The Road to the Kentucky Derby continues with the championship series races offering the most points and interest to horse racing fans. The watch and wager action on the biggest Derby prep races increases as the 150th running of America’s biggest horse race at Churchill Downs in Louisville nears on Saturday, May 4, 2024.
The winners of the U.S. championship series races will earn enough points to qualify for the 20-horse field in the Kentucky Derby. The winners are awarded 50 to 100 points, and the top-5 finishers earn points. Last year’s No. 20 horse in the Derby points standings qualified for the Run for the Roses with 45 points.
Bet Types And Understanding Horse Racing Odds
Beginning in 2017, the Japan Road to the Kentucky Derby was introduced. Now featuring four races, the horse with the most points is granted automatic entry into the Kentucky Derby. The 1 1/8 mile Fukuryu Stakes at Nakayama (JRA) on March 23 awards the winner 40 points.
The newest addition was the introduction of the Europe Road to the Kentucky Derby in 2017 that featured seven races in Ireland, Great Britain and France. These races are run on either turf or an all-weather track and six are contested at just 1 mile. The final Europe Road to the Kentucky Derby prep race awarding the most points to the winner (30) is March 30 with the Cardinal Stakes at Chelmsford City (GB).
Kentucky Derby Favorites
While many early contenders for the 2024 Kentucky Derby will take more betting action, and more money if they win a key championship series race, know that longshot Mage (15/1) won the 2023 Kentucky Derby rallying from 14th at the 3/4 mile mark to win the 1 1/14 mile Derby and pay $32.42 on a $2 win bet. Mage was retired from racing to begin his stallion career in November 2023 after winning just one of six graded stakes starts.
How To Bet On Horse Racing
Here are current fixed odds to win the Kentucky Derby from Circa Sports in Las Vegas. These odds will change and often shorten following each championship race as more leading Kentucky Derby contenders emerge. Horse racing from race tracks have parimutuel odds, where players wager against each other and the host race tracks take a percentage of the total of each pool. The rest of the pool is split between the wagering winners.
You can follow FanDuel Racingfor updated coverage, odds, picks, racing insight and additional information you can bet on leading up to and on the 2024 Kentucky Derby. Racing fans can also watch and wager on horseracing right from the Sportsbook app with live streaming from 300+ tracks.
Race Notes, Odds & Recap
Risen Star
Sierra Leone rallied down the center of the track with Tyler Gaffalione riding and caught Track Phantom at the wire to win the $400,000, Grade 2 Risen Star by 1/2 length over a sloppy track. Sierra Leone paid $7.40 to win on a $2 bet as the 5/2 favorite after Track Phantom went gate-to-wire on the lead into the stretch before settling for second. Sierra Leone will race next in the Blue Grass Stakes on April 2 at Keeneland before running in the 2024 Kentucky Derby.
Rebel Stakes
Follow horse racing coverage and the biggest races on the Road to the Kentucky Derby. Check back as we update Derby prep race coverage, odds, fields and additional championship series racing information.
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