The 2024 Kentucky Derby: Date, time, how to watch, distance and how much the winner will take home from the $5million prize pot as the race’s 150th anniversary is clouded by who will not be in the race


  • The 2024 Kentucky Derby will take place this Saturday, May 4
  • This year will mark the 150th edition of the historic sprint race
  • Twenty Horses will line out for a shot at the $5million prize purse

This weekend twenty of the fastest horses will descend on the Churchill Downs race track in Louisville this weekend for the 2024 Kentucky Derby. 

This weekend will mark the 150th anniversary of the historic race, extending its run as America’s longest continuously held sporting event.

Twenty jockeys will ride the track at the Churchill Downs for an opportunity to dawn the garland of roses, as well as claim the record prize pot but most importantly the title of Kentucky champion.

This years race however has been heavily clouded by the exclusion of some of Horse racing’s biggest names.

One of Horse racings household names and one of America’s most recognised trainers Bob Baffert will miss this year’s 150th Kentucky Derby as his exile from the event extends to three years. 

Here is everything you need to know about the 2024 Kentucky Derby.

The 2024 Kentucky Derby will take place this Saturday, May 4 at the Churchill Downs race track

The 2024 Kentucky Derby will take place this Saturday, May 4 at the Churchill Downs race track

This year marks the 150th edition of the Kentucky Derby

This year marks the 150th edition of the Kentucky Derby

With the 2024 Derby, the race extends its run as America's longest continuously held sporting event

With the 2024 Derby, the race extends its run as America’s longest continuously held sporting event

Kentucky Derby – Key information

The Kentucky Derby is a 1 1/4 mile long race which approximately lasts two minutes.  

The 2-minute race features a quick burst out of the starting gate, as the horses breaking from posts 15 to 20 scramble to try and angle themselves to try and make up and save ground before heading into the first turn. 

After the first turn, the field stretches out before the pace quickens again leading up to the final turn before the race’s front leaders battle it out through the final stretch of the race in front of the 150,000 crowd. 

When is the 2024 Kentucky derby?

The 2024 Kentucky Derby will take place on Saturday, May 4.

What time will the Kentucky derby start at?

The scheduled post time for the 150th Kentucky derby is 6:57pm EST/ 5:57pm CT / 3:57pm PT /  11:57pm UK time. 

How to watch

Coverage of the Kentucky Derby in America begins at 12pm Eastern time, with the undercard races of Derby Day being broadcast live on USA Network and Peacock. 

For the derby itself, coverage will shift over to NBC and Peacock, with their coverage of the race beginning at 2:30pm ET / 11:30am PT /  7:30pm UK. 

NBCSports.com and NBC Sports app will stream live coverage of the derby to their subscribers. 

The race is one of Horse racings most prestigious and wealthiest events, the paddock at Churchill Downs cost $2million to build

The race is one of Horse racings most prestigious and wealthiest events, the paddock at Churchill Downs cost $2million to build

This year's Kentucky Derby has been clouded by the exlusion of American trainer Bob Baffert

This year’s Kentucky Derby has been clouded by the exlusion of American trainer Bob Baffert

2024 Kentucky Derby prize money

The total prize purse for this year’s Kentucky Derby stands at a whopping $5million (£4m).

This is an increase of $2m from the 2023 prize pot, with the winning now expected to take home $3.1m, up from $1.86m.

The horse that finishes second will earn their trainers and owners a £1m share of the total amount, third will take home $500,000, fourth will pocket $250,000 and fifth will earn $150,000.

Kentucky Derby Runners 

  1. Dornoch | T: Danny Gargan | J: Luis Saez
  2. Sierra Leone | T: Chad Brown | J: Tyler Gaffalione
  3. Mystik Dan | T: Kenny McPeek | J: Brian Hernandez Jr.
  4. Catching Freedom | T: Brad Cox | J: Flavien Prat
  5. Catalytic | T: Saffie Joseph Jr. | J: Jose Ortiz
  6. Just Steel | T: D. Wayne Lukas | J: Keith Asmussen
  7. Honor Marie | T: Whit Beckman | J: Ben Curtis
  8. Just a Touch | T: Brad Cox | J: Florent Geroux
  9. T O Password | T: Daisuke Takayanagi | J: Kazushi Kimura
  10. Forever Young | T: Yoshito Yahagi | J: Ryusei Sakai 
  11. Track Phantom | T: Steve Asmussen | J: Joel Rosario
  12. West Saratoga | T: Larry Demeritte | J: Jesus Castanon
  13. Endlessly | T: Michael McCarthy | J: Umberto Rispoli
  14. Domestic Product | T: Chad Brown | J: Irad Ortiz Jr.
  15. Grand Mo the First | T: Victor Barboza Jr. | J: Emisael Jaramillo
  16. Fierceness | T: Todd Pletcher | J: John Velazquez
  17. Stronghold | T: Phil D’Amato | J: Antonio Fresu 
  18. Resilience | T: Bill MotT | J: Junior Alvarado
  19. Society Man | T: Danny Gargan | J: Frankie Dettori  
  20. Epic Ride | T: John Ennis | J: Adam Beschizza



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