Kentucky Derby odds: Current Nevada futures are in final hours

Photo: Caesars Entertainment

Fierceness firmed as the favorite, and Sierra Leone was a short-priced second choice in the final hours before the pre-draw futures market closes in Nevada on Kentucky Derby 2024.

Coming off his 13 1/2-length win in the Grade 1 Florida Derby, Eclipse Award winner Fierceness was best-priced Saturday morning at no better than plus 275 at Caesars Sportsbook and its William Hill Nevada properties. He shortened to plus 225 at Circa Sports and 2-1 at the Westgate Superbook.

Video: Contenders work toward Kentucky Derby 2024.

Sierra Leone actually drifted slightly at Circa, where he went from plus 370 to plus 375, meaning a $100 bet would return a profit of $375. The Blue Grass (G1) victor was cut at Caesars to 3-1, matching the price he maintained at the Westgate.

Bettors appeared to be bearish on Forever Young, the Japan-based winner of the UAE Derby (G2). His odds lengthened to 12-1 at the Westgate and 10-1 at Circa while holding firm at 11-1 at Caesars.

Catching Freedom, who finished first in the Louisiana Derby (G2) for trainer Brad Cox, also drifted at two shops. He went to 12-1 at the Westgate and plus 1125 at Circa while holding his ground at 12-1 at Caesars.

Cox’s two other Derby possibilities attracted some betting steam this week. Even though Blue Grass runner-up Just a Touch stayed at 20-1 at Caesars, he was shortened to 16-1 at the Westgate and 15-1 at Circa. Lexington (G3) winner Encino, whom Cox has not yet confirmed for the Derby, was lowered to 50-1 at Caesars and 25-1 at the Westgate, although he was raised to 27-1 at Circa.

All these pools, in which a bet itself is action regardless of whether a given horse starts, will close shortly before Saturday night’s draw. New fixed-odds win pools, in which the race itself is action, will be opened in Nevada once the post positions and also-eligibles are established.

These were the odds Saturday morning, listed in order of best prices shown in bold:

 Kentucky Derby 2024Caesars Circa Westgate 
Fierceness+275+2252-1
Sierra Leone3-1+3753-1
Forever Young11-110-112-1
Catching Freedom12-1+112512-1
Dornoch10-115-116-1
Just a Touch20-115-116-1
Honor Marie10-123-125-1
Mystik Dan16-120-125-1
Track Phantom20-124-130-1
Resilience20-125-130-1
Domestic Product26-124-130-1
Stronghold25-130-130-1
Just Steel30-132-130-1
Encino50-127-125-1
Endlessly50-125-140-1
Common Defense65-1  
West Saratoga40-1110-1100-1
Catalytic45-180-180-1
Grand Mo the First100-190-180-1
Le Dom Bro  100-1
Seize the Grey  100-1
Tuscan Gold  100-1
Uncle Heavy  100-1
Epic Ride125-1100-1100-1
Society Man (g)100-1210-1100-1
T O Password125-1210-1100-1
g - gelding  

These were the Circa prop bets available for the Kentucky Derby on Saturday morning:

 Circa Sports props

To win Kentucky Derby 2024YesNo
Fierceness225280
Sierra Leone375485
Fierceness or Sierra Leone+100130
   
Head-to-head matchups  
Fierceness 130
Sierra Leone +100
   
Fierceness 280
Forever Young +225
   
Catching Freedom +230
Fierceness 290
   
Forever Young +165
Sierra Leone -200
   
Catching Freedom +175
Sierra Leone 215
   
Catching Freedom +115
Forever Young 145
   
Just a Touch 115
Resilience 115
   
Society Man 115
T O Password 115
   
Domestic Product +120
Honor Marie 150
   
Just Steel +110
Stronghold 140
   
Triple CrownYesNo
Will same horse win all 3 races?+8001240

Read More

I'm dubious that we'll actually get the 20-1 price the morning line suggests on Quatrocento in the Grade...
The one-mile Dwyer Stakes for 3-year-olds scraped together a small field of six for its 49th renewal. Grade...
Trainer Kenny McPeek announced Friday that Kentucky Derby 150 winner Mystik Dan officially has been retired, but fans...
Wolfie’s Dynaghost , a 12-time winner for owner-breeder Woodslane Farm, is set to make his first start with trainer...
Skippylongstocking worked Friday for the first time since his eighth-place finish in the Grade 2 Charles Town Classic...