubai in recent past Derbys – Derma Sotogake last year and Thunder Snow in 2017 come to mind – and it’s safe to say that Forever Young is among that highly regarded group. He’ll need to elevate his game to a new high in the Kentucky Derby to have a shot at pulling the upset.

Derby History: This will be the first Derby start for Forever Young’s Japanese connections. However, Yoshito Yahagi was one of the stars of the 2021 Breeders’ Cup World Championships at Del Mar as he trained two winners during the event, Marche Lorraine in the Longines Distaff and Loves Only You in the Maker’s Mark Filly and Mare Turf.

Bet Forever Young in the Kentucky Derby

---

12. Track Phantom (20-1)

Jockey: Joel Rosario

Trainer: Steve Asmussen

Owners: L and N Racing, Clark Brewster, Jerry Caroom, and Breeze Easy

Career record: 7 starts – 3 wins – 2 seconds – 1 third

Career earnings: $405,000

Earnings per start: $57,857

Top Equibase Speed Figure: 100

Kentucky Derby points: 70

Pedigree: Quality Road – Miss Sunset, by Into Mischief

Color: Bay

Running style: Pacesetter

Notable achievements and interesting facts: Track Phantom should have a say in the outcome of this year’s 150^th Kentucky Derby even if he does not pull off the upset. He’s a confirmed pacesetter in a field that overall lacks a lot of early speed, so assuming he does secure the lead soon after the start, he should be able to dictate how fast the field runs through the first half-mile at least. Truthfully, this colt has shown a lot of determination in his career, never throwing in the towel even in the races he hasn’t won. He rolled to an easy win at age 2 back in November on the same Churchill Downs track he’ll race on in the Derby, and then shipped to Louisiana for his Kentucky Derby preps over the winter and early spring. After winning both the Gun Runner Stakes and the Lecomte Stakes, he set the pace in both the Risen Star Stakes and Twinspires.com Louisiana Derby but tired late to finish second and fourth behind Sierra Leone and Catching Freedom, respectively. The Derby prep races at Fair Grounds in Louisiana have been the strongest in any region this year, and Track Phantom was competitive in all of them. Both his pedigree and his past two efforts do suggest that winning at the Derby’s 1 ¼-mile distance could be difficult, but it would not be a surprise at all to see Track Phantom leading the field into the homestretch on the evening of May 4 under good pace jockey Joel Rosario. Notably, Track Phantom will race with blinkers for the first time in the Kentucky Derby, and they could help him stay sharp and focused as he breaks from the middle section of the starting gate amongst a large field. 

Derby History: Steve Asmussen, a member of racing’s Hall of Fame and the all-time winningest trainer in North America (as well as at Churchill Downs), is seeking his first Kentucky Derby win with Track Phantom. He’s had 25 prior starters, training runners-up Nehro in 2010, Lookin At Lee in 2017, and Epicenter in 2022 as well as two third-place horses. Joel Rosario won the Derby in 2013 aboard Orb; he was aboard Epicenter in 2022 for his only other in-the-money finish from 12 starters. L and N Racing owned Lookin At Lee outright and is the only member of this partnership that’s been to the Derby before.

Bet Track Phantom in the Kentucky Derby

---

13. West Saratoga (50-1)

Jockey: Jesus Castanon

Trainer: Larry Demeritte

Owner: Harry Veruchi

Career record: 10 starts – 2 wins – 5 seconds – 1 third

Career earnings: $460,140

Earnings per start: $46,014

Top Equibase Speed Figure: 93

Kentucky Derby points: 67

Pedigree: Exaggerator – Mo Wicked, by Uncle Mo

Color: Gray or roan

Running style: Stalker

Notable achievements and interesting facts: Every year it seems, one horse brings connections to the Kentucky Derby that attract a groundswell of support from fans of the sport, and West Saratoga more than fits the bill as that contender for 2024. Owner Harry Veruchi and trainer Larry Demeritte are making their first appearance in America’s most famous horse race, and Demeritte is doing so after coming to the U.S. from his native Bahamas in the 1970s to build a career in the sport. Based in Kentucky, the trainer has kept a stable comprised of inexpensive horses while battling cancer since 1996, and West Saratoga has outrun his $11,000 auction price and then some for Veruchi and Demeritte over the past year. The colt won the very first race on the Road to the Kentucky points series back in September, taking the Iroquois Stakes under the Twin Spires, and cycled back to good form in early 2024 with a third-place finish in the Sam F. Davis Stakes and a runner-up finish in the Jeff Ruby Steaks behind Endlessly. West Saratoga has outrun long odds in all three of those aforementioned races and it would not be a surprise to see him do it again in Derby 150. He would have to elevate his speed figures around 15 or more points to hit the board in the Derby, however, and based on his established plateau through 10 career starts that is unlikely to occur.

