The Kentucky Derby is coming our way on Saturday. Top favorites such as Fierceness are capturing a ton of attention in the days leading up to the race. However, we don’t have to look too far back into the iconic race’s history to find longshots that shocked the world. Are there any longshots worth considering for betting on the Kentucky Derby this year?
When the Kentucky Derby morning line odds came out earlier this week, they installed Fierceness as a 5-2 favorite in the 20-horse field. We’ve already seen one shift in the entrant list as Encino was scratched due to injury, bumping Epic Ride from the list of also eligibles into the starting gate. Just five horses have odds of 10-1 or shorter, followed by a group of seven at 20-1 or longer.
The final eight entrants all have odds of 30-1 or greater. Here’s what each one brings to the table for the 150th running of the race.
Kentucky Derby longshots
Catalytic, 30-1
- Post position: 5
- Jockey: Jose Ortiz
- Trainer: Saffie Joseph, Jr.
- Wins/starts: 1/3
- Career earnings: $216,825
Catalytic’s lone career win came in a maiden claiming race last October at Gulfstream Park. He has finished second in his two other starts, including a runner-up spot to Fierceness, the favorite to win the derby in early odds, at the Florida Derby.
T O Password (JPN), 30-1
- Post position: 10
- Jockey: Kazushi Kimura
- Trainer: Daisuke Takayanagi
- Wins/starts: 2/2
- Career earnings: $163,339
One of two derby entrants from Japan, T O Password has gone two for two in career starts. T O Password punched its Derby ticket with a victory at the Fukuroyo Stakes, which took place in Nakayama, Japan, in March.
West Saratoga, 50-1
- Post position: 13
- Jockey: Jesus Castanon
- Trainer: Larry Demeritte
- Wins/starts: 2/10
- Career earnings: $460,140
West Saratoga is one of the most experienced horses in the field with 10 career starts. The signature win happened at Churchill Downs last September with a victory in the Iroquois Stakes. West Saratoga finished second behind Endlessly at the recent Jeff Ruby Steaks.
Endlessly, 30-1
- Post position: 14
- Jockey: Umberto Rispoli
- Trainer: Michael McCarthy
- Wins/starts: 5/6
- Career earnings: $707,200
Endlessly has found plenty of success, winning five of six career starts, including a debut win at Del Mar. The signature victory was at the Jeff Ruby Steaks, a win that earned 100 points and officially punched Endlessly’s ticket into this year’s Derby field.
Domestic Product, 30-1
- Post position: 15
- Jockey: Irad Ortiz, Jr.
- Trainer: Chad Brown
- Wins/starts: 2/5
- Career earnings: $314,200
Domestic Product won the Tampa Bay Derby in March, which came on the heels of a second-place finish at the Holy Bull Stakes. Running out of post position 15, Domestic Product debuted in a maiden claiming race at Saratoga in 2023.
Grand Mo the First, 50-1
- Post position: 16
- Jockey: Emisael Jaramillo
- Trainer: Victor Barboza
- Wins/starts: 2/6
- Career earnings: $214,650
Grand Mo the First has hit the board in all six career starts, booking two victories and four third-place finishes. On the Road to the Kentucky Derby, Grand Mo finished third at both the Florida Derby and Tampa Bay Derby.
Society Man, 50-1
- Post position: 20
- Jockey: Frankie Dettori
- Trainer: Danny Gargan
- Wins/starts: 1/5
- Career earnings: $196,705
Running out of post position No. 20, Society Man’s lone win happened at Aqueduct in a maiden claiming race in March. Next time around, Society Man finished second behind Resilience, a fellow derby entrant, at the Wood Memorial.
Epic Ride, 30-1
- Post position: 21
- Jockey: Adam Beschizza
- Trainer: John Ennis
- Wins/starts: 2/5
- Career earnings: $253,166
Epic Ride was on the also eligible list when the morning line odds came out and was bumped up into the field following the scratch of Encino. In all five career starts, Epic Ride has hit the board, including a third-place finish at the Blue Grass Stakes.
Are longshots worth a wager?
Deciding what is worth a wager is based on your own research and opinions, although we can break down some of the past winners and their odds ahead of the race. Here are the last five winners of the Kentucky Derby along with their final odds in advance of the race.
- 2023: Mage, 15-1
- 2022: Rich Strike, 80–1
- 2021: Mandaloun, 15-1
- 2020: Authentic, 8-1
- 2019: Country House, 65-1
Just one of the last five winners had odds of 10-1 or less at post time, while two of them were among the biggest longshots to win in derby history. Rich Strike is second on the all-time list at 80-1, with Country House holding down the third spot at 65-1. Donerail, winner of the 1913 Kentucky Derby, still holds the record at odds of 91-1.
Latest Kentucky Derby odds
Below is an up-to-date table of Kentucky Derby odds and other key information.
| Post | Horse | Jockey | Trainer | Morning Line Odds |
| 1 | Dornoch | Luis Saez | Danny Gargan | 20-1 |
| 2 | Sierra Leone | Tyler Gaffalione | Chad Brown | 3-1 |
| 3 | Mystik Dan | Brian Hernandez | Ken McPeek | 20-1 |
| 4 | Catching Freedom | Flavien Prat | Brad Cox | 8-1 |
| 5 | Catalytic | Jose Ortiz | Saffie Joseph, Jr. | 30-1 |
| 6 | Just Steel | Keith Asmussen | D. Wayne Lukas | 20-1 |
| 7 | Honor Marie | Ben Curtis | Whit Beckman | 20-1 |
| 8 | Just a Touch | Florent Geroux | Brad Cox | 10-1 |
| 9 | Encino | Axel Concepcion | Brad Cox | SCRATCHED |
| 10 | T O Password (JPN) | Kazushi Kimura | Daisuke Takayanagi | 30-1 |
| 11 | Forever Young (JPN) | Ryusei Sakai | Yoshito Yahagi | 10-1 |
| 12 | Track Phantom | Joel Rosario | Steve Asmussen | 20-1 |
| 13 | West Saratoga | Jesus Castanon | Larry Demeritte | 50-1 |
| 14 | Endlessly | Umberto Rispoli | Michael McCarthy | 30-1 |
| 15 | Domestic Product | Irad Ortiz, Jr. | Chad Brown | 30-1 |
| 16 | Grand Mo the First | Emisael Jaramillo | Victor Barboza | 50-1 |
| 17 | Fierceness | John Velazquez | Todd Pletcher | 5-2 |
| 18 | Stronghold | Antonio Fresu | Phil D’Amato | 20-1 |
| 19 | Resilience | Junior Alvarado | Bill Mott | 20-1 |
| 20 | Society Man | Frankie Dettori | Danny Gargan | 50-1 |
| 21 | Epic Ride | Adam Beschizza | John Ennis | 30-1 |
| 22 (AE) | Mugatu | Joe Talamo | Jeff Engler | NA |
*Kentucky Derby betting odds courtesy of FanDuel Racing.
