Two-time Kentucky Derby winner Todd Pletcher sent out the favourite in 2024, with his runner, Fierceness, rocketing to the head of the market following a 13½l romp in the Florida Derby. Chad Brown looked to have a solid chance of bagging a first Kentucky Derby with Sierra Leone, who stayed on powerfully to land the Blue Grass Stakes in his prep race, whilst Brad Cox’s Catching Freedom booked his ticked with a late surge to come out on top in the Louisiana Derby.
Elsewhere in the field, Forever Young carried the hopes of Japan and arrived unbeaten in four career starts, headlined by a slick success in the UAE Derby. Of those available at double-figure prices, Mystik Dan had run a solid prep to finish third in the Arkansas Derby, Honor Marie finished second in the Louisiana Derby, and Society Man had the benefit of Frankie Dettori in the saddle. Wide open on paper, the 2024 edition of America’s most famous race produced a thrilling finale.
Result
- 1st – Mystik Dan 186/10, Jockey: Brian Joseph Hernandez Jr, Trainer: Kenneth McPeek
- 2nd – Sierra Leone 48/10, Jockey: Tyler Gaffalione, Trainer: Chad C Brown
- 3rd – Forever Young 705/100, Jockey: Ryusei Sakai, Trainer: Yoshito Yahagi
Prize Money Breakdown
- 1st – £2,440,944.88
- 2nd – £787,401.57
- 3rd – £393,700.79
- 4th – £196,850.39
- 5th – £118,110.24
Tote and Forecast Payouts
- US Win ($2) – $39.22
- US Show ($2) – 1st – $10, 2nd – $4.64. 3rd – $5.58
- Exacta ($2) – $258.60
- Trifecta ($1) – $1,113.84
Recap
Track Phantom broke best from stall 12 to move across and grab the lead against the inside rail, joined by Just Steel and Fierceness, as a wave of three led the runners around the first bend – Fierceness doing well to gain such a prominent position have missed the break, although possibly wasting valuable energy in being bustled forward by John Velazquez. Epic Ride raced wide of the leaders in fourth, with Mystik Dan gaining a great early position just off the pace against the rail. Japanese raider Forever Young was content enough to sit in mid-division under Ryusei Sakai.
There was very little change in the order throughout the back straight, with Track Phantom setting a frenetic, and surely unsustainable, gallop out in front. Midway around the turn for home, those exertions began to tell as Track Phantom gave up the lead. Fierceness threatened to take up the running but couldn’t do so, leaving it to Mystik Dan to seize the initiative when getting a dream run up the inside.
The Brian Hernandez Jr.-ridden runner moved two lengths clear on the run-in, but the closers were coming from out of the pack. Catching Freedom looked like a threat in Mystik Dan’s slipstream, but it was Sierra Leone and Forever Young, racing in tandem down the outside, who slowly but surely began to claw back the ground, with Mystik Dan beginning to reach the edge of his tether. Impossible to call 50 yards from home, it remained that way at the line, with Sierra Leone and Forever Young joining Mystik Dan in the shadow of the post to force a three-way photo. It was Mystik Dan that ultimately managed to cling on by a nose to deny Sierra Leone, with the same distance back to Forever Young in third.
An epic conclusion to the great race, with Mystik Dan’s victory owing much to an excellent ride from Brian Hernandez Jr, who, along with trainer Kenneth McPeek, was winning the race for the first time.
Runners
- 1. Dornoch – SP: 229/10, Trainer: Danny Gargan, Jockey: Luis Saez
- 2. Sierra Leone – SP: 48/10, Trainer: Chad C Brown, Jockey: Tyler Gaffalione
- 3. Mystik Dan – SP: 186/10, Trainer: Kenneth McPeek, Jockey: Brian Joseph Hernandez Jr
- 4. Catching Freedom – SP: 28/1, Trainer: Brad H Cox, Jockey: Flavien Prat
- 5. Catalytic – SP: 35/1, Trainer: Saffie A Joseph Jr, Jockey: Jose L Ortiz
- 6. Just Steel – SP: 213/10, Trainer: D Wayne Lukas, Jockey: Keith J Asmussen
- 7. Honor Marie – SP: 149/10, Trainer: D Whitworth Beckman, Jockey: Ben Curtis
- 8. Just A Touch – SP: 116/10, Trainer: Brad H Cox, Jockey: Florent Geroux
- 9. Enciso – Non-runner
- 10. T O Password – SP: 48/1, Trainer: Daisuke Takayanagi, Jockey: Kazushi Kimura
- 11. Forever Young – SP: 705/100, Trainer: Yoshito Yahagi, Jockey: Ryusei Sakai
- 12. Track Phantom – SP: 42/1, Trainer: Stevn Asmussen, Jockey: Joel Rosario
- 13. West Saratoga – SP: 229/10, Trainer: Larry Demeritte, Jockey: Jesus Lopez Castanon
- 14. Endlessly – SP: 49/1, Trainer: Michael McCarthy, Jockey: Umberto Rispoli
- 15. Domestic Product – SP: 242/10, Trainer: Chad C Brown, Jockey: Irad Ortiz Jr
- 16. Grand Mo The First – SP: 49/1, Trainer: Victor Barboza Jr, Jockey: Emisael Jaramillo
- 17. Fierceness – SP: 16/5F, Trainer: Todd Pletcher, Jockey: John R Velazquez
- 18. Stronghold – SP: 36/1, Trainer: Philip D’Amato, Jockey: Antonio Fresu
- 19. Resilience – SP: 32/1, Trainer: William Mott, Jockey: Junior Alvarado
- 20. Society Man – SP: 47/1, Trainer: Danny Gargan, Jockey: Frankie Dettori
- 21. Epic Ride – SP: 48/1, Trainer: John Ennis, Jockey: Adam Beschizza
- 22. Mugatu – Non-runner
Non-Runners
Encino (soft tissue strain), (Mugatu (unneeded reserve).