Updated - May 7, 1:00 p.m. ET
The Kentucky Derby is the most famous horse race in the United States and while the 2022 installment is still many months away, bettors can already start to forecast for the event. The 148th running of the Kentucky Derby will take place on May 7, 2022 at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky and we're getting ready for the "most exciting 2 minutes in sports."
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2022 Kentucky Derby Odds Update
Listed below are the the latest odds for the running of the 148th Kentucky Derby as of Saturday May 7 at 1:00 p.m. ET.
According to the latest numbers, we've got a two-horse race between Epiecenter and Taiba, who are both sitting at 5-1 odds.
Nestled behind the top pair are Messier at 6-1, Mo Donegal at 8-1 odds and Zandon, now listed at 7-1 odds.
The field is still expected to have 20 horses after finding out that No. 20 horse Ethereal Road was scratched from Saturday's race, which has opened up a spot for Rich Strike. Also scratched from Saturday's race was Rattle N Roll.
For the latest Live Kentucky Derby Odds on all of the eligible runners for the Kentucky Derby, check out TwinSpires.
1) Mo Donegal 8-1
2) Happy Jack 21-1
3) Epicenter 5-1
4) Summer Is Tomorrow 33-1
5) Smile Happy 14-1
6) Messier 6-1
7) Crown Pride (JPN) 18-1
8) Charge It 13-1
9) Tiz the Bomb 26-1
10) Zandon 7-1
11) Pioneer of Medina 49-1
12) Taiba 5-1
13) Simplification 42-1
14) Barber Road 47-1
15) White Abarrio 12-1
16) Cyberknife 12-1
17) Classic Causeway 80-1
18) Tawny Port 76-1
19) Zozos 44-1
20) Ethereal Road SCR
21) Rich Strike 99-1
22) Rattle N Roll SCR
Updated - May 7, 1:00 p.m. ET
Kentucky Derby Best Bets
2022 Kentucky Derby Forecast
- Kentucky Oaks Predictions (Friday, 5:51 p.m. ET)
- Kentucky Derby Predictions (Saturday, 6:57 p.m. ET)
Along with handicapping the main events for Friday and Saturday from Churchill Downs, Anthony Stabile is handicapping the entire card for both days and VegasInsider users can check out his finish predictions, top plays and betting strategies.
Kentucky Derby Weekend Free Picks
2022 Kentucky Derby Morning Line Odds
The morning lines odds for the 2022 Kentucky Derby have been set by Mike Battaglia, who has been the oddsmaker for Churchill Downs and the Kentucky Derby since 1974.
According to Battaglia's numbers, Zandon is the 3-1 morning line favorite. Right behind is Epicenter is at 7-2 odds and the third betting choice is Messier at 8-1 odds followed by 17 other horses between 10-1 and 30-1 odds on the morning line.
(Post) Horse ML Odds
1) Mo Donegal 10-1
2) Happy Jack 30-1
3) Epicenter 7-2
4) Summer Is Tomorrow 30-1
5) Smile Happy 20-1
6) Messier 8-1
7) Crown Pride (JPN) 20-1
8) Charge It 20-1
9) Tiz the Bomb 30-1
10) Zandon 3-1
11) Pioneer of Medina 30-1
12) Taiba 12-1
13) Simplification 20-1
14) Barber Road 30-1
15) White Abarrio 10-1
16) Cyberknife 20-1
17) Classic Causeway 30-1
18) Tawny Port 30-1
19) Zozos 20-1
20) Ethereal Road 30-1
Also Elgible
(21) Rich Strike 30-1
(22) Rattle N Roll 30-1
2022 Kentucky Derby Field
Listed below is the entire field for the 2022 Kentucky Derby along with the post positions, morning line odds, trainers and expected jockeys for Saturday's main event.
(Post)
1) Mo Donegal
ML Odds: 10-1
Trainer: Todd Pletcher
Jockey: Irad Ortiz Jr.
