The first Saturday in May brings one of the country’s great sporting events back to the public’s consciousness, the Kentucky Derby. The 150th version will feature 20 horses competing for the Run For the Roses. Here is a look at three favorites and live longshots to keep an eye on in the 1 1/4-mile opening leg of the Triple Crown.

Favorites
Fierceness (Morning Line: 5-2) - The colt, trained by Todd Pletcher, comes into the race with the most impressive Derby prep race, dominating the field in winning the Florida Derby by 13 1/2 lengths. Hall of Famer Pletcher is in line to win his first Derby since Always Dreaming in 2017. Fierceness will have to overcome the far outside No. 17 post, which has yet to produce a winner. The biggest question for Fierceness is can he get the same uncontested lead he did in the Florida Derby. Hall of Fame jockey John Velazquez will be aboard.

Sierra Leone (Morning Line: 3-1) - Another horse looking to overcome the history of his post. There hasn’t been a winner from the two-hole since Affirmed in 1978. His style though is to come from off the pace, so he can afford to let the outside speedsters go on with it. He’s won his last two from coming from far back. He’s won three of his four starts and the one second was by a nose. His case is buoyed by the fact that the last two winners of the Derby have come from way back. His jockey, Tyler Gaffalione, and trainer, Chad Brown, are both looking for their first Derby wins.

Catching Freedom (Morning Line: 8-1) - Another contender who will be a stretch runner threat. He has earned over $850,000 in winning three of his four career starts. He stormed down the stretch to win his last start in the Louisiana Derby at the Fair Grounds. Jockey Flavien Prat has one Derby win, and will be looking to get a jump on Sierra Leone heading for home.

Longshots
Honor Marie (Morning Line: 20-1) - The positive for Honor Marie is he’s won twice at Churchill — although both was as a 2-yaer-old. His 3-yaer-old campaign got off to a poor start in Louisiana with a fifth at the Risen Star. But, he rebounded with an impressive second-place finish in the Louisiana Derby. Another one who likes to come from well back, so he should get the setup he needs. Jockey Ben Curtis doesn’t have the resume as some others in the race, but neither did last year’s winner, Sonny Leon.

Just A Touch (Morning Line: 10-1) - Just A Touch is the son of 2018 Triple Crown winner Justify. He has a win in two seconds in his three career starts — all of them this year. He was runner-up to Sierra Leone his last time out in the Blue Grass Stakes in early April. He has the early tactical speed to be in the middle of the pack and possibly, get first run on the deep closers. He is trained by Brad Cox and ridden by Florent Geroux.

Domestic Product (Morning Line: 30-1) - You can probably count on one hand the number of times a Chad Brown-trained horse ridden by Irad Ortiz Jr. has this high of odds. Domestic Product has been done in by poor setups in his last three races. Caught a sloppy track that he didn’t like in the Remsen at Aqueduct and was caught behind a slow pace in the Holy Bull at Gulfstream to finish third behind Fierceness. Overcame a slow pace in his last start at Tampa Bay to prevail in the Tampa Bay Derby. If he gets to run at pace, he could surprise under five-time Eclipse Award-winning Ortiz.