After an appeals court hearing denied Bob Baffert’s Muth a place at Churchill Downs on Thursday, the shape of the final field for the 2024 Kentucky Derby has come into focus.
Following The Road to the Kentucky Derby, a series of races for two-and-then-three year old horses that begins in their juvenile year, the Top 18 horses are guaranteed a starting gate on the first Saturday in May. But due to injury and eligible horses in the European Road and Japan Road to the Kentucky Derby choosing not to participate, as many as 20 horses on this list will be given a chance to compete.
Alternate horses have a chance to become starters if a horse is scratched before 9 a.m. on Friday, May 3.
Here is the final list of horses from the 2024 Road to the Kentucky Derby, as well as the list of potential alternates.
2024 Road to Kentucky Derby Standings
| Rank | Horse | Points | Earnings | Trainer | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | Horse | Points | Earnings | Trainer | Owner |
| 1 | Sierra Leone | 155 | $871,250 | Chad C. Brown | Derrick Smith, Mrs. John Magnier, Michael Tabor, Westerburg, Brook T. Smith & Peter Brant |
| 2 | Fierceness | 136 | $1,646,100 | Todd A. Pletcher | Repole Stable |
| 3 | Catching Freedom | 125 | $802,000 | Brad H. Cox | Albaugh Family Stables |
| 4 | Stronghold | 125 | $742,800 | Philip D’Amato | Eric M. & Sharon Waller |
| 5 | Resilience | 110 | $416,000 | William I. Mott | Emily Bushnell & Ric Waldman |
| 6 | Forever Young (JPN) | 100 | $1,769,919 | Yoshito Yahagi | Susumu Fujita |
| 7 | Endlessly | 100 | $658,000 | Michael McCarthy | Amerman Racing |
| Will not race | Timberlake | 81 | $1,132,500 | Brad H. Cox | WinStar Farm & Siena Farm |
| 8 | Dornoch | 75 | $472,375 | Danny Gargan | West Paces Racing, R. A. Hill Stable, Belmar Racing and Breeding, Two Eight Racing & Pine Racing Stables |
| 9 | Just a Touch | 75 | $247,500 | Brad H. Cox | Qatar Racing, Resolute Racing & Marc Detampel |
| 10 | Track Phantom | 70 | $300,000 | Steven M. Asmussen | L and N Racing, Clark O. Brewster, Jerry Caroom & Breeze Easy |
| 11 | West Saratoga | 67 | $363,640 | Larry Demeritte | Harry L. Veruchi |
| 12 | Just Steel | 65 | $628,295 | D. Wayne Lukas | BC Stables |
| 13 | Honor Marie | 65 | $448,455 | Whitworth D. Beckman | Ribble Farms, Michael H. Eiserman, Earl I. Silver, Kenneth E. & Daniel Fishbein |
| 14 | Domestic Product | 60 | $260,500 | Chad C. Brown | Klaravich Stables |
| 15 | Catalytic | 50 | $186,000 | Saffie Joseph Jr. | Tami Bobo, Julie Davies & George G. Isaacs |
| Will not race | Deterministic | 50 | $180,000 | Christophe Clement | St. Elias Stable, Ken Langone, C. Steven Duncker & Vicarage Stable |
| 16 | Society Man | 50 | $141,875 | Danny Gargan | West Racing, Dean & Patti Reeves, Carl & Yurie Pascarella & GMP Stables |
| 17 | Mystik Dan | 46 | $550,050 | Kenneth G. McPeek | Lance Gasaway, 4 G Racing & Daniel Hamby |
| Will not race | No More Time | 45 | $194,380 | Jose D’Angelo | Morplay Racing |
| 18 | Encino | 40 | $323,880 | Brad H. Cox | Godolphin Racing |
| 19 | Grand Mo the First | 40 | $164,250 | Victor Barboza Jr. | Granpollo Stables |
| 20 | T O Password | Japan RTD Winner | $120,474 | Daisuke Takayanagi | Tomoya Ozasa |
| Will not race | Common Defense | 37 | $253,450 | Kenneth G. McPeek | David A. Bernsen, Michael & Tony Holmes & Norevale Farm |
| 21 | Epic Ride | 35 | $198,654 | John Ennis | Welch Racing |
| Will not race | Hades | 30 | $193,550 | Joseph Orseno | D. J. Stable & Robert Cotran |
| 22 | Uncle Heavy | 30 | $167,500 | Robert E. Reid Jr. | Michael Milam |
| Will not race | El Grande O | 30 | $151,000 | Linda Rice | Barry K. Schwartz |
| 23 | Seize the Grey | 27 | $113,163 | D. Wayne Lukas | MyRacehorse |
| 24 | Le Dom Bro[i] | 25 | $131,000 | Eniel Cordero | Vicente Stella Stables |
* Any horse below the black line will be added to the field if there is a withdrawal or scratch before the field is set.
One horse from both the European Road and Japan Road to the Kentucky Derby are eligible to enter the race, though many owners and trainers decide against making the trip to Louisville from abroad. If the first horse refuses, the second will be given the option, then the third, and finally fourth.
No horse below the fourth place finisher is extended an invitation.
European Road to the Kentucky Derby
No horse that finished in the Top 4 of the series accepted a bid to participate.
Japan Road to the Kentucky Derby
T O Password was the No. 1 qualifier from the Japan Road with 40 points. His connections have accepted their spot in the 2024 Kentucky Derby.