2) Happy Jack
ML Odds: 30-1
Trainer: Doug O’Neill
Jockey: Rafael Bejarano
3) Epicenter
ML Odds: 7-2
Trainer: Steve Asmussen
Jockey: Joe Rosario
4) Summer Is Tomorrow
ML Odds: 30-1
Trainer: Bhupat Seemar
Jockey: Mikael Barzalona
5) Smile Happy
ML Odds: 20-1
Trainer: Ken McPeek
Jockey: Corey Lanerie
6) Messier
ML Odds: 8-1
Trainer: Tim Yakteen
Jockey: John Velazquez
7) Crown Pride
ML Odds: 20-1
Trainer: Kochi Shintani
Jockey: Christophe Lemaire
8) Charge It
ML Odds: 20-1
Trainer: Todd Pletcher
Jockey: Luis Saez
9) Tiz The Bomb
ML Odds: 30-1
Trainer: Ken McPeek
Jockey: Brian Hernandez Jr.
10) Zandon
ML Odds: 3-1
Trainer: Chad Brown
Jockey: Flavien Prat
11) Pioneer of Medina
ML Odds: 30-1
Trainer: Todd Pletcher
Jockey: Joe Bravo
12) Taiba
ML Odds: 12-1
Trainer: Tim Yakteen
Jockey: Mike Smith
13) Simplification
ML Odds: 20-1
Trainer: Antonio Sano
Jockey: Jose Ortiz
14) Barber Road
ML Odds: 30-1
Trainer: John Ortiz
Jockey: Reylu Gutierrez
15) White Abarrio
ML Odds: 10-1
Trainer: Saffie Joseph
Jockey: Tyler Gaffalione
16) Cyberknife
ML Odds: 20-1
Trainer: Brad Cox
Jockey: Florent Geroux
17) Classic Causeway
ML Odds: 20-1
Trainer: Brian Lynch
Jockey: Julien Laparoux
18) Tawny Port
ML Odds: 30-1
Trainer: Brad Cox
Jockey: Ricardo Santana Jr.
19) Zozos
ML Odds: 20-1
Trainer: Brad Cox
Jockey: Manny Franco
20) Ethereal Road
ML Odds: 30-1
Trainer: DWayne Lukas
Jockey: Luis Conreras
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2022 Kentucky Oaks Morning Line Odds
The morning lines odds for the 2022 Kentucky Oaks are set by Mike Battaglia, who has been the oddsmaker for Churchill Downs and the Kentucky Derby since 1974.
According to Battaglia, Nest has been installed as the top betting choice at 5-2 odds. Right behind the favorite is Kathleen O. at 7-2 and Echo Zulu at 4-1 followed Secret Oath at 6-1 odds. The remaining 10 horses are listed at 10-1 or higher to win the 2022 Kentucky Oaks.
(Post) Horse ML Odds
(1) Secret Oath 6-1
(2) Nostalgic 15-1
(3) Hidden Connection 20-1
(4) Nest 5-2
(5) Goddess of Fire 15-1
(6) Yuugiri 30-1
(7) Echo Zulu 4-1
(8) Venti Valentine 20-1
(9) Desert Dawn 20-1
(10) Kathleen O. 7-2
(11) Cocktail Moments 30-1
(12) Candy Raid 30-1
(13) Shahama 15-1
(14) Turnerloose 20-1
KENTUCKY DERBY CONTENDERS
VegasInsider Horse Racing expert Anthony Stabile provides his "Stabile's Seven" power rankings for the 148th Kentucky Derby.
- Zandon
- Epicenter
- Mo Donegal
- Taiba
- Charge It
- Smile Happy
- Barber Road
Listed below is Stabile's analysis on all of the seven contenders to watch in the 2022 Kentucky Derby along with the Fair Odds posted by TwinSpires.com.
1) ZANDON (8-1)
He overcame pace and traffic issues to roll home the winner of Keeneland’s Blue Grass last week and jumps to the top of this list. One the improve and with the added ground in front of him in the Kentucky Derby, he’s the one they will all have to beat.
2) EPICENTER (6-1)
Showed a nice tracking gear in taking the Louisiana Derby, earning a career best speed figure in the process. His experience at 9.5 furlongs presents a huge advantage at this time of the year and he will venture to Kentucky a fresh runner with 5 weeks off since his last race.
3) MO DONEGAL (8-1)
Rolled home like a true 10 furlong horse (the Kentucky Derby distance) when getting up to take the Wood Memorial in New York in his final Derby prep. As with most late runners, working out a trip in a bulky field could be a huge obstacle but it certainly appears as if he will be doing his best running late.
4) TAIBA (8-1)
He did something that horses with one sprint race under their belt just don’t do and that was taking the G1 Santa Anita Derby at a two turn, nine furlong distance last week. This $1.7 million auction buy may actually be rated a bit too low on this list as he could certainly be a ‘freak’ who just keeps running. If this isn’t a ‘too much, too soon’ situation, the rest could all be in this for second money.
