The tradition. The prestige. The glamor. And definitely the wagers… As always, Bovada is fully up to speed on the Kentucky Derby odds again this year, as we get ready for horse racing’s most prestigious event celebrating its 150th anniversary this year.
Who’s got the edge in this year’s Run for the Roses? With no runaway favorite, there are lots of ways to play.
The first-place winner will score $2 million more than the 2023 Derby champ. And there are plenty of winnings to aim for with Bovada’s leading racebook too.
Read on for our Kentucky Derby preview to get the inside edge!
View the latest Kentucky Derby Odds at Bovada!
FIERCENESS +275
The Florida Derby winner from late March leads the pack for the 2024 Kentucky Derby odds, but only by a nose. Different horse pickers have any number of horses ahead of Fierceness, so you know it’s anybody’s race this year.
Fierceness is a Todd Fletcher-trained 3-year-old. Pletcher is a Hall of Fame trainer who’s won the Eclipse Award as Top Trainer a record eight times. He’s won the Derby just twice in his illustrious career, with that most recent win coming seven years ago.
SIERRA LEONE +350
Sierra Leone is coming in hot, fresh off a first-place finish in the 2024 Blue Grass Stakes in early April. In fact, with 3 wins in four career starts and career earnings already approaching $1 million, this strong 3-year-old is off to a solid start in his young career. Trainer Chad Brown has taken the Eclipse Award as the top trainer four times in his own career, but he’s looking for his first Kentucky Derby win – and Sierra Leone might just be his ticket.
FOREVER YOUNG +900
Can a Japan-bred horse win the 2024 Kentucky Derby? It would be an exciting first, and Forever Young certainly has a great chance to be the one to do it. He’s fresh off a win at the UAE Derby at the end of March and has been working at Churchill Downs in recent weeks. The question mark that follows horses from abroad is the idea that they sometimes don’t travel well. But oddsmakers are clearly giving due respect to Forever Young’s undefeated (5 for 5) career record.
CATCHING FREEDOM +950
This Brad Cox-trained horse is catching the wave at the right time, winning the Grade 2 Louisiana Derby in March. He won it by a full length over Honor Marie, who’s a bit further down this list of Kentucky Derby odds. If you think Cox is due for a win – he’s 1 for 9 in the Run for the Roses in his career – then this could be the hot horse. Catching Freedom is currently number three in the Road to the Kentucky Derby, too.
DORNOCH +1200
With 3 first-place finishes in his four most recent races, opportunity might be knocking at the door for Dornoch. His Kentucky Derby odds might have taken a bit of a dip with a 4th-place finish at the Blue Grass Stakes in early April, but he beat out Sierra Leone as recently as December. And if you think pedigree matters, Dornoch was sired by Good Magic, who traces their lineage to the legendary Big Brown.
HONOR MARIE +1600
Honor Marie made a thrilling debut at Churchill Downs just over five months ago, winning the Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes by two lengths. Depending on the track conditions for the 2024 Kentucky Derby, the honor of the $3.1 million winning prize might just go to Honor Marie. Noted stamina influences in Honor Marie’s lineage are Smart Strike and A.P. Indy, so a difficult track might work in Honor’s favor.
MYSTIK DAN +1600
Can Mystik Dan bring trainer Kenny McPeek his first Kentucky Derby? McPeek is chasing a trainer’s Triple Crown for his career, having already won a Preakness and a Belmont Stakes title. And if you like veteran savvy for your Kentucky Derby odds, consider Mystik Dan’s jockey, Brian Hernandez Jr. He’s logged over 2,500 wins in his long career, to go along with $126 million on total earnings. Oddsmakers are giving Mystik Dan a shot because of his pedigree, which offers a mix of speed and stamina that often bodes well at Churchill Downs in early May.
DOMESTIC PRODUCT +1800
Another Chad Brown-trained horse in this year’s Kentucky Derby, Domestic Product has a recent win – the Tampa Bay Derby in March – under his belt. His lifetime line is a solid 5-2-1-0, and he might like a little home-field advantage, being bred in Kentucky. He’s also got Irad Ortiz Jr. as his jockey – a five-time Eclipse Award winner with the right skill and smarts to get the most out of his horses.
JUST A TOUCH +1800
Brad Cox is another trainer with multiple horses in the world’s most prestigious race this year. Just A Touch is Cox’s largely unproven horse, with only three starts in his career. These races included first and two second-place finishes, including the number two spot in April at the Blue Grass Stakes. But lightly racing isn’t always a bad sign, especially considering that Just A Touch’s sire is 2018 Kentucky Derby champion (and eventual Triple Crown winner) Justify. That remarkable champion also only had three starts coming into the Derby.
TRACK PHANTOM +1800
In November 2023, Track Phantom cruised to a relatively easy win on the same track that he’ll be racing when the Classic gates open on May 4th. Trainer Steve Asmussen is another Hall of Famer looking for his first Kentucky Derby crown, so Track Phantom is in good hands. With a record of 3 wins, 2 seconds, and a third in five starts, plus a reputation as a pacesetter, Track Phantom stands more than a ghost of a chance to take home the top prize at this year’s Kentucky Derby.
Known as “The Most Exciting Two Minutes in Sports”, the Kentucky Derby always brings excitement and intrigue.
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