The 2024 Kentucky Derby is just around the corner and now that the 2024 Kentucky Derby post draw has been completed, we know how the field will line up. The No. 5 post has produced a record 10 winners at the Kentucky Derby and Saffie Joseph’s Catalytic (30-1) will break from that position this year. Joseph was suspended from racing at Churchill Downs in 2023 and will return to action on Derby Day 2024 on Saturday, May 4.
Meanwhile, Fierceness enters the 2024 Kentucky Derby field as the 5-2 favorite after winning the Florida Derby on March 30. He’s followed by Sierra Leone (3-1) and Catching Freedom (8-1) in the latest 2024 Kentucky Derby odds. The 2024 Kentucky Derby post time is 6:57 p.m. ET. With the Kentucky Derby annually featuring the largest field in North American racing, you’ll want to see what Santa Anita-based racing reporter and analyst Michelle Yu has to say before making any 2024 Kentucky Derby picks, considering the success she’s had handicapping this race.
Few people in racing are as well-connected as Yu. An on-air host and reporter who has provided racing analysis for TVG, HRTV and the Breeders’ Cup, Yu has spent a lifetime in racing. Prior to her television career, she worked for trainers Steve Asmussen and Ron Moquett. She also is married to Santa Anita-based trainer Ryan Hanson.
Yu also has tremendous handicapping chops. In a wide-open Kentucky Derby in 2021, she gave out Medina Spirit, who crossed the finish line first, as the winner at 12-1. In Pool 5 of the Kentucky Derby Future Wager two years ago, she suggested a play on All Other 3-Year-Olds, which cashed at a whopping 18-1 when Rich Strike won the Derby.
Yu enters this year’s Kentucky Derby on a roll. She correctly called National Treasure to win the Pegasus World Cup. In the month leading up to the Kentucky Derby, she predicted Stronghold’s upset win in the Santa Anita Derby and smashed the exacta in the Apple Blossom Handicap.
For the first leg of the Triple Crown, Yu has handicapped the 2024 Kentucky Derby lineup, made her picks and constructed her best bets. You can head to SportsLine now to see them.
Top 2024 Kentucky Derby predictions
One surprise: Yu is fading Fierceness, even though he is the 5-2 Kentucky Derby favorite. Fierceness is coming off a victory in the Florida Derby, but with that comes a substantial drop in his value. The Florida Derby winner is guaranteed a spot in the Kentucky Derby field, but only three horses have won the Kentucky Derby after winning the Florida Derby since 2010. Always Dreaming was the last horse to win those races back-to-back.
Fierceness has won three of five career races, but this will be his first run at Churchill Downs. Fierceness is trained by Todd Pletcher, who has produced just two Kentucky Derby winners in 62 starts. Pletcher’s last Kentucky Derby victory came in 2017 with Always Dreaming. There’s a lot to like about Fierceness’ previous success, but Yu doesn’t see the value in playing him as a favorite in a large 2024 Kentucky Derby field.
Another curveball: Yu is high on Just a Touch, even though he’s a longshot at 10-1 in the Kentucky Derby odds 2024. He’s a target for anyone looking for a huge payday. Just a Touch has all the makings of a horse who can win the Kentucky Derby 2024. He’s the son of Triple Crown-winning Justify and is trained by Brad Cox, who has two Triple Crown victories as a trainer.
Just a Touch has run three times in 2024, breaking his maiden in January, followed by back-to-back runner-up finishes at the Gotham Stakes and Blue Grass Stakes. Just a Touch ran at the front of the pack throughout the Blue Grass Stakes and held a lead in the final stretch before a strong run by Sierra Leone bumped him to second. Just a Touch possesses the speed to put himself in contention at Churchill Downs, providing bettors value at 10-1 odds. You can see all of Yu’s 2024 Kentucky Derby bets here.
How to make 2024 Kentucky Derby picks
Moreover, Yu’s top pick is a horse who “will be happy to get the added ground” at Churchill Downs. She’s also high on a massive double-digit longshot who “showed some grit” in his last race. She is including these horses in her 2024 Kentucky Derby bets, and so should you. She’s sharing which 2024 Kentucky Derby horses to back at SportsLine.
So who wins the 2024 Kentucky Derby? What double-digit longshot is a must-back? And how has Yu constructed her wagers? Visit SportsLine to see Yu’s picks for the Kentucky Derby, all from the Santa Anita-based racing insider who has a long history of success in the Kentucky Derby, and find out.