5) CHARGE IT (20-1)
Followed up his impressive maiden score with a very good, but very green runner up finish while making just his third career start in the Florida Derby. He looks to have a tremendous amount of upside and should only keep getting better.
6) SMILE HAPPY (12-1)
Looked like he was going to win the Blue Grass as the field turned for home last weekend, but was unable to hold off Zandon who was simply better that day. He did break from an outside post and will make just his third start of the year in Louisville, though. He can’t be overlooked.
7) BARBER ROAD (33-1)
Gray has a one run style that has really served him well since stretched back out to two turn races this winter. He’s a cut below the others on this list, but he is a late runner who should show signs of life late and his price should be big enough to try and get him in the exotic wagers mix.
Betting On The Kentucky Derby
Best Horse Racing Betting Sites:
TVG | AmWager | TwinSpires | Daily Racing Form | Horse Racing Betting Hub
Where to bet on the Kentucky Derby:
Arizona | Colorado | Illinois | Indiana | Louisiana | Michigan | New Jersey | New York | Pennsylvania | Tennessee | Virginia | West Virginia
2022 Kentucky Derby Fair Odds
The field for the 2022 Kentucky Derby won't be announced and official until May 2 but bettors can view "Fair Odds" from TwinSpires.com to get a better pulse on who will likely be the top betting choices and longshots for the upcoming event.
Epicenter 6-1
White Abarrio 7-1
Zandon 8-1
Mo Donegal 8-1
Taiba 8-1
Messier 12-1
Simplification 12-1
Smile Happy 12-1
Early Voting 16-1
Charge It 20-1
Cyberknife 20-1
Crown Pride 25-1
Tiz the Bomb 25-1
Morello 33-1
Barber Road 33-1
Slow Down Andy 33-1
Zozos 33-1
Tawny Port 40-1
Summer Is Tomorrow 50-1
Un Ojo 50-1
2022 KENTUCKY DERBY FUTURE WAGER ODDS
After watching the 2021 Breeders' Cup take place from Del Mar in early November, many handicappers saw a glimpse of potential contenders for the 2022 Kentucky Derby.
A few US legal sportsbooks have posted future odds (see below) on the race in May and bettors can also wager on select Kentucky Derby Future Wager pools, the most recent one closing on Sunday Feb. 13
The fifth and final Kentucky Derby Future Wager pool opened on Friday Mar. 31 at 12:00 p.m. ET and closed on Sunday Apr. 2 at 6:00 p.m. ET.
Unlike the first four pools listed below, the "Field Wager" did not close as the betting favorite.
The role of the top betting choice in Pool 5 goes to Epicenter, who closed as the 9/2 betting favorite.
All Other 3-Year-Old Fillies aka "The Field" closed at 18/1 odds to win the 2022 Kentucky Derby Pool 5 future wager.
Other horses that caught the attention of bettors in Pool 5 were:
- Messier 6/1
- Smile Happy 9/1
- Forbidden Kingdom 9/1
2022 KENTUCKY DERBY FUTURE WAGER - POOL 5
Listed below are the Official Closing Odds of all 24 choices for Pool 5 of the 2022 Kentucky Derby Future Wager.
- 1) Barber Road 28/1
- 2) Charge It 16/1
- 3) Crown Pride (JPN) 24/1
- 4) Cyberknife 18/1
- 5) Early Voting 29/1
- 6) Emmanuel 35/1
- 7) Epicenter 9/2
- 8) Ethereal Road 40/1
- 9) Forbidden Kingdom 10/1
- 10) In Due Time 95/1
- 11) Messier 6/1
- 12) Mo Donegal 24/1
- 13) Morello 15/1
- 14) Pioneer of Medina 123/1
- 15) Simplification 32/1
- 16) Slow Down Andy 51/1
- 17) Smile Happy 9/1
- 18) Summer Is Tomorrow 66/1
- 19) Tawny Port 114/1
- 20) Tiz the Bomb 22/1
- 21) White Abarrio 12/1
- 22) Zandon 18/1
- 23) Zozos 40/1
- 24) All Other Three Year Olds 18/1
HOW TO PLACE 2022 KENTUCKY DERBY FUTURE WAGERS
The Kentucky Derby Future Wager Pools was once again offered to bettors for the 148th installment.
