People watch as the horses in the ninth race of the 150th Kentucky Derby Day come down the front stretch of the turf at Churchill Downs on Saturday, May 4, 2024.
Chris Schiefer of Key West, Florida, designed his horse conch hat during the 150th running of the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs in Louisvilleon Saturday, May 4, 2024.
People watch as the horses in the ninth race of the 150th Kentucky Derby Day come down the front stretch of the turf at Churchill Downs on Saturday, May 4, 2024.
Mystik Dan, with jockey Brian Hernandez Jr. aboard, won the 150th Kentucky Derby on Saturday in a three-way photo finish, edging out Sierra Leone and Forever Young at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky.
Mystik Dan, which started out of the No. 3 post, squeezed through on the rail on the final turn, led throughout the stretch and just held off a charging Sierra Leone and Forever Young by a nose at the wire. Catching Freedom finished fourth.
Chris Schiefer of Key West, Florida, designed his horse conch hat during the 150th running of the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs in Louisvilleon Saturday, May 4, 2024.
Matt Stone/USA TODAY Sports
At 18-1, Hernandez was able to capture his first Kentucky Derby after a short wait for the result to become official. Sierra Leone, the second favorite at 9-2, was ridden by Tyler Gaffalione, while Forever Young, the third favorite at 6-1, had Ryusei Sakai aboard.
Derby favorite Fierceness, at 3-1, finished 15th in the 20-horse field.
The second leg of the Triple Crown takes place May 18 with the Preakness Stakes at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore. The final leg is June 8 in the Belmont Stakes at Belmont Park in Elmont, New York.
There have been 13 Triple Crown winners, with Justify the last in 2018.
