Kentucky Derby 2024 Horses: Contenders and Race-Day Overview for Entire Field
Compared to last year, the lead-up to the 2024 Kentucky Derby has been relatively uneventful. A strong initial field loaded with legitimate contenders remains largely intact.
Encino, trained by Brad Cox, was scratched early in the week. With 20-1 post-draw odds, Encino wasn't among the early favorites but wasn't exactly a dark horse either. A year ago, early favorite Forte was scratched along with four other horses from the initial field.
Barring any race-day surprises, the top 2024 contenders should all be at the gate on Saturday evening for the 150th running of the Kentucky Derby. Here, we'll take a closer look at who the top contenders are and the overall field in general.
2024 Kentucky Derby Field
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1. Dornoch: 21-1 odds
Trainer: Danny Gargan
Jockey Luis Saez
2. Sierra Leone: 9-2
Trainer: Chad Brown
Jockey: Tyler Gaffalione
3. Mystik Dan: 16-1
Trainer: Kenny McPeek
Jockey: Brian Hernandez Jr.
4. Catching Freedom: 8-1
Trainer: Brad Cox
Jockey: Flavien Prat
5. Catalytic: 34-1
Trainer: Saffie Joseph Jr.
Jockey: Jose Ortiz
6. Just Steel: 25-1
Trainer: Wayne Lukas
Jockey: Keith Asmussen
7. Honor Marie: 12-1
Trainer: Whit Beckman
Jockey: Ben Curtis
8. Just A Touch: 11-1
Trainer: Brad Cox
Jockey: Florent Geroux
9. Encino: Scratched
Trainer: Brad Cox
Jockey: N/A
10. T O Password: 50-1
Trainer: Daisuke Takayanagi
Jockey: Kazushi Kimura
11. Forever Young: 7-1
Trainer: Yoshito Yahagi
Jockey: Ryusei Sakai
12. Track Phantom: 40-1
Trainer: Steve Asmussen
Jockey: Joel Rosario
13. West Saratoga: 28-1
Trainer: Larry Demeritte
Jockey: Jesus Castanon
14. Endlessly: 45-1
Trainer: Michael McCarthy
Jockey: Umberto Rispoli
15. Domestic Product: 31-1
Trainer: Chad Brown
Jockey: Irad Ortiz Jr.
16. Grand Mo The First: 47-1
Trainer: Victor Barboza Jr.
Jockey: Emisael Jaramillo
17. Fierceness: 3-1
Trainer: Todd Pletcher
Jockey: John Velazquez
18. Stronghold: 32-1
Trainer: Phil D'Amato
Jockey: Antonio Fresu
19. Resilience: 27-1
Trainer: Bill Mott
Jockey: Junior Alvarado
20. Society Man: 51-1
Trainer: Danny Gargan
Jockey: Frankie Dettori
21. Epic Ride: 49-1
Trainer: John Ennis
Jockey: Adam Beschizza
22 (Alternate). Mugatu: Scratched
Trainer: Jeff Engler
Jockey: Joseph Talamo
Odds via KentuckyDerby.com
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Field Overview
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Though Encino won't take part in race, Cox will still be well-represented in the field. The veteran trainer, who trained 2021 Derby winner Mandaloun, still has Catching Freedom and Just A Touch in the lineup.
Catching Freedom is among the semi-favorites, and will be guided by jockey Flavien Prat, who won the 2019 Derby atop Country House.
With Encino out, first-alternate Epic Ride will have a chance to repeat the stunning success of 2022 winner Rich Strike. Second alternate Mugatu is no longer eligible after the early-scratch deadline passed on Friday morning.
Rich Strike, of course, made history as an also-eligible entrant and a massive long shot. We could see history made this year as well.
Forever Young and T.O. Password will each have a chance to become the first Japanese Horse to win the Kentucky Derby. Forever Young is undefeated and resides among the favorites, but T.O. Password was reportedly the more impressive horse during the week.
"T O Password was far and away the more impressive of the two on Tuesday, exceeding expectations after seemingly a bit lackluster, and certainly not appearing to be the smoothest mover, since arriving at Churchill Downs last weekend," Mike Welsch of Daily Racing Form wrote.
Early favorite Fiercenss has a shot at history as well. The Todd Pletcher-trained horse drew the No. 17 post, a position that has, to this point, never produced a Derby winner.
The field will feature several long shots who are unlikely to win—including T.O. Password, Catalytic, Track Phanton, Grand Mo The First, Epic Ride and Society Man—but there are several horses whose victories would not be shocking.
Top Contenders
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Fans who prefer to back the favorites will have several options this year. Despite the unfavorable history of the 17th gate, Fierceness remains the odds-on favorite to win. However, it's important to note that the overall favorite hasn't won the Kentucky Derby since Justify did it in 2018.
Sierra Leone, trained by Chad Brown, isn't far off of Fierceness in terms of odds. While Fierceness is a front-runner with the speed needed to establish an early lead, Sierra Leone is a strong closer.
The early pace could determine which of the top two favorites has the best chance to win. Fierceness' jockey, John Velazquez, will need to move inside quickly and hope that a fast early pace doesn't sap his mount's stamina. Sierra Leone's jockey, Tyler Gaffalione, will hope to outlast the early pace and push past more exhausted horses near the final stretch.
Fierceness has won two of his last three races, with a top-three finish at the Holy Bull Stakes between them. Sierra Leone has won three of his last four, with a second-place finish at the Remsen Stakes being the only non-win.
Of course, Fierceness and Sierra Leone are not the only competitors with a good chance of winning. Catching Freedom, Honor Marie, Just a Touch, Mystik Dan and Forever Young all have odds better than 20-1.
Mystik Dan carried 20-1 odds into Friday and is a horse to watch if rain heavily impacts the track conditions, according to Cameron Drummond of the Lexington Herald-Leader.
Rain is in the forecast, so conditions will be something to monitor in the pre-race hours. If the track is particularly rough, the field could be level enough that one of the dark horses does pull off the upset.
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