This betting market provides an opportunity for fans to bet early on the potential Derby horse they think will earn a spot in the starting gate and go on to win the Kentucky Derby race.
The wager can be golden or fool's gold, since you'll need the horse you bet on to qualify for the Kentucky Derby and that's not as easy as you think.
The Future Wager offers 24 potential selections in each pool.
- 22 Individual Horses
- 1 All 3-Year-Old Fillies (Field)
- 1 All Other-3-Year-Old Males (Field)
The (Field) wager of All Other-3-Year-Old Males normally receives the most betting interest in these pools and bettors can get fixed odds on a horse that isn't included in the 22 selected horses already recognized.
The scheduled 2022 Kentucky Derby Future Wager Pools and "Closing Odds" are listed below:
KENTUCKY DERBY POOL DATES
- Pool 1 - Nov. 25-28
- Pool 2 - Jan. 21-23
- Pool 3 - Feb. 11-13
- Pool 4 - Mar. 11-13
- Pool 5 - Mar. 31-Apr. 2
2022 KENTUCKY DERBY FUTURE WAGER - POOL 4
The fourth Kentucky Derby Future Wager pool opened on Friday Mar. 11 at 12:00 p.m. ET and closed on Sunday Mar. 13 at 6:00 p.m. ET.
As expected the "Field Wager" closed as the betting favorite for the fourth consecutive KD Pool, this time at 4-1 odds (Bet $100 to win $400).
Smile Happy was the top individual horse picked by bettors in Pool 4, dropping from 8/1 odds in Pool 3 down to 6/1 in Pool 4.
Other horses that caught the attention of bettors in Pool 4 were:
- Forbidden Kingdom 7-1
- Classic Causeway 10-1
- Epicenter 13-1
Listed below are the Official Closing Odds of all 24 choices for Pool 4 of the 2022 Kentucky Derby Future Wager.
- 1) Barber Road 39-1
- 2) Call Me Midnight 68-1
- 3) Charge It 17-1
- 4) Classic Causeway 10-1
- 5) Cyberknife 36-1
- 6) Early Voting 19-1
- 7) Emmanuel 33-1
- 8) Epicenter 13-1
- 9) Ethereal Road 32-1
- 10) Forbidden Kingdom 7-1
- 11) In Due Time 48-1
- 12) Major General 65-1
- 13) Mo Donegal 24-1
- 14) Morello 17-1
- 15) Pioneer of Medina 71-1
- 16) Rattle N Roll 31-1
- 17) Shipsational 51-1
- 18) Simplification 19-1
- 19) Smile Happy 6-1
- 20) Un Ojo 36-1
- 21) White Abarrio 22-1
- 22) Zandon 22-1
- 23) Zozos 30-1
- 24) All Other Three Year Olds 4-1
2022 KENTUCKY DERBY FUTURE WAGER - POOL 3
The third Kentucky Derby Future Wager pool opened on Friday Feb. 11 at 12:00 p.m. ET and closed on Sunday Feb. 13 at 6:00 p.m. ET.
As expected the "Field Wager" closed as the betting favorite for the third straight KD Pool, this time at 2-1 odds (Bet $100 to win $200).
Smile Happy was the top individual horse picked by bettors in Pool 3 and the Kenny McPeek trained horse is again the top choice at 8/1 odds in Pool 3 of the Kentucky Derby Future Wager, which was the same price in Pool 2.
Other horses that caught the attention of bettors in Pool 3 were:
- Classic Causeway 13-1
- Mo Donegal 14-1
- Emmanuel 15-1
Listed below are the Official Closing Odds of all 24 choices for Pool 3 of the 2022 Kentucky Derby Future Wager.
- 1) Barber Road 62-1
- 2) Call Me Midnight 55-1
- 3) Chasing Time 25-1
- 4) Classic Causeway 13-1
- 5) Commandperformance 33-1
- 6) Early Voting 19-1
- 7) Emmanuel 15-1
- 8) Epicenter 24-1
- 9) Forbidden Kingdom 18-1
- 10) God of Love 60-1
- 11) Happy Boy Rocket 60-1
- 12) Howling Time 71-1
- 13) In Due Time 36-1
- 14) Major General 31-1
- 15) Make It Big 86-1
- 16) Mo Donegal 14-1
- 17) Pappacap 30-1
- 18) Rattle N Roll 19-1
- 19) Simplification 42-1
- 20) Slow Down Andy 23-1
- 21) Smile Happy 8-1
- 22) White Abarrio 18-1
- 23) Zandon 22-1
- 24) All Other 3-Year-Olds 2-1
2022 KENTUCKY DERBY FUTURE WAGER - POOL 2
The second Kentucky Derby Future Wager pool opened on Friday Jan. 21 and closed on Sunday Jan. 23 at 6:00 p.m. ET.
