The Kentucky Derby is one of the most prestigious yearly events in all of horse racing. The grand race features the best three-year-old thoroughbreds in the world as they take to the track at Churchill Downs to decide the first leg of the distinguished triple crown series of races.
The 150th Run for the Roses brings forth some seriously unique fashion, the wildest hats you’ve ever seen, elite horse trainers, celebrities, and bettors. It is a true American happening each spring. With all of that in mind, here is everything you need to know about the 2024 Kentucky Derby on May 4.
Related: Preakness Stakes – Everything you need to know about the second leg of the Triple Crown
The annual racing tradition takes place on the first Saturday in May, at Churchill Downs Racecourse in Louisville, Kentucky. This year, the race will take place on May 4. The very first Kentucky Derby took place back in 1875 and over 10,000 spectators and race enthusiasts watched Aristides win the inaugural version of what would eventually be known as the Kentucky Derby.
The 150th Derby event starts at 10:30 AM ET with the first race of the day. The complete slate will feature around 14 different races that last until 8:30 PM ET. However, “the most exciting two minutes in sports” and the business everyone tunes in for will take place at 6:57 PM ET.
The earliest coverage for the 2024 Derby begins just before the fourth race at noon ET on USA and on the streaming service Peacock. But the core coverage of the biggest and best races kicks off before the eighth event of the day at 2:30 PM ET on NBC.
The 2023 Derby featured just 18 horses and included awesomely named creatures like Angel Empire, Mage, Two Phil’s, Continuar, and more. For this year’s event, you can place bets on any of the horses involved on the derby-specific Twin Spires site.
Days ahead of the event, three-year-old colt Sierra Leone is the current betting favorite to with the 150th edition of the Kentucky Derby.
For the 2024 edition of the legendary race, the theme for the event will be “Derby Through the Decades” with this being the 150th version of the event. The lowest price for reserved dining tickets is $111. However, seats in the Matt Winn Steakhouse or Stakes Room ($7,297) and Balcony reach into the thousands.
Derby tickets can vary, but general admission seats cost just $26.
Despite horses like Tapit Trice, Forte, and Angel Empire getting much of the credit heading into the race, it was Gustavo Delgado-trained horse Mage that won the 2023 Kentucky Derby. The thoroughbred laid in wait for much of the race and made an incredible push down the home stretch to overcome Two Phil’s to get the historic victory.
Mage had won just one of its three previous races heading into the event at Churchhill Downs.