If you are serious about horse race betting, or even just curious about it, there is no better race to bet than the 2024 Kentucky Derby on Saturday, May 4 at Churchill Downs! America’s most historic horse race celebrates its 150th anniversary this year, and the spoils are massive: a $5 million purse, the iconic blanket of roses, and a spot in horse racing history.
The 20-horse field for this 1 ¼-mile race is the biggest you’ll see in American horse racing, and the distance is long enough to test the stamina and make the race ripe for long shots to do well. This means the payouts are always exciting! So, keep reading to meet the best horses to bet in the Kentucky Derby, as well as the best online racebooks for Colorado bettors.
The Kentucky Derby is always more exciting when you’re part of the action. And, you can be part of the action in the Kentucky Derby and races all year long from right here in Colorado by signing up for a trusted horse betting website. They let you bet on horse racing and sports from anywhere with an internet connection, with your phone, tablet, or computer!
There are many options for online betting, but our trusted reviews help you find the best option quickly and easily. All of our recommended sites offer market-leading odds, great user interfaces, and trusted payouts. And they offer great racebook bonuses you’ll never find on track: deposit bonuses, referral benefits, and even horse racing rebates that pay you real money for every bet you make!
Get to know the best Kentucky Derby betting sites for Colorado players:
Kentucky Derby Contenders
The official field for the 2024 Kentucky Derby with post positions, jockeys and trainers, and morning lines is:
Epic Ride and Mugatu will only draw in, in that order of priority, if horses scratch from the main field before 9:00 a.m. Friday morning, when Kentucky Derby betting begins.
Keep in mind that the morning line is not a guaranteed price on track. It can be a useful guide for identifying horses who are likely to take money or not, but prices on track are not final until the gates fly open.
Your best bet in the 2024 Kentucky Derby is to play the race at an online racebook. Since they offer fixed-odds wagering on major races like the Run for the Roses, you can lock in the best price just by placing a bet on a horse. These are the prices at the top of the 2024 Kentucky Derby markets at top Colorado sportsbooks:
 |  |  | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fierceness | +250 | +275 | +250 |
| Sierra Leone | +400 | +330 | +300 |
| Forever Young | +850 | +1000 | +1000 |
| Just a Touch | +1100 | +1200 | +1000 |
| Honor Marie | +1600 | +2000 | +2000 |
| Encino | +1600 | +2200 | +2000 |
| Stronghold | +2000 | +2000 | +2000 |
The horses near the top of the market who can make good on that include Sierra Leone and Catching Freedom. Sierra Leone, the likely second favorite, made a colossal rally to win the Blue Grass (G1), motoring around the far turn and sustaining to the finish. The likely hot pace plays right to his strengths, and he has handled the increasing distances well.
Catching Freedom is another off-pace horse who can benefit from the sizzling pace likely from Dornoch, Track Phantom, and Fierceness. He finished well to win the Louisiana Derby (G2) by a length, has enough stamina in his pedigree to be interesting at the Derby distance, and jockey Flavien Prat always shows up in the Kentucky Derby.
Fierceness will be the favorite in the Kentucky Derby, and he will be the underlay of the year. Though he drew relatively well, outside the rest of the speed (unless, of course, Epic Ride draws in), he got a similarly plum draw in the much easier Holy Bull (G3) and still packed it in after a subpar beginning. He impresses on his best, but the chances of things going sideways in a 20-horse field are so high that you can’t play him at the price.
Take a stand against Forever Young, too. Though he is the most talented Japan-based runner to try the Derby thus far, no horse out of the UAE Derby (G2) has finished better than fifth in the Run for the Roses. This means he hasn’t had the class test yet to justify what a short price he’ll be compared to other live contenders on Derby day.
The best bet in the Kentucky Derby is Honor Marie. He improved from a fifth-place finish in the Risen Star (G2) to a good second in the Louisiana Derby (G2), and now he comes into the third start of his form cycle, exactly where he found his best stride last year. He won the Kentucky Jockey Club (G2) at Churchill Downs and recently worked well over the surface, suggesting he’ll find that local form again.
His late-running style means he’ll get an advantage from the likely hot pace in the Kentucky Derby. And, his pedigree is appealing for the stretch out: he is by Honor Code, Grade 1-placed at 1 ¼ miles, out of a Smart Strike half-sister to a Group 1 winner at 1 ¾ miles. All in all, this is a lot to like for a horse who will be, if not his 20-1 morning line, something generous at 12-1 or better.
Though Encino has class to prove -- this will be his first try at a level above Grade 3 -- he has a lot going for him. He proved his dirt ability in the Lexington (G3). He has already shown he can win from multiple running styles. And, his pedigree is nothing but classic stamina, top and bottom. At a big price from a good gate, he can keep his upward trajectory going.
For underneath rungs of single-race exotics, make sure to keep Just Steel in mind. Though he is only 2-for-11 lifetime, he ran second in three of four points races on the Oaklawn spur of the Derby trail. He should be able to stay out of the battle up front, and even though he always finds a horse or two too good at this level, he is plucky enough to keep going for a piece.
You’ve found out the best places to bet the Kentucky Derby online in Colorado, and you know who the top contenders are. Now, there’s only one thing to do: place your bets for the 2024 Kentucky Derby!
The best bets for the 2024 Kentucky Derby are:
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