As expected the "Field Wager" closed once again as the betting favorite, this time at 9-5 odds (Bet $100 to win $180).
Smile Happy was the top individual horse picked by bettors in Pool 1 and the Kenny McPeek trained horse is again the top choice at 8/1 odds in Pool 2 of the Kentucky Derby Future Wager.
Other horses that caught the attention of bettors in Pool 2 were:
- Tiz the Bomb 10/1
- Jack Christopher 14/1
- Chasing Time 17/1
- Emmanuel 17/1
Listed below are the Official Closing Odds of all 24 choices for Pool 2 of the 2022 Kentucky Derby Future Wager.
- 1) Chasing Time 17-1
- 2) Classic Causeway 51-1
- 3) Commandperformance 41-1
- 4) Courvoisier 39-1
- 5) Dash Attack 34-1
- 6) Emmanuel 17-1
- 7) Epicenter 24-1
- 8) Giant Game 28-1
- 9) High Oak 38-1
- 10) Jack Christopher 14-1
- 11) Major General 41-1
- 12) Make It Big 85-1
- 13) Mo Donegal 23-1
- 14) Pappacap 24-1
- 15) Rattle N Roll 20-1
- 16) Simplification 43-1
- 17) Slow Down Andy 20-1
- 18) Smile Happy 8-1
- 19) Tiz the Bomb 10-1
- 20) Trafalgar 77-1
- 21) Varatti 47-1
- 22) White Abarrio 99-1
- 23) Zandon 25-1
- 24) Mutuel field (all other 3-year-old males) 9-5
2022 KENTUCKY DERBY FUTURE WAGER - POOL 1
The first Kentucky Derby Future Wager pool opened on Thursday Nov. 25 and closed on Sunday Nov. 8.
As expected the "Field Wager" closed as the 3-5 favorite (Bet $100 to win $60).
For individual horses, bettors tipped their cap to Smile Happy at 8-1 odds with Jack Christopher at 10-1 odds.
Listed below are the Official Closing Odds of all 24 choices for Pool 1 of the 2022 Kentucky Derby Future Wager.Number-Entry-Odds
- 1 Ben Diesel 66-1
- 2 Classic Causeway 44-1
- 3 Commandperformance 31-1
- 4 Double Thunder 72-1
- 5 Epicenter 52-1
- 6 Forced Ranking 138-1
- 7 Giant Game 37-1
- 8 Graphic Detail 133-1
- 9 Gunite 25-1
- 10 Howling Time 43-1
- 11 Jack Christopher 10-1
- 12 Major General 43-1
- 13 Mo Donegal 37-1
- 14 Osbourne 155-1
- 15 Oviatt Class 87-1
- 16 Pappacap 23-1
- 17 Rattle N Roll 21-1
- 18 Smile Happy 8-1
- 19 Tiz the Bomb 24-1
- 20 Trafalgar 98-1
- 21 Varatti 54-1
- 22 Zandon 56-1
- 23 All 3-year-old fillies 41-1
- 24 Mutuel field (all other 3-year-old males) 3-5
2022 KENTUCKY DERBY FUTURES BETTING MARKET
As mentioned above, Caesars Sportsbook, formerly known as William Hill, is the first operator in the United States to offer 2022 Kentucky Derby future odds in select states.
Per Caesars, the top betting contenders in early January are listed below:
2022 KENTUCKY DERBY CONTENDERS - TOP 20
- Corniche 6-1
- Jack Christopher 15-1
- Smile Happy 20-1
- Messier 20-1
- Rattle N Roll 22-1
- Zandon 25-1
- Pappacap 25-1
- Epicenter 25-1
- Commandperformance 30-1
- Newgrange 35-1
- Mo Donegal 35-1
- Classic Causeway 35-1
- Rocket Dawg 45-1
- Nakatomi 45-1
- Cyberknife 50-1
- Doppelgänger 50-1
- Emmanuel 50-1
- Wit 50-1
- Slow Down Andy 50-1
- Rockefeller 55-1
Odds Subject to Change - Updated Jan. 10, 2022
Along with the top six 2022 Kentucky Derby contenders listed above at Caesars Sportsbook, here is the next group of horses to watch with odds between 55/1 and 100/1.
