The stage is set for the 150th Run for the Roses. Kentucky Derby favorites Fierceness and Sierra Leone look formidable. But, much like any sporting event, the underdogs often steal the show. After all, the favorite has failed to win the Kentucky Derby in each of the last five years.
While my friends Mitch Bannon and Josie Costigan have you covered with the Kentucky Derby odds and best bets, I’ll try to find the value on some sleeper thoroughbreds here. Let’s take a look at all the 2024 Kentucky Derby odds and identify my best Kentucky Derby sleepers below.
2024 Kentucky Derby Odds
Odds as of May 4
Kentucky Derby Sleepers Bets
Huge underdogs have won each of the last two Derby’s. Additionally, the favorite has won just 22.7% of Kentucky Derby’s since 1980. It’s very likely another thoroughbred manages to upset Fierceness during Saturday's proceedings.
Domestic Product +2500
A 25-1 sleeper, Domestic Product likes to sit back and attack on the final furlongs. That could prove crucial as the Kentucky Derby will be the longest most of these horses have ever run at 1 1/4 miles. While quicker pace-setters have dominated recently, the 10 furlong Churchill Downs track provides plenty of opportunity.
The stable mate of Sierra Leone won the Tampa Bay Derby in March. While he appeared to lag behind the contenders, Domestic Product finished fast to collect the victory. He's one of the more measured horses in the field. But, with two victories and a second-place finish in five starts, the colt could just be hitting his stride.
He'll be jockeyed by Irad Ortiz Jr. who has won the Eclipse Award as the best jockey on four occasions. Ortiz has plenty of experience under his belt and will be chomping at the bit for his first Kentucky Derby win.
Mystik Dan +2500
Mystic Dan won the Southwest Stakes at Outlawn Park by 8 lengths and was moving exceptionally late in the race, finishing the final 5/16 of a mile in under 6 seconds.
Unlike many of the Derby contenders, Mystik Dan has run a legitimately fast race. That alone makes him an interesting Kentucky Derby sleeper.
Instead of setting the pace as he has early in his career, he’s learned to ease off to start, and come just short of the frontrunners. He owns a win at Churchill Downs and looks capable of handling both fast and “off” or muddy tracks. I like Mystic Dan to put on a show on Saturday night. He's more than capable of pulling off a miraculous victory. Make sure he's a part of your Kentucky Derby prop bets as well!
Kentucky Derby Exotics Sleeper Picks
Exotic racing bets offer another way to add some excitement to horse racing. Favor two or three horses and want to wager on how they finish? Put all of them together in a trifecta or superfecta box to come out a winner, no matter which one wins the race! Check out our How to Bet on the Kentucky Derby page for more info!
Trifecta (Box)
2-3-17
Boxing your top three horses together in a trifecta box allows you to win regardless of how the horses place. We'll do just that with our two race favorites and Kentucky Derby sleeper Mystic Dan.
Superfecta (Box)
2-3-15-17
As the saying goes, GO BIG or GO HOME. We'll pair the two race favorites, Fierceness and Sierra Leone, with our sleepers to chase a large payout.
Exotics are a fun bet that you can play for small stakes but can produce nice returns, with the Superfecta, in particular, a bet that can produce life-changing money if you hit the right horses.
Remember to wager responsibly this weekend, and best of luck with all your bets on the most exciting two minutes in sports!