Derby History: While West Saratoga’s owner and trainer will be competing in their first Derby, veteran jockey Jesus Castanon has had one prior horse in the race: Shackleford finished fourth in 2010 and won the Preakness Stakes with Castanon aboard in his next start.

Bet West Saratoga in the Kentucky Derby

---

14. Endlessly (30-1)

Jockey: Umberto Rispoli

Trainer: Michael McCarthy

Owner: Amerman Racing

Career record: 6 starts – 5 wins – 0 seconds – 0 thirds

Career earnings: $707,200

Earnings per start: $117,867

Top Equibase Speed Figure: 103

Kentucky Derby points: 100

Pedigree: Oscar Performance – Dream Fuhrever, by Langfuhr

Color: Bay

Running style: Stalker/closer

Notable achievements and interesting facts: On April 27, Endlessly’s connections confirmed that he would run in the Kentucky Derby. His career accomplishments place him among the top handful of contenders for the race, but they’ve all come while racing on turf courses or all-weather surfaces. A son of turf standout Oscar Performance, Endlessly has already won four stakes races in his six starts to date, and his only defeat came last November competing against some of the best 2-year-old turf horses in the world when he finished eighth by only 3 ½ lengths in the Prevagen Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf. This year at age 3, Endlessly has made two starts in stakes on the all-weather Tapeta Footings surface, winning the El Camino Real Derby on Feb. 10 and then dominating the Jeff Ruby Steaks by four lengths on March 23. He then moved to Churchill Downs and posted four timed workouts on the dirt track, the last one an improved effort on April 26 according to trainer Michael McCarthy, which helped make the decision to start on May 4. In the Derby, he’ll be coming from off the pace under jockey Umberto Rispoli, who’s been aboard Endlessly for both of his wins this year – and how well he handles racing on dirt for the first time in heated competition will be the overriding factor in whether he makes an impact in the race.

Derby History: This will be Rispoli’s second Kentucky Derby appearance, and the first for Endlessly’s owner Amerman Racing and trainer Michael McCarthy.

Bet Endlessly in the Kentucky Derby

---

15. Domestic Product (30-1)

Jockey: Irad Ortiz Jr.

Trainer: Chad Brown

Owner: Klaravich Stables

Career record: 5 starts – 2 wins – 1 second – 0 thirds

Career earnings: $314,200

Earnings per start: $62,840

Top Equibase Speed Figure: 92

Kentucky Derby points: 60

Pedigree: Practical Joke – Goods and Services, by Paynter

Color: Dark bay or brown

Running style: Stalker

Notable achievements and interesting facts: One of the more intriguing contenders in Kentucky Derby 150, Domestic Product races for very accomplished connections but also possesses some of the lowest speed figures in the field. The dark bay or brown colt won once in three starts last summer and fall at age 2, and made a good impression in his first start of 2024 by finishing second to Hades in the Holy Bull Stakes Feb. 3. He finished well in that race, two lengths behind pacesetting Hades and 1 ½ lengths in front of Fierceness. In his subsequent start, Domestic Product again rallied from a stalking position to split horses and defeat No More Time by neck in the Lambholm South Tampa Bay Derby March 9, with Grand Mo the First another neck back in third. The final time for the Tampa Bay Derby was very slow for 1 1/16 miles, due in part to the relaxed early fractions, so it’s hard to get a handle on this colt’s true potential as a Derby contender. The stopwatch evidence suggests a minor placing such as fourth or fifth is Domestic Product’s ceiling; on the other hand, he’ll be ridden by five-time Eclipse Award-winning jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. and is trained by another multiple Eclipse Award winner in Chad Brown. Those connections alone make him worth considering as a longshot horse for exotic wagers.

Derby History: Chad Brown has two top-three finishes with seven previous Kentucky Derby starters but is seeking his first win. In this colt and Sierra Leone, Brown has two chances in 2024. Seth Klarman of Klaravich Stables has made four prior Derby appearances, either alone or in partnership, and finished fifth in 2017 with Practical Joke, the sire of Domestic Product. Irad Ortiz Jr., whose five Eclipse Awards include the last two years, has surprisingly never finished in the money in the Kentucky Derby through seven prior starters.

Bet Domestic Product in the Kentucky Derby

---

16. Grand Mo the First (50-1)

Jockey: Emisael Jaramillo

Trainer: Victor Barboza Jr.

