The Road to the Kentucky Derby began last fall and after 36 prep races, the 2024 Kentucky Derby field is set for Saturday, May 4 at Churchill Downs. Louisville native Brad Cox will have three 2024 Kentucky Derby horses running when the gates go up. Cox won the 2021 Kentucky Derby with Mandaloun after a lengthy investigation led to Medina Spirit being disqualified, with legendary trainer Bob Baffert still suspended by the Kentucky Racing Commission as a result. Cox will have Catching Freedom (8-1) breaking from the No. 4 post, while Just a Touch (10-1) and Encino (20-1) will run side-by-side from the No. 8 and No. 9 stalls.
Todd Pletcher’s Fierceness is the 5-2 favorite in the 2024 Kentucky Derby odds after a 13.5-length win in his last start, while Sierra Leone is 3-1 after leading all three-year-olds with 155 qualifying points. The 2024 Kentucky Derby post time is 6:57 p.m. ET. With so much to consider while making your 2024 Kentucky Derby picks, a little expert help can go a long way.
Saturday’s post draw put Catalytic (30-1) in the No. 5 post position, which has historically been the best spot in the Run for the Roses. There have been 10 horses in the 149-year history of the Kentucky Derby that have won from the No. 5 post, whose 10.6% win rate is also the best of any post position. No. 10 has produced nine winners (10.3% win rate) and a 28.7% in-the-money rate is the best of any starting position. T O Password (30-1) will break from the 10th stall and will be one of two Japanese horses in the 2024 Kentucky Derby field along with Forever Young (10-1).
Given all the history, there’s a method to picking which horses to focus on for exacta, trifecta and superfecta bets in a Kentucky Derby like this, and SportsLine expert Jody Demling knows what it is. He can help you make the best 2024 Kentucky Derby picks possible.
A fixture in the horse racing world who has been writing about, talking about and betting on races for years, Demling enters the 2024 Kentucky Derby having nailed the winner of the Belmont Stakes four of the last six years, including an exacta in 2022 with Mo Donegal and Nest. He also called Flightline’s win at the Breeders’ Cup Classic in November of that year.
Demling is at his best in the biggest horse races in the world like the Kentucky Derby 2024. In fact, he has hit 10 of the last 15 Derby-Oaks doubles at Churchill Downs. That means he held a ticket with the winners of both races all but five times in the last 15 years.
He’s also called 10 of the last 19 Preakness winners, including nailing his Preakness winner, exacta and superfecta picks in 2023, keenly understanding when the Kentucky Derby winner was poised for victory or a massive upset. Anyone who has followed him is up huge. Now, he’s sharing all of his 2024 Kentucky Derby bets here.
Top 2024 Kentucky Derby expert picks
Here’s a refresher on these types of bets from SportsLine’s Jody Demling:
Kentucky Derby Exacta: Pick the first- and second-place finishers in the correct order. A $2 exacta returned $330.44 at the 2023 Kentucky Derby with Mage and Two Phil’s.
Kentucky Derby Trifecta: Pick the first-, second- and third-place finishers in the correct order. A $1 trifecta returned $982.36 at the 2023 Kentucky Derby with Mage, Two Phil’s and Angel of Empire.
Kentucky Derby Superfecta: Pick the first-, second-, third- and fourth-place finishers in the correct order. A $1 superfecta returned a colossal $15,643.65 at the 2023 Kentucky Derby with Mage, Two Phil’s, Angel of Empire and Disarm.
Demling is not taking Fierceness (5-2) to win this year, even though he’s the favorite. Instead, he is building his tickets around Sierra Leone and a massive double-digit longshot who “keeps getting better and better.” You can see his picks here.
How to make 2024 Kentucky Derby bets
Demling has specific recommendations for exacta, trifecta and superfecta wagers so you can cover all your bases at the Kentucky Derby 2024. He’s sharing them over at SportsLine.
So which horses do you take? And in what combinations? Visit SportsLine to get Demling’s picks for exacta, trifecta and superfecta bets for the 2024 Kentucky Derby.
