The 2024 Kentucky Derby is slated for Saturday, May 4 with a post time of 6:57 p.m. at Churchill Downs in Kentucky. The iconic Run for the Roses is the first leg of the Triple Crown races, and this year will mark the 150th edition of the event.
Florida Derby winner Fierceness is the current favorite at 5/2, followed closely by Sierra Leone at 3-1. Fierceness trained by eight-time Eclipse Award winner Todd Pletcher. Sierra Leone is trained by Chad Brown, who also trains longshot Domestic Product.
Which horses do you take on Saturday afternoon during the 150th Run for the Roses? And in what combinations? Visit SportsLine to get Demling's picks for exacta, trifecta and superfecta bets for the 2024 Kentucky Derby.
Since the race is outdoors, weather conditions always have a large impact on the event. Per Horse Racing Nation, the coldest temperature ever recorded for the Kentucky Derby was 36 degrees in May 4, 1940 and May 4, 1957. The warmest temperature was 94 degrees in May 2, 1959.
After a clear day on Friday, forecasts were initially calling for the chance of thunderstorms around post time on Saturday. That changed overnight and now conditions are expected to be near perfect with just a slight chance of rain in the forecast, according to the Weather Channel. AccuWeather, however, still sees a higher likelihood of rain, calling for "clouds and sun with a stray thunderstorm in spots."
Here is a look at the weather predictions for this Saturday:
2024 Kentucky Derby forecast
Service: The Weather Channel
Projected weather: Mix of clouds and sun
Projected temperatures: High of 81, low of 64 degrees
Race-time projection: 79 degrees with partly cloudy skies
Chance of rain: 14% chance of rain at race time
Service: AccuWeather
Projected weather: Clouds and sun with a stray thunderstorm in spots
Projected temperatures: High of 80, real feel of 84 degrees while standing in the sun
Race-time projection: Intermittent clouds and 77 degrees
Chance of rain: 47% chance of rain at race time
