As the horse racing schedule continues to gather pace, excitement levels grow ahead of the return of the world-famous Kentucky Derby. The Grade 1 Stakes race runs annually at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky, and the 2024 edition promises to be spectacular. With a star-studded field in attendance, including the most talented thoroughbred racehorses and fearless jockeys, experts predict the most competitive renewal in living memory. Want to know how you can get involved?

The 2024 Kentucky Derby runs, as always, over the 1 ¼ mile distance on the first Saturday in May. It’s the first leg of the Triple Crown, is one of the sport’s most sought-after prizes, and will play out before a capacity audience at Churchill Downs, with millions more worldwide watching the action live on television. Which horse will collect the next Kentucky Derby winner’s check? You can study the runners and riders, get up to speed on the form of the main contenders, and check the odds on your mobile device. The more you research the race, the better your chances of calling the winner. 

When you’ve completed the necessary research and believe you’ve found a horse capable of winning the Kentucky Derby, you can spread the word. The most trusted online sportsbooks love the Kentucky Derby and offer a long list of exciting markets and specials. Predict the 2024 champion or seek value in the specials.

Have your say

Call the forecast, tricast, winning distance, winning jockey, number of finishers, and more. Predicting the result is a surefire way to add a little extra excitement to the occasion, and you could target a profit. There’s something for everyone, but which apps will give you the best Kentucky Derby experience? Keep reading as we reveal all in our article on how to preview, make predictions, and then watch the race live using your smartphone.

Our team explains how advancements in the technology used on your smartphone will ensure the next Kentucky Derby is the most-watched and popular edition ever seen, with viewing figures likely to smash all previous records. We reveal how you can study the form of the runners, check the jockeys, and get the latest info on the trainers. We also advise where readers will find the best free live-streaming apps. Follow our thinking to make this your best Kentucky Derby.

What you do with the information gained from this article is your call. Many people like to wager on the result and target a profit, but millions more post their predictions on social media. Prove you know the horse racing scene better than most and impress your friends by gazing into your crystal ball and calling the 2024 Kentucky Derby champion.

Study the form

A great place to start is downloading a sports app with a great horse racing presence. Something like the BBC Sport app is perfect, but there are many others. Sports news and results apps are often free to download to your Android and iOS devices and take just a few seconds to install. When you have the app on your handset, you’ll always be just a few clicks away from the latest horse racing news, interviews, previews, and results.

Check the upcoming horse racing schedule and find a race that catches your eye. The best apps provide information on the distance, prize money, rating, number of runners, past winners, and more. You want to find as much information as possible. Browse the runners and see their recent stats. Be bold and go in-depth with your research; you can be sure the professional pundits spend plenty of time going through the stats before deciding, asking themselves the important questions.

Which arrives on the back of a winning streak, which has scored recently over course and distance? Which runners are fresh from a break? The more you know about a race, the more likely you are to predict the winner. Use your racing app to keep pace with the latest horse racing information.

Stable health

Each major stable will have a smartphone app packed with interviews, training videos, times, and any health updates. The app will be free to download and use, but certain sections may be subscription-only. The trainer and stable app is a great source of first-hand information. 

Download the app of your favorite trainer and keep abreast of the latest stable information and whispers. Most horse racing fans won’t have access to the information available on the app as it’s unavailable in the mainstream sports media. Download and enjoy your behind-the-scenes access to the leading horses and trainers.

Live-streaming

Next, and this is the fun one, you must download a horse racing live-streaming app. The best offer free access to HD-quality coverage of the best races, featuring expert commentary, unique camera angles, form, interviews, quick official results, and more.

The standout horse racing live-streaming apps are often free to download and watch on your Android and iOS devices. They allow you to turn everyday scenarios into an opportunity to watch live sports, seeing the best horses compete for the top prizes under the guidance of famous riders. 

If you can’t make it to the track and watching on TV isn’t an option, live-streaming apps mean you’ll never miss a trick. Browse the App Store or Google Play, read the reviews, and find the best live-streaming horse racing and sports apps available to download for free.

Early interest

Which horses have been attracting interest ahead of the Kentucky Derby 2024? We’re in the early exchanges but have seen plenty of support for Fierceness and Book Em Danno, two incredibly popular runners. Will the winner of the race be one of those two favorites, or can we expect a dark horse to appear from the pack and win the title?

Other Kentucky Derby hopefuls worth following include City of Troy, Nash, Nysos, and Knightsbridge. Follow the horses mentioned in this section throughout the season and keep pace with their results.