It will be a family affair when the 2024 Kentucky Derby gets underway on Saturday, May 4 at Churchill Downs. Three-time Breeders’ Cup-winning jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. returns for his eighth Kentucky Derby appearance riding Domestic Product, while younger brother Jose Ortiz will ride Catalytic in his ninth Kentucky Derby appearance. Elsewhere in the 2024 Kentucky Derby field, famed trainer Steve Asmussen will back Track Phantom, while his son, 25-year-old jockey Keith, makes his Kentucky Derby debut riding Just Steel. Each of the Asmussen’s horses are 20-1 longshots in the 2024 Kentucky Derby odds, while both Ortiz brothers are riding 2024 Kentucky Derby horses going off at 30-1.
Should you include one of these 2024 Kentucky Derby longshots when you place your 2024 Kentucky Derby bets? 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.
One of the most important figures in Kentucky Derby history is Diane Crump, the first female jockey to compete in the “Fastest Two Minutes in Sports”. Crump rode Fathom in the 1970 Kentucky Derby and placed 15th in the 18-horse field, but her participation brought a spotlight to female jockeys in horse racing. She is the first of six women to race in the Kentucky Derby, followed by Patti Cooksey, Andrea Seefeldt, Julie Krone, Rosemary Homeister Jr. and Rosie Napravnik. Krone and Napravnik raced in multiple Derbys, while Napravnik competed in back-to-back races (with Mylute in 2013 and Vicars in Trouble in 2014.)
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.
2024 Kentucky Derby odds, futures
| Prg # | Horse | Odds | Projection |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dornoch | 20-1 | SEE PICKS |
| 2 | Sierra Leone | 3-1 | SEE PICKS |
| 3 | Mystik Dan | 20-1 | SEE PICKS |
| 4 | Catching Freedom | 8-1 | SEE PICKS |
| 5 | Catalytic | 30-1 | SEE PICKS |
| 6 | Just Steel | 20-1 | SEE PICKS |
| 7 | Honor Marie | 20-1 | SEE PICKS |
| 8 | Just a Touch | 10-1 | SEE PICKS |
| 9 | Encino | 20-1 | SCR |
| 10 | T O Password (JPN) | 30-1 | SEE PICKS |
| 11 | Forever Young (JPN) | 10-1 | SEE PICKS |
| 12 | Track Phantom | 20-1 | SEE PICKS |
| 13 | West Saratoga | 50-1 | SEE PICKS |
| 14 | Endlessly | 30-1 | SEE PICKS |
| 15 | Domestic Product | 30-1 | SEE PICKS |
| 16 | Grand Mo the First | 50-1 | SEE PICKS |
| 17 | Fierceness | 5-2 | SEE PICKS |
| 18 | Stronghold | 20-1 | SEE PICKS |
| 19 | Resilience | 20-1 | SEE PICKS |
| 20 | Society Man | 50-1 | SEE PICKS |
| 21 | Epic Ride | 30-1 | SEE PICKS |