If you enjoy betting horse races, there is no race like the Kentucky Derby on Saturday, May 4 at Churchill Downs! America’s most iconic horse race has a purse of $5 million, an increase of $2 million over last year, and drew a field of 20 of the best sophomore dirt horses to go 1 ¼ miles over the dirt. At stake are not only this huge purse, but the blanket of roses and a place in horse racing lore forever!
For bettors, the Kentucky Derby is a race like no other, too. The field is the biggest in American horse racing, meaning that if you solve the handicapping puzzle you’ll find a life-changing score. Keep on reading to get expert analysis of the race, and to find out the best places to bet the Kentucky Derby online from Indiana!
Even if you can’t make it down to Kentucky, you can still be a part of the Kentucky Derby action from Indiana by signing up for an online racebook! It’s easy, and you can bet horse racing from your smartphone, tablet, or computer anywhere with an internet connection.
There are many options for online betting, but our online racebook reviews are here to make a profitable decision as quick and easy as possible. All of our expert-reviewed racebooks have the basics: a great user interface, trusted payouts, and market-leading odds.
You can also get racebook bonuses by betting online, something you’ll never get at the track. These include sign-up and deposit bonuses, referral incentives, and even horse racing rebates that pay you real money for every bet you make! Take a few minutes, find the best bonuses for your betting style, and build your bankroll by hundreds or even thousands of dollars!
Kentucky Derby Contenders
This is the official field for the 2024 Kentucky Derby with post positions, jockeys and trainers, and morning lines is:
Epic Ride and Mugatu will only draw in, in that order of priority, if horses scratch from the main field before 9:00 a.m. Friday morning, when Kentucky Derby betting begins.
The morning-line odds can be a helpful guide to which horses are well-regarded coming into the Kentucky Derby and which ones are expected to be long shots. However, they are not guaranteed prices on track, since the betting odds at the track are not set until the gates fly open on Derby day.
Your best bet is to play the Kentucky Derby at an online racebook. When you bet online, you can get fixed odds on major races like the Kentucky Derby. This means that when you see an overlay on a horse you think can win, you can lock in those odds just by placing a bet, and then watch the race confident in what you’ll get when your horse wins.
These are the Kentucky Derby odds at the best Indiana racebooks:
 |  |  | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fierceness | +250 | +275 | +250 |
| Sierra Leone | +400 | +330 | +300 |
| Forever Young | +850 | +1000 | +1000 |
| Just a Touch | +1100 | +1200 | +1000 |
| Honor Marie | +1600 | +2000 | +2000 |
| Encino | +1600 | +2200 | +2000 |
| Stronghold | +2000 | +2000 | +2000 |
Among the horses at the top of the market, Sierra Leone and Catching Freedom can run to the public's confidence. Sierra Leone, the likely second choice, launched a rock-sold sustained run to win the Blue Grass (G1), and that kind of trip should succeed again with all the speed drawn into the Kentucky Derby. The near-inside post isn’t perfect, but as a closer he will be less affected than a forward runner.
Catching Freedom comes off of a smart victory in the Louisiana Derby, a race with improving profile. His late running style should get the right setup, and he has enough stamina in his pedigree to think he will keep improving at the Derby distance. Finally, he has rider Flavien Prat, who has hit the board in five of six editions of the Kentucky Derby in which he has ridden.
The favorites to toss include Fierceness and Forever Young. Fierceness is dazzling in his best form, but as the favorite in a 20-horse race, you can’t trust a horse who folds when things don’t go completely his way. Even though Forever Young may be Japan’s best chance yet to win the Run for the Roses, UAE Derby (G2) winners have never finished better than fifth in the Kentucky Derby and this may prove too stiff a class test.
The best balance of price and upside in the Kentucky Derby belongs to Honor Marie. He finished second to Catching Freedom in the Louisiana Derby, but there are many reasons he can improve. He comes into the third start of his form cycle in the Derby, the same time he found his best last year. And, with a Grade 2 win at Churchill and a good recent drill, it looks like he enjoys Louisville.
In terms of pace, he is a late runner, meaning he can benefit from the likely crackling pace in the Kentucky Derby. And, he also has the stamina to see out the trip: being by Honor Code out of Dame Marie -- a Smart Strike half-sister to a Group 1 winner at 1 ¾ miles -- the 1 ¼ miles of the Derby should be no sweat.
Encino is a fascinating long shot in the Kentucky Derby. He proved his ability to handle dirt in the Lexington (G3). No wonder: being by Nyquist out of a Bernardini half-sister to Street Sense, there is all kinds of Triple Crown class in his pedigree. That means he should handle the distance, too. With a great draw and some nice pace versatility, Encino should outrun his odds.
Consider Just Steel for a spot underneath, too. Though the D. Wayne Lukas trainee is a winner of only two of 11 starts, one of those wins came over the Churchill track. He was second in three of the four points races at Oaklawn, including the Arkansas Derby (G2). With tactical speed, he should be able to draft behind the pacesetters and keep on running to find a spot in the exotics.
You know the best places to bet the Kentucky Derby online in Indiana and you know who the major contenders are. Now, there’s just one thing left to do: place your bets on the 2024 Kentucky Derby!
These are the expert best bets on the 2024 Kentucky Derby:
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