Kentucky Derby: Everything you need to know as race celebrates its 150th anniversary
By Ben Church, CNNPublished 6:00 AM EDT, Sat May 4, 2024
The Kentucky Derby is already dubbed the “greatest two minutes in sport” but this year’s race will hold even more historical relevance as it celebrates its 150th anniversary.
Since the first edition in 1875, the race has become the longest continuously held sporting event in the US, and arguably one of the most loved.
Over the years the Kentucky Derby has seen sporting drama, controversy and has crowned some of the best race horses in history.
This year promises to be no different with a legendary jockey attempting to win his first Derby, and the ongoing absence of the most recognizable name in the sport.
How to watch?
The Kentucky Derby will take place on Saturday, May 4, with television coverage starting at 2.30p ET on NBC and Peacock.The race itself is set to start at 6.57 p ET.
Unrivalled history
The first Kentucky Derby was watched by a crowd of 10,000 people who saw three-year-old chestnut colt Aristides, ridden by jockey Oliver Lewis, triumph at Churchill Downs.The Derby has been held at the same venue since, even during both World Wars and the Great Depression of the 1930s.
This year, over 150,000 are expected to descend onto the famed racetrack to watch the race and revel in the celebrations.
Some of the greatest horses have won the Derby, including the likes of Secretariat, American Pharoah, Citation and most recently Justify.
The Kentucky Derby is also the first leg of the prestigious Triple Crown, a feat which consists of the Preakness Stakes and the Belmont Stakes – only 13 horses have won all three races in a single year.
While the race and the venue has remained much the same, work has been underway to improve safety for horses at the track.
Last year, Churchill Downs announced new safety initiatives as part of an ongoing investigation into a series of horse deaths at the track.
Ones to watch
Over the past 12 editions, the pre-race favorite has gone on to win the Kentucky Derby six times and Fierceness is looking to extend that record this year.The colt has enjoyed an impressive record to date, winning his last race with ease after demonstrating a frightening turn of foot.
Trainer Todd Pletcher and jockey John Velazquez will hope Fierceness can deliver the pair a second Kentucky Derby victory together, after their partnership saw success in 2017 with Always Dreaming.
According to the odds, Fierceness will face its toughest competition from Sierra Leone but there is a field of 20 runners all looking to win the first jewel of this year’s Triple Crown.
Among them is Society Man, an outsider with a very special jockey onboard, Frankie Dettori.
The Italian made his name in Europe as one of the best jockeys in the history of flat racing. Over the course of his glittering career, Dettori has ridden some of the best horses on the planet, claiming over 3,300 wins.
Among his multiple career highlights are two consecutive victories in the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe and a Breeders’ Cup Turf title, all on board wonder horse Enable.
Last year, the 53-year-old delayed his retirement plans to compete in the US where he has seen plenty of success already. In April, Dettori rode six straight winners at Santa Anita in California, at cumulative odds of more than 77,000-1.
A win on Saturday, in just his second attempt at the race, would be right up there with his most impressive career achievements. His dream of winning the race, though, was dealt a blow after he drew an unenviable wide berth for the start.
“To me, as a veteran jockey, I realize what the Kentucky Derby means for my trade. It would be an amazing feather in my cap if I can pull it off. Just getting to the field is winning,” Detorri, who will be followed by Netflix cameras on the day, told NBC Sports earlier this year.
Bob Baffert ban extended
The 150th edition of the Kentucky Derby will be run without arguably the most recognizable name in the sport, Bob Baffert.The 71-year-old, who has trained six Derby winners, has been banned from competing in the race since his horse Medina Spirit tested positive for a banned substance after initially being declared the winner in 2021.
The suspension was initially for two years but was extended by Churchill Downs Incorporated (CDI), the organizer of the horse race and owner of the famed racetrack, to cover this year’s race.
Baffert “continues to peddle a false narrative concerning the failed drug test of Medina Spirit,” a CDI statement read last year, explaining the decision.
The trainer’s request for an emergency hearing was denied by the Kentucky appeals court judge last month, meaning Baffert-trained Muth, one of the best horses in the country, won’t be allowed to run.
