It’s time to grab your fanciest hat, sip a mint julep and gear up for the fastest two minutes in sports.
The 150th Kentucky Derby is rapidly approaching. Twenty of the world’s fastest horses will gallop across the track at Churchill Downs for a chance to win a garland of roses, a record prize and the title of Kentucky Derby champion.
Before the bugle blares and the top race gets underway, here’s everything you need to know about the 2024 Kentucky Derby.
What is the Kentucky Derby?
Get top local stories in Connecticut delivered to you every morning. Sign up for NBC Connecticut's News Headlines newsletter.
The Kentucky Derby is an annual horse race, typically held the first week of May. The race is 1.25 miles, typically lasts about two minutes and is the first leg of horse racing’s Triple Crown.
The 2024 Derby is the 150th iteration and will feature 14 races throughout the day.
Where is the Kentucky Derby?
The Kentucky Derby is held annually at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky. The venue can accommodate more than 150,000 people on Derby Day.
2024 Kentucky Derby schedule
The Kentucky Oaks will take place on Friday, May 3, ahead of Derby Day.
The post time for the first Derby Day race is 10:30 a.m. ET on Saturday, May 4, with a full slate of action ahead of the main event at 6:57 p.m. ET.
The full Derby Day schedule is available here.
How to watch the 2024 Kentucky Derby
NBC’s live coverage of the Kentucky Derby begins at 2:30 p.m. ET on Saturday, May 4. USA Network and Peacock will have live Derby Day coverage from 12-2:20 p.m. ET.
Viewers can stream Derby Day coverage on Peacock, NBCSports.com and the NBC Sports app.
USA Network and Peacock will also have Kentucky Oaks coverage from 1-6 p.m. ET on Friday, May 3.
2024 Kentucky Derby horses
Here are the post positions for every participant in the 2024 Kentucky Derby, along with their trainers, jockeys and odds listed by the Derby:
- Dornoch: Danny Gargan, Luis Saez, 20-1
- Sierra Leone: Chad Brown, Tyler Gaffalione, 3-1
- Mystik Dan: Kenny McPeek, Brian Hernandez Jr., 20-1
- Catching Freedom: Brad Cox, Flavien Prat, 8-1
- Catalytic: Saffie Joseph Jr., Jose Ortiz, 30-1
- Just Steel: Wayne Lukas, Keith Asmussen, 20-1
- Honor Marie: Whit Beckman, Ben Curtis, 20-1
- Just a Touch: Brad Cox, Florent Geroux, 10-1
- Epic Ride: John Ennis, Adam Beschizza, 50-1
- T O Password: Daisuke Takayanagi, Kazushi Kimura, 30-1
- Forever Young: Yoshito Yahagi, Ryusei Sakai, 10-1
- Track Phantom: Steve Asmussen, Joel Rosario, 20-1
- West Saratoga: Larry Demeritte, Jesus Castanon, 50-1
- Endlessly: Michael McCarthy, Umberto Rispoli, 30-1
- Domestic Product: Chad Brown, Irad Ortiz Jr., 30-1
- Grand Mo the First: Victor Barboza Jr., Emisael Jaramillo, 50-1
- Fierceness: Todd Pletcher, John Velazquez, 5-2
- Stronghold: Phil D’Amato, Antonio Fresu, 20-1
- Resilience: Bill Mott, Junior Alvarado, 20-1
- Society Man: Danny Gargan, Frankie Dettori, 50-1
Encino (20-1) was scratched from the race on Tuesday and replaced by Epic Ride.
Mugatu is eligible to race if another competitor scratches.
2024 Kentucky Derby prize money
The total purse for the Kentucky Derby is up to $5 million for the 2024 race, representing a $2 million raise from the 2023 purse.
The winner will take home $3.1 million, up from $1.86 million in 2023. Second place will earn $1 million, third will earn $500,000, fourth will earn $250,000 and fifth will earn $150,000.
