The 2024 Kentucky Derby is almost here after months of qualifying events building up momentum for the Run for the Roses showdown.
The first leg of the Triple Crown is Saturday, May 4, but post positions at the famous Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky, were drawn Saturday, April 27, and are listed on the Derby's official website.
Before even getting a track placement, though, competing horses had to qualify for the event.
The 20 horses racing Saturday appeared in numerous events along the "Road to the Kentucky Derby" between September 2023 and April 2024 to qualify as 3-year-old thoroughbreds. The top five finishers of each qualifying event earned points based on their performance, and horses with the highest scores have advanced to the Derby.
The horses with the most points are Sierra Leone at 155 and Fierceness at 136. Catching Freedom and Stronghold tied for third at 125. They will be coming out of stalls 2, 17, 4 and 18, respectively.
The winner of the Derby gets $3.1 million and a garland of roses. The Derby's runner-up will earn $1 million, third place gets $500,000, fourth place receives $250,000 and fifth place collects $150,000, according to the Derby’s official website.
The Kentucky Derby is the first of three Triple Crown races, followed by the Preakness Stakes and Belmont Stakes. The Preakness is May 18 and the Belmont is June 8. You can find info on how to watch the Kentucky Derby here.
Read on for more on the horses in the 2024 Kentucky Derby.
What are the horses and post positions for the 2024 Kentucky Derby?
- Dornoch
- Sierra Leone
- Mystik Dan
- Catching Freedom
- Catalytic
- Just Steel
- Honor Marie
- Just A Touch
- Encino (scratched due to injury)
- T O Password
- Forever Young
- Track Phantom
- West Saratoga
- Endlessly
- Domestic Product
- Grand Mo The First
- Fierceness
- Stronghold
- Resilience
- Society Man
- Epic Ride
- Mugatu (was an alternate if another horse had been scratched)
When is the post time for the Kentucky Derby?
Post time is 6:57 p.m. Eastern time.
How to get tickets for the 2024 Kentucky Derby
As of May 3, infield general admission tickets were still available to purchase on Ticketmaster. Tickets were sold out for a spot on the "Frontside Plaza Walkarounds."
