The 2024 edition of the Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve was an unforgettable one, as Mystik Dan prevailed in a thrilling three-horse photo finish over Sierra Leone and Forever Young, who finished second and third by a nose.

Read what the trainers and jockeys who competed in the first jewel of the Triple Crown had to say about the 1 1/4-mile classic race, the winner's performance, and how their horses fared.

Brian Hernandez Jr., Jockey, Mystik Dan, winner: “It still hasn’t sunk in, it’s so unbelievable. We came into the weekend thinking that we had a really big chance at winning both Friday (Kentucky Oaks) and Saturday. For the horses to pull it off for us, we have to thank the guys back in the barn. It’s definitely a surreal moment. The last 20 years I’ve ridden in Kentucky, and as a young kid out of Louisiana, I had the chance of sitting in the same corner as Calvin Borel. Watching him ride all those Derbies all those years, and today with Mystik Dan, being in the 3 hole, I watched a couple of his rides, with Super Saver and Mine That Bird, and I decided that we were going to roll the dice. That’s the nice thing about Kenny (McPeek), he lets me make those decisions. We had the right kind of horse to give him that kind of trip.”

Kenny McPeek, Trainer, Mystik Dan, winner: “For three weeks, I’ve felt like we were going to win both races (Kentucky Derby and Friday's Kentucky Oaks). I can’t tell you why. Both horses have been easy to deal with, the team has done such a great job every day. There’s been no drama. I just believe in mojo, in positive energy, and we’ve had a lot of it.”

Brian Hernandez in the winner's circle on Mystik Dan. (Eclipse Sportswire)

Tyler Gaffalione, Jockey, Sierra Leone, runner-up: “Everything was going to plan as the horse got into a good rhythm on the first turn as we were able to save ground. I got into a nice position and followed Forever Young, and he started to make a good move. I decided to follow him and coming into the stretch, I felt like I had plenty of horse. He wanted to lean in today and made it a little difficult. I had a hard time keeping him straight and that definitely cost us. He gives you everything, very responsive but he loses concentration.”

Chad Brown, Trainer, Sierra Leone, runner-up: “You get beat a nose in the Kentucky Derby, it’s a tough one. But he’s a tremendous horse, nearly undefeated. I’m just so lucky to have him, so proud of his effort today. He did what we asked him to do, just came up a little bit short. It’s just so hard to get here, so many things have to go right, and you have to have the right horse. It’s disappointing the result but I’m so proud of the horse. He ran his race. When you have a deep closer like that, you have to go through some traffic and go wide. I’ll have to look at his trip a little bit closer. But it doesn’t really matter, he got beat a nose.”

Flavien Prat, Jockey, Catching Freedom, fourth: “I was traveling well and had a chance to cut every corner and save all the ground. I was behind the winner turning for home and had a good run.”

Brad Cox, Trainer, Catching Freedom, fourth: “Overall I was very happy with Catching Freedom’s effort, I really was and the ride Flavien (Prat) gave him. We’ll regroup, not sure where we’ll land.”

Kazushi Kimura, Jockey, T O Password, fifth: “He didn’t break well. This was his third time running and he was in a new country. He probably wasn’t 100 percent mature. Today he finished up strong. I hope the horse can stay for the Preakness.”

Connections of Mystik Dan raise the trophy. (Eclipse Sportswire)

Junior Alvarado, Jockey, Resilience, sixth: “He ran great. I had a great trip and turning for home I thought I had a chance. He ran great.”

Antonio Fresu, Jockey, Stronghold, seventh: “I had a beautiful race all the way around. I was very relaxed all the way and then in the stretch when I tried to make a move, he went for a little bit, he got discouraged but didn’t show up in the last part.”

Ben Curtis, Jockey, Honor Marie, eighth: “My race was over coming out of the gate. I got speared from both sides, I lost an iron and had to put it back in. He was nearly down on his head, but I gave him time to pick himself up. He didn’t get the smoothest first quarter of a mile and I just let him float around a bit after that. Then I took to the inside because I didn’t want to give away any more ground. He paid for the early exertion, but he ran a credible race.”

Umberto Rispoli, Jockey, Endlessly, ninth: “This was his first time on the dirt, and he got a lot of kick back in his face. He actually handled it pretty well. Just before the quarter-pole I was trying to follow Sierra Leone, but I got in a little traffic. I think he’s a horse that needs to be clear. He ran hard down the lane.”

Luis Saez, Jockey, Dornoch, 10th: “He had a really rough trip. Everyone came down on me leaving the gate even after he jumped well. It was just a tough position.”

Danny Gargan, Trainer, Dornoch, 10th: “He had a very bad trip. He was eliminated early. He got very tired. I’m disappointed in the way he ran today.”

Three-way win photo goes to Mystik Dan. (Eclipse Sportswire)

Joel Rosario, Jockey, Track Phantom, 11th: “I was on the lead for a while. He ran his race, but we couldn’t hang in there. He did his best.”

Jesus Castanon, Jockey, West Saratoga, 12th: “I have no complaints. I was in a good spot early with him but when I got to the half-mile pole, I felt like my horse wasn’t picking up the bridle. He gave me a little run late, but it wasn’t his best.”

John Velazquez, Jockey, Fierceness, 15th: “His first jump was not very good. His second and third jump he was OK. He got pretty aggressive since I had to give him a nudge out of there. The horses on the outside put the pressure on, and then he got into the bridle. I tried to keep him as settled as much without letting doing too much but he was already engaged. When I let him go, he just didn’t have it.”

Todd Pletcher, Trainer, Fierceness, 15th: “Johnny (Velazquez) said he hopped a little at the start. Then he got wound up in all the company around him trying to make the lead. He couldn’t shake loose like he did in Florida. Just one of those races.”

Frankie Dettori, Jockey, Society Man, 16th: “It was a great atmosphere. My horse tried but he’s probably not at this level. I enjoyed myself, absorbed all the atmosphere and really enjoyed it.”

Florent Geroux, Jockey, Just a Touch, 20th: “I was in the middle, got bounced around a lot from both sides. From there, my horse was very keen, a little relaxed and when it was time to go, he wasn’t there for me. He used a lot of energy early.”