Owner: Granpollo Stable

Career record: 6 starts – 2 wins – 0 seconds – 4 thirds

Career earnings: $214,650

Earnings per start: $35,775

Top Equibase Speed Figure: 91

Kentucky Derby points: 40

Pedigree: Uncle Mo – Lilies So Fair, by Giant’s Causeway

Color: Dark bay or brown

Running style: Stalker

Notable achievements and interesting facts: This well-bred colt moved into the 20-horse field for the Kentucky Derby April 21 when the connections of Deterministic announced they would bypass the May 4 classic and target a race in New York for that colt’s next start. Grand Mo the First earned enough Derby qualifying points to sit on the starting-field “bubble” by finishing third in the Lambholm South Tampa Bay Derby in early March (only a neck behind winner Domestic Product) and then third again in the Curlin Florida Derby Presented by Hill ‘n’ Dale Farms at Xalapa at the end of March. Unlike his run in the Tampa Bay Derby, Grand Mo the First was no threat whatsoever in the Florida Derby, finishing 16 lengths behind dominant victor Fierceness and 2 ½ lengths back from fellow longshot and runner-up Catalytic. He’s related to some successful racehorses on both dirt and turf who excelled at longer distances, but Grand Mo the First appears to be overmatched against the leading Kentucky Derby contenders based on career accomplishments and speed figures. He would need a pace meltdown to occur in order to have any chance at picking off some tired horses late and hitting the board against this field.

Derby History: This is the first Kentucky Derby appearance for Grand Mo the First’s owner and trainer, and the second for Florida-based jockey Emisael Jaramillo.

Bet Grand Mo the First in the Kentucky Derby

---

17. Fierceness (5-2)

Jockey: John Velazquez

Trainer: Todd Pletcher

Owner: Repole Stable

Career record: 5 starts – 3 wins – 0 seconds – 1 third

Career earnings: $1,703,850

Earnings per start: $340,770

Top Equibase Speed Figure: 110

Kentucky Derby points: 136

Pedigree: City of Light – Nonna Bella, by Stay Thirsty

Color: Bay

Running style: Press the pace

Notable achievements and interesting facts: If Fierceness brings his “A” game to Churchill Downs on May 4, all of the other contenders in Kentucky Derby 150 could be competing for second. He’s shown elite talent on the track three times through his five career starts dating back to last summer at Saratoga, when he won his debut easily in a sprint race. His subsequent two wins going longer have been even more impressive, as he thrashed an accomplished field of 2-year-olds in the FanDuel Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Presented by Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance back in November, and then in his final Kentucky Derby prep, romped in the Curlin Florida Derby Presented by Hill ‘n’ Dale Farms at Xalapa on March 30. Fierceness’ three wins have come by a combined 31 lengths – but then there are his two other starts to consider, a defeat by 20 ¼ lengths last October when seventh in the Champagne Stakes, and a third-place dud in his 3-year-old debut back in February in the Holy Bull Stakes. If you adhere to the good/bad alternating start theory, Fierceness could be in for a letdown on Kentucky Derby day coming off of his Florida Derby blowout. On the other hand, there are legitimate excuses for both of his defeats (a sloppy track in the Champagne Stakes, and perhaps he wasn’t fully cranked up for his 2024 debut in the Holy Bull). This colt has been training superbly in Florida and since shipping to Churchill Downs and has a three-time Derby winner riding him in John Velazquez. Velazquez has been aboard Fierceness for both of his two-turn wins and knows that he’s most effective when forwardly placed and close to the early lead. Fierceness drew post position 17, which has never produced a Kentucky Derby winner, but overall it’s an advantageous spot considering where the rest of the field is assigned. Look for this colt to sit just off the speed horses – all of which drew to his inside – early on, make a bid for the lead on the far turn, and attempt to separate from the field at the top of the stretch. If Fierceness is not in that position by the stretch call, his win chances will diminish considerably.

Derby History: Owner Mike Repole has been a regular presence in the Kentucky Derby and other big races over the past dozen years or so, and his best finish in the Kentucky Derby came in 2022, when eventual Belmont Stakes winner Mo Donegal finished fifth for Repole and Jerry Crawford’s Donegal Racing. Todd Pletcher, a member of racing’s Hall of Fame and an eight-time Eclipse Award winner, holds the record with 64 Kentucky Derby starters prior to this year. He won the race in 2010 with Super Saver and 2017 with Always Dreaming, and has finished second twice and third four times. Fellow Hall of Famer John Velazquez’s three Kentucky Derby wins have come from 25 mounts: Animal Kingdom (2011), Always Dreaming, and Authentic (2020). He has also finished second twice in the Derby.

