Who’s walking the red carpet at the 150th Kentucky Derby? Here are our best guesses.
Lights, camera ... horses. Saturday, May 4, 2024, is the 150th Kentucky Derby. The little horse race that could has been running around a track in Louisville since 1875.
Perhaps more important, it’s the third time the Lexington Herald-Leader has sent reporters Andrew Henderson and Monica Kast to the red carpet to interview celebrities from the political, acting, music and food realms.
So what hot shot celebs are showing up to the 2024 Kentucky Derby? We’ve got our picks. This list is by no means comprehensive, and done in good fun.
Additionally, the celebrity guest list for the Barnstable Brown Kentucky Derby Eve Gala serves as a fairly good barometer of people who will also walk the Derby red carpet. You can check out that list here, but stick around for our own prognostications.
TV & Movie Stars
Chris Pine
Andrew: This one is personal because we guessed Chris Pine would walk the red carpet last year and he did, but he only showed up after nearly everyone else left and that included me. Chris Pine, if you so much as enter the airspace of Kentucky I will know and I will not let you leave until I can talk to you about the 2023 action/fantasy film “Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves.”
Monica: OK, so I didn’t see “Dungeons and Dragons” but last year I did go on record calling him the “best famous Chris” and then we missed him on the red carpet. (In our defense, we had already been there for hours and we had a story deadline, making this entirely Chris’s fault.) Please come back Chris, I want to talk about “Princess Diaries 3” and also if Harry Styles really spit on you.
Martha Stewart
Monica: Martha Stewart is making the “Riders Up!” call this year, so it’s almost certain we’ll see her on the red carpet. The Martha Stewart vanilla cupcake recipe is the one I’ve followed for more than a decade, and I would like to thank her for that.
Andrew: Churchill Downs has also partnered with Stewart to give some recipes for traditional Derby snacks to make at home.
Sheryl Lee Ralph
Monica: If you’ve talked to me about TV at any point in the last few years, I’ve probably raved about “Abbott Elementary.” I’m personally excited to see that Sheryl Lee Ralph, who has been in so many iconic roles and makes me laugh every week as Barbara Howard on “Abbott,” will be attending the Barnstable Brown Kentucky Derby Eve Gala.
Andrew: I still haven’t watched “Abbott Elementary,” but I know I need to because it seems right up my alley. The problem I run into is a lack of cable and the fact I already pay for so many other streaming services. If anyone out there would like to share credentials for their Hulu or Max or whatever else streaming account so I can watch and be prepared I would appreciate it.
Musicians
Jack Harlow
Monica: If there’s one person that I’m absolutely sure we’ll see on the red carpet this year, it’s Jack Harlow. Harlow’s love for Kentucky, and Louisville specifically, is well-known and documented in his music. I messaged Jack Harlow on Instagram to ask if he was going again this year, but he hasn’t replied yet. No need, I feel confident we’ll see him there in a few days.
In 2022, Harlow made the “Riders up!” call and filmed a music video for his song “Churchill Downs” at the Derby with Drake. (At one point during that Derby, we heard a rumor that Harlow and Drake were filming their music video in the infield, so Andrew and I went looking for them. The rumor ended up not being true and I hope to never return to the infield.)
Andrew: Asking if Jack Harlow is going to show up at the Derby is like asking if horses are going to be running that day; it’d be weird if he didn’t show up! He’s probably the safest bet out of anyone to walk the red carpet.
Wynonna Judd
Monica: While most of the people on this list are our best guesses, we know that Wynonna Judd will be there. She’s singing the national anthem before the start of the Derby, so we can expect to see her on the red carpet too.
Judd is a Kentucky native and has been to the Derby before. With her performance on Derby day, maybe we can also expect to see an appearance from her sister, Ashley Judd, as well.
Andrew: If there was going to be any musical talent marking the 150th anniversary of the Derby then it should be Wynonna Judd, and I’m thrilled it is. The Herald-Leader’s very own Walter Tunis put it best when he said The Judds were a “gift from Kentucky to the world of country music.”
Chris Stapleton
Monica: It’s been a big year for Kentucky’s own Chris Stapleton. The Lexington-born singer won two Grammy Awards for his song “White Horse,” bringing his total number of Grammy wins to 10. His album released last year, “Higher,” reached No. 1 on the Billboard top country album chart and No. 3 on the Billboard 200. Stapleton will also headline the Railbird Music Festival in Lexington later this summer.
Andrew: Monica and I guessed Tyler Childers would make an appearance on the red carpet last year, but he didn’t so we’re alternating our bets this year to Chris Stapleton. Maybe his musical guest star appearance on Saturday Night Live was just a warm up for the big leagues of the Kentucky Derby.
Snoop Dogg
Monica: Like peanut butter and jelly or macaroni and cheese, there’s Martha Stewart and Snoop Dogg. With Stewart making the “Riders up!” call this year, there’s a possibility that her bestie Snoop Dogg also makes an appearance.
