| Kentucky Derby | |
| Grade I stakes race | |
 | |
| Location | Churchill Downs Louisville, Kentucky, United States |
|---|---|
| Date | May 4, 2024 |
| Distance | 1+1⁄4 mi (10 furlongs; 2,012 m) |
| Winning horse | Mystik Dan |
| Winning time | 2:03.34 |
| Final odds | 18:1 |
| Jockey | Brian Hernandez Jr. |
| Trainer | Kenneth G. McPeek |
| Owner | Lance Gasaway, Daniel Hamby, 4G Racing |
| Conditions | Fast |
| Surface | Dirt |
| Attendance | 156,710 |
The 2024 Kentucky Derby (branded as the 150th Running of the Kentucky Derby presented by Woodford Reserve for sponsorship reasons) was the 150th running of the Kentucky Derby. It took place on May 4, 2024, at Churchill Downs, in Louisville, Kentucky.[1] The race was open to 20 horses, who qualified through the 2024 Road to the Kentucky Derby.
Mystik Dan won in a three-way photo finish, at 18:1 odds. He and jockey Brian Hernandez Jr. held off late charges by Sierra Leone and Forever Young to reach the wire first by a nose.[2][3] It was the first nose margin victory in this event since the 1996 Kentucky Derby won by Grindstone and the first three-horse photo finish in this race since the 1947 Kentucky Derby, which was won by Jet Pilot.[4][5] One day before the Kentucky Derby, Hernandez and trainer Kenny McPeek teamed up with Thorpedo Anna to win the Kentucky Oaks.[3] McPeek became the first trainer since 1952 to win the Kentucky Oaks and the Kentucky Derby in the same year.[4]
The race was broadcast by NBC. Coverage of undercard events began at noon EDT on USA Network before transitioning to the main NBC network for pre-race activities at 2:30 p.m. The entirety of the day was also streamed on NBC's streaming platform Peacock. FanDuel TV also provided live streaming from 10:30 a.m. to noon and from 7:30 p.m. until the festivities ended.[6]
A record $210.7 million was bet on the 2024 Kentucky Derby. Overall, a record $320.5 million was bet on the races that were run at Churchill Downs on the day of the Kentucky Derby.[7] NBC reported an average of 16.7 million viewers across its platforms and a peak audience of 20.1 million viewers, making it the most watched running of the race since 1989.[8] Prior to the race, NBC and Churchill Downs announced an extension of NBC's broadcasting rights to last through 2032.[9]
- ^ "2024 Kentucky Derby horses, futures, odds, date: Expert who called 10 Derby-Oaks Doubles gives picks". CBSSports.com. March 24, 2024. Archived from the original on March 24, 2024. Retrieved March 24, 2024.
- ^ Culpepper, Chuck (May 4, 2024). "Mystik Dan wins the Kentucky Derby in a photo finish". The Washington Post. Retrieved May 4, 2024.
- ^ a b Li, David K. (May 4, 2024). "Mystik Dan wins 2024 Kentucky Derby in a dramatic photo finish". NBC News. Archived from the original on May 4, 2024. Retrieved May 4, 2024.
- ^ a b Frakes, Jason (May 4, 2024). "Mystik Dan wins Kentucky Derby at 18–1 odds as trainer Kenny McPeek etches name in history". Courier Journal. Archived from the original on May 14, 2024. Retrieved May 4, 2024.
- ^ Drummond, Cameron (May 5, 2024). "How does a three-horse photo in the Kentucky Derby rank? Here are the closest finishes ever". Lexington Herald-Leader. Archived from the original on May 14, 2024. Retrieved May 5, 2024.
- ^ "Watch and Follow the 150th Kentucky Derby". kentuckyderby.com. Churchill Downs Incorporated. Archived from the original on May 4, 2024. Retrieved April 29, 2024.
- ^ "Record $210.7M bet on 2024 Kentucky Derby". ESPN. May 5, 2024. Archived from the original on May 6, 2024. Retrieved May 6, 2024.
- ^ "NBC and Peacock deliver most watched "run for the roses" since 1989, as Mystik Dan wins in thrilling photo finish in 150th Kentucky Derby". nbcsports.com. NBC Universal. May 5, 2024. Archived from the original on May 5, 2024. Retrieved May 5, 2024.
- ^ "NBC and Churchill Downs extend historic partnership, Kentucky Derby to be presented on NBC and Peacock through 2032". nbcsports.com. NBC Universal. May 4, 2024. Archived from the original on May 5, 2024. Retrieved May 5, 2024.