Bet Fierceness in the Kentucky Derby

---

18. Stronghold (20-1)

Jockey: Antonio Fresu

Trainer: Phil D’Amato

Owners: Eric Waller and Sharon Waller

Career record: 6 starts – 3 wins – 3 seconds – 0 thirds

Career earnings: $827,200

Earnings per start: $137,867

Top Equibase Speed Figure: 99

Kentucky Derby points: 125

Pedigree: Ghostzapper – Spectator, by Jimmy Creed

Color: Bay

Running style: Stalker

Notable achievements and interesting facts: This colt is the sole California-based contender for Kentucky Derby 150, an anomaly from most years prior when horses trained by Bob Baffert (currently banned from racing at Churchill Downs) would regularly make the cross-country trip to Louisville. Stronghold arrives off of a gritty win April 6 in the Santa Anita Derby, in which he outfinished Baffert-trained Imagination after a sustained stretch duel to prevail by a neck. Through six career starts, he’s never finished worse than second, and although he’s been based in California since last fall, he actually tallied his first career win under the Twin Spires at Churchill Downs back on Oct. 1, when he defeated Derby starters Resilience and Track Phantom in a one-mile race. While Stronghold will be facing a higher level of competition on May 4 than he’s faced recently in California, his consistency and determination can’t be discounted. He also has a good running style for the Kentucky Derby, having shown the ability to secure a position pressing the early pace or to sit slightly farther back in a stalking spot to conserve energy. Jockey Antonio Fresu has been aboard Stronghold for his past four starts, including a February win in the Sunland Park Derby, and he should have his mount positioned midpack through the Churchill Downs backstretch before asking for his best.

Derby History: Stronghold is the first Kentucky Derby starter for all of his connections.

Bet Stronghold in the Kentucky Derby

---

19. Resilience (20-1)

Jockey: Junior Alvarado

Trainer: Bill Mott

Owners: Emily Bushnell and Ric Waldman

Career record: 6 starts – 2 wins – 1 second – 1 third

Career earnings: $494,630

Earnings per start: $82,438

Top Equibase Speed Figure: 103

Kentucky Derby points: 110

Pedigree: Into Mischief – Meadowsweet, by Smart Strike

Color: Bay

Running style: Stalker

Notable achievements and interesting facts: This colt has continued to improve during early 2024 and has a chance at hitting the board in the Kentucky Derby if he continues on that trajectory. Resilience enters off of a 2 ¼-length win in the Wood Memorial Stakes Presented by Resorts World Casino on April 6, a race in which he saved ground for most of the 1 1/8 miles before moving a few positions outside and taking command entering the stretch under John Velazquez. Prior to the Wood Memorial, Resilience finished a solid fourth in the Risen Star Stakes back in February – a race that as it turns out was the best Kentucky prep of this year’s series, as Sierra Leone, Track Phantom, and Catching Freedom filled out the top three positions. The Risen Star was Resilience’s stakes debut and came one start after he posted a dominant win in a maiden race on New Year’s Day. Resilience has one of the best pedigrees in the 2024 Kentucky Derby field for handling the race’s taxing mile-and-a-quarter distance and his forwardly placed running style should be an advantage as well, although he will need to avoid trouble from his outside post to secure a good position. He gets a new jockey for the Kentucky Derby in Junior Alvarado, as John Velazquez has the mount on Fierceness.

Derby History: Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott, the reigning Eclipse Award winner, earned his first Kentucky Derby win in 2019 via disqualification when Country House, who finished second to Maximum Security, was elevated to first minutes after the race by Kentucky racing stewards due to Maximum Security interfering with several horses at the top of the stretch. That victory is Mott’s only in-the-money finish in 12 starts to date. Alvarado will be making his fifth Derby start.

Bet Resilience in the Kentucky Derby

---

20. Society Man (50-1)

Jockey: Frankie Dettori

Trainer: Danny Gargan

Owners: West Paces Racing, Danny Gargan, and GMP Stables

Career record: 5 starts – 1 win – 1 second – 1 third

Career earnings: $196,705

Earnings per start: $39,341

Top Equibase Speed Figure: 99

Kentucky Derby points: 50

Pedigree: Good Magic – You Cheated, by Colonel John

Color: Chestnut

Running style: Closer

Notable achievements and interesting facts: This gelding jumped into the Kentucky Derby discussion on April 6, when he finished second behind Resilience in the Wood Memorial Stakes Presented by Resorts World Casino at gargantuan odds of 106.75-1. Society Man probably won’t approach that number when the gates open at Churchill on May 4, but he’ll definitely be one of the longest shots in the race. After finishing a distant eighth in the Feb. 3 Withers Stakes, Society Man has improved his speed figures over two subsequent starts: a win in a one-mile maiden race March 9 and then his runner-up effort in the Wood Memorial. He’s had trouble at the start in three of his five races and certainly would not be able to recover from similar difficulty in the Derby, but drawing the far outside post should help him in that regard as he can ease back and try to save ground early trailing near the back of the field for the first half-mile, or longer. With a legendary jockey in the irons, Society Man could be the type of grinding horse that’s able to pass several tired opponents in the stretch and secure a top-10 finish, with filling out the superfecta a best-case scenario.