When I was doing some Googling to see if Snoop Dogg had been to the Derby before, I was reminded of his hilarious viral moment related to horses in 2021, when he was commentating on equestrian at the Olympics. We hope he brings those good vibes and appreciation for horses to the Derby this year.
Andrew: If Snoop Dogg comes to the Derby, he should speak at length with Gov. Andy Beshear about legalizing recreational marijuana in Kentucky. Now the state has made continued progress on medical marijuana, but there’s always been pushback on recreational. If anyone can move the political needle on this issue in the Bluegrass State, it’s Snoop Dogg.
Sports and Athletes
Mark Pope
Monica: I don’t know much about sports, but I do know a lot about the University of Kentucky (my real job around here is to cover higher education). I know that Mark Pope has been the hot topic of the year so far. With all the interest in him, I’d say it’s a good guess that the new UK men’s basketball coach could make an appearance. It’s the most exciting way to celebrate his return to Kentucky.
Andrew: Oh, Mark Pope! I thought Pope Francis was a bit of a long shot. Well I was prepared to discuss the possibility, and security logistics, of the head of the Catholic Church arriving to the Kentucky Derby. Getting the Popemobile down the red carpet would be difficult. Anyway, yeah come on by Mark Pope!
Pat Kelsey
Andrew: Look, sports are not either of our strong suits. It’s part of the reason we’re on the red carpet and not covering the ins and outs of the actual race like our colleagues. That being said, I know of one other prominent men’s basketball coach in this state and that’s the University of Louisville’s Pat Kelsey. In short, he should also come by!
Monica: I live in Lexington now, but I was raised in Louisville, so I’ve kept up with University of Louisville sports for most of my life. (Don’t yell at me, Lexington.) My dad is excited about the hiring of Pat Kelsey, so this red carpet guess is for you, dad.
Aaron Rodgers
Monica: Aaron Rodgers, quarterback for the New York Jets, is on the list for the Barnstable Brown Kentucky Derby Eve Gala. When I asked Andrew if we should include him on this list, and then asked if I could connect him to Taylor Swift, I was told that I must include the following explanation: “Aaron Rogers reminded me that Patrick Mahomes came last year, which reminds me of the Kansas City Chiefs and that makes me think about Taylor Swift.” Now everyone go listen to “The Tortured Poets Department.”
Andrew: I think we only included Aaron Rodgers so Monica could have an excuse to make a Taylor Swift connection; I do not fault her for this. In that same vein I will say “The Tortured Poets Department” is a monotonous album full of lyrical mishmash and Jack Antonoff pounding on a synthesizer like his life depended on it. It’s also shockingly full of World War II analogies.
Influencers
Alex Cooper
Monica: I can feel some of you judging that we have “influencers” as a category this year, but the Derby has snagged a few big names from the social media world. Alex Cooper, host of the “Call Her Daddy” podcast, will co-host an infield event on Saturday morning. Cooper has millions of followers across her social media accounts (3 million on Instagram, nearly 2 million on TikTok, and 3.3 million on the “Call Her Daddy” account).
The infield event, which she’ll host with influencer Alix Earle (more on her in a second) will be an “intimate discussion and special Q&A” with the two, including giveaways and photo opportunities, according to Churchill Downs.
Alix Earle
Monica: If you read my last paragraph and didn’t know who Alix Earle is, then you probably haven’t been on TikTok in the last year. Earle has 6.7 million followers on TikTok and 3.6 million followers on Instagram. She hosts a podcast called “Hot Mess,” but gained popularity for her lifestyle and travel content posted to TikTok. She’s also dating Miami Dolphins wide receiver Braxton Berrios, so there’s a chance we could see him at the Derby, too.
Andrew: Listen, I’ve got nothing here. I am not the intended demographic for this (a man nearing ever closer to 30) and that’s OK. I hope the both of them have fun and their fans get to have fun with them, too!
Wildcard Picks
The Obamas
Monica: We know that the Obamas (former President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama) have been invited by Louisville Mayor Craig Greenburg, according to the Courier-Journal, so we’ll throw them out there as a possibility! It’s rare to have high-level politicians on the red carpet, but this is a big anniversary for the Derby, so I’m guessing we could see some bigger names this year.
Andrew: Here’s what I can say for certain: Churchill Downs has beefed up its security for credentialed media this year. It’s a pretty solid indicator that some big name is coming, and the Obamas would certainly fit the bill.
Beyoncé
Monica: Let’s do some pop culture math real quick. Beyoncé’s “Cowboy Carter” has strong country themes. The album artwork features Beyoncé riding on a horse. You know where there are a lot of horses? The 150th Kentucky Derby. It’s so obvious.
Andrew: Not only is Monica’s math on this solid, there is corroborating evidence to support the claim. Tina Knowles, Beyoncé’s mother, is on the guest list for the Barnstable Brown Kentucky Derby Eve Gala. Not only should Beyoncé walk the red carpet, Beyoncé should — nay must — ride in the Derby. Can you imagine if Beyoncé won the 150th running of the Kentucky Derby? Honestly, we might have to end the race right then and there because I don’t know how you can go up from that.
