2024 Kentucky Derby Odds: It's Race Day!

This year's Run For The Roses is monumental as the 150th Kentucky Derby is hosted, with Fierceness as the slight +285 favorite to win at Churchill Downs. 

At first draw, the Thoroughbred was supposed to start its two-minute run from the post that has never produced a champion -- Post No. 17. However, after Encino was forced to draw out, Fierceness now will start at Post No. 16. 

2024 Kentucky Derby Odds

Here are the top betting favorites in the 2024 Kentucky Derby betting odds with their post positions:

Odds as of May 4

latest kentucky derby news

As of Thursday, a few days out from the race, Encino officially draws out from the competition. The trainer told media the colt has a soft tissue strain that will be healed with some time off.

Encino, who was set to start in Post No. 9, will be replaced by Epic Ride. The horses which drew outside of Encino will move down a post, placing Epic Ride at Post No. 20.

The curse of the post positions

Randomly assigned, there's context and history found in the stalls of each post. Currently, Post No. 5 has bred the most success, holding 10 winners. 

While common sense would suggest the inside of Post No. 1 be an advantage, running along the rail -- it isn't. Only eight Kentucky Derby champions stormed out of the post with the most recent being way back in 1986. It is said to be hard to break away from the pack when being up against the rail. 

Through 150 races, just one post has yet to have a winner. Ironically enough, that was initially the post where the 2024 favorite would've stood on Saturday -- Post No. 17. 

who is favored to win 150th kentucky derby?

Fierceness is favored to snag the first leg of the Triple Crown. Despite the unlucky draw of Post No. 17, trainer Todd Pletcher said he and the team were hoping to draw somewhere outside. However, once post positions were shuffled, the colt's odds actually dropped from +250 to +285 once away from the unlucky position.

Fierceness will be joined by John Velazquez, a three-time Kentucky Derby victor. The Puerto Rican's most recent win in 2020 with Authentic. 

Notably, the three-year-old's last race was in the Florida Derby, which has seen 25 victors go on to win the Kentucky Derby. The race was an elite 13-and-a-half-length victory. 

Fierceness is known for initial speed and being hot out the gate. Of his two losses, factors like traffic and contact with other horses slowed his rhythm.

Fierceness takes a lap under the Twin Spires 🏇🏼 pic.twitter.com/1tDR7SihT5

— Kentucky Derby (@KentuckyDerby) April 23, 2024

Sierra Leone (+300)

Perhaps not credited for acceleration, Sierra Leone is referred to as "the closer". It takes some moments for the Thoroughbred to find a groove in his strides but is capable of handling the traffic on the track. 

Despite being 0-6 in the Derby, jockey Tyler Gaffalione will look for his first win with Sierra Leone. 

Does he have what it takes to defeat the speed of Fierceness? Find out what we think in our Derby best bets.

Value Pick: Resilience (+2800)

As a two-year-old, Resilience has raced at Churchill Downs twice before, placing second and third. The Thoroughbred found his first victory at Gulfstream Park in January and trained by William Mott, notching his fourth Eclipse Award this year for outstanding trainer. 

It may be a sleeper pick but a horse familiar with the track and surroundings is always a bonus. 

Kentucky Derby Post Positions History

Here’s a look at how the various Kentucky Derby post positions have fared through history.

Previous Kentucky Derby Winners

If you’re looking for what the Kentucky Derby winning times have been in recent years, we have them listed below along with each of the winning horses -- a handy tool when selecting a Kentucky Derby prop bet.