Derby History: Trainer Danny Gargan has two chances to win his first Derby with Society Man and Dornoch as he returns after training 14^th-place finisher Tax in 2019. Frankie Dettori, a leading jockey competing on an international level since the late 1980s, was named to ride Society Man on April 23. This will be Dettori’s second mount in the Kentucky Derby; his first came back in 2000 aboard sixth-place China Visit. Dettori has been based in the U.S. since last year and decided to postpone a planned retirement at the end of 2023 and continue riding on these shores. For nearly the entirety of his career, he concentrated on riding horses in the classic 3-year-old races in Europe during the spring months instead of American Triple Crown races.

Bet Society Man in the Kentucky Derby

---

21. Epic Ride (50-1)

Jockey: Adam Beschizza

Trainer: John Ennis

Owner: Welch Racing

Career record: 5 starts – 2 wins – 2 seconds – 1 third

Career earnings: $253,166

Earnings per start: $50,633

Top Equibase Speed Figure: 100

Kentucky Derby points: 35

Pedigree: Blame – Pick a Time, by Gio Ponti

Color: Bay

Running style: Stalker

Notable achievements and interesting facts: Originally on the also-eligible list, Epic Ride moved into the Kentucky Derby field after the connections of Encino announced that colt would bypass the race on April 30. Epic Ride earned his Derby points by finishing second to Encino in the John Battaglia Memorial Stakes on March 2, held on an all-weather surface, and then in his first start on dirt he finished third behind Sierra Leone and Just a Touch in the Toyota Blue Grass Stakes on April 6. Epic Ride also won the one-mile Leonatus Stakes on the all-weather track at Turfway Park in northern Kentucky back in February, and had made all four of his career starts on that surface before his solid dirt showing in the Blue Grass. His pedigree tilts toward turf/all-weather racing and that might be where his long-term future lies; on the other hand, his speed figures on both dirt and synthetic are good enough to make him at least competitive for a minor award in the Derby at gargantuan odds.

Derby History: This is the first Kentucky Derby appearance for Epic Ride’s owner and trainer, and the second for jockey Adam Beschizza.

Bet Epic Ride in the Kentucky Derby

---

22. Mugatu (also-eligible, 50-1)

Jockey: Joe Talamo

Trainer: Jeff Engler

Owners: Average Joe Racing Stables and Dan Wells

Career record: 12 starts – 1 win – 1 second – 3 thirds

Career earnings: $80,570

Earnings per start: $6,714

Top Equibase Speed Figure: 96

Kentucky Derby points: 14

Pedigree: Blofeld – Union Way, by Union Rags

Color: Chestnut

Running style: Closer

Notable achievements and interesting facts: In somewhat of a surprise, Mugatu was entered as the second also-eligible horse for Derby 150 on April 27 after the connections of a couple of other contenders with more qualifying points decided to bypass the race. He can move into the field if one more horse in the top 20 on the points leaderboard withdraws, which can occur up until  9 a.m. ET on Friday, May 3. The Blofeld colt will need two defections from the 20 confirmed horses in order to join the field, and if he does, he’ll be a longshot on the level of Rich Strike in 2022, who didn’t get a spot in the Kentucky Derby until the day before the race and then promptly won the run for the roses at odds of 80.80-1. Rich Strike’s form entering the 2022 Derby was actually more promising than Mugatu’s is this year: Mugatu earned 14 qualifying points with a fourth-place finish three starts back in the John Battaglia Memorial Stakes won by Encino and then a fifth-place effort in his final pre-Derby start, the Toyota Blue Grass Stakes won by Sierra Leone. Mugatu picked off some tired runners in the Blue Grass and earned a career-best Equibase Speed Figure, but he was no threat to the top four finishers, all of which are entered in the Kentucky Derby.

Derby History: Jockey Joe Talamo will make his third start in the Kentucky Derby, and first since 2020. This is the first Derby appearance for Mugatu’s owners and trainer.

Bet Mugatu in the Kentucky Derby