Major General 55-1
Gunite 55-1
Howling Time 60-1
Octane 60-1
Sir London 65-1
H P Moon 65-1
Giant Game 70-1
Dash Attack 75-1
Echo Zulu 75-1
Forbidden Kingdom 75-1
Oviatt Class 75-1
Simplification 75-1
Murray 75-1
Varatti 75-1
Wharton 75-1
American Icon 80-1
Stellar Tap 80-1
Bourbon Heist 85-1
Trafalgar 90-1
Bold Journey 100-1
Dean's List 100-1
Pinehurst 100-1
Winning Map 100-1
Flying Drummer 100-1
High Oak 100-1
Make It Big 100-1
My Prankster 100-1
Courvoisier 100-1
Ben Diesel 100-1
Odds Subject to Change - Updated Jan. 10, 2022
KENTUCKY DERBY ONLINE BETTING 2022
Betting on the Kentucky Derby is something that hundreds of thousands of fans are looking forward to because of all the excitement the race brings. The thrill isn’t just in guessing the next Kentucky Derby winner-- there are many other betting options for those who know where and how to look for them.
The odds and predictions will change as the 148th Kentucky Derby draws nearer. Some prefer early Kentucky Derby online betting, while others wait for the day of the Run for the Roses to place their bets. Both these practices have their pros and cons. Ultimately, everything depends on your personal preference.
Also, before you decide who to bet on, you should take into consideration some of the important factors such as the weight, age and form of every horse. Don’t forget to find out more information about their past performances, their jockeys and trainers.
These are the details that can help you make your own horse racing betting strategy. Not only will this knowledge be helpful for the first leg of the American Triple Crown, but will also apply for the Belmont Stakes and Preakness Stakes.
However, choosing the right operator is one of the most important things when it comes to Kentucky Derby online betting. We choose some of the best Kentucky Derby online betting websites where you can also stream the race, so make sure to visit them and see what they have to offer:
Morning-Line Odds for the Kentucky Derby aren't available until the week of the race and those are created by Churchill Downs oddsmaker Mike Battaglia. The official morning-line odds are announced after the post positions for the field have been set, which is normally announced on Tuesday before Saturday's race. Prior to the draw, gamblers can check out fixed odds at various betting shops.
TVG WELCOME OFFER: GET UP TO A $200 RISK-FREE BET WITH A NEW TVG ACCOUNT
In order to qualify for this offer, as soon as you open a new account, you should place a single horse win-bet. If you lose, the operator will put up to $200 right back into your account as a wagering credit.
As you may know, TVG is one of the most popular sites for horse racing betting in the USA. But what makes it so great? Apart from the quality of welcome offers and current Kentucky Derby betting promotions, the operator comes with a bunch of other great stuff.
First of all, we want to say that the operator is exclusively focused on horse racing. It doesn’t feature any other sport, but if you are on the lookout for great horse racing action, then you’ll be in the right place.
TVG is the go-to place for online horse racing betting, including Kentucky Derby online betting. You can also find betting on the Breeders Cup or Kentucky Oaks. The operator offers some of the best horse racing odds, live streaming and betting services.
In the horse racing schedule on the website, you can easily find all upcoming events. For your convenience, TVG has also created a dedicated mobile application that you can easily download and use to place your bets or keep an eye on existing ones.
HISTORY OF THE KENTUCKY DERBY RACE
Capping the two-week-long Kentucky Derby Festival, the race is also known as "the most exciting two minutes in sports".
Popularly called the Run for the Roses because of the blanket of roses draped over the Derby winner, the first Derby took place in 1875. Since then, it has been held annually in Louisville, Kentucky without interruption-- not even during the Great Depression and both World Wars.
The Kentucky Derby is usually the first leg of the American Triple Crown, followed by the Preakness Stakes and then the Belmont Stakes. This year, however, Belmont is up first due to the new race season schedule.
Now, if a horse manages to win all three races, it’s the winner of the Triple Crown. However, only 13 horses have been able to do it so far.
The last horse to win the Triple Crown was Justify in 2018, who was the favorite for winning the Kentucky Derby right from the start. In the 2019 Derby, even though Maximum Security was the first one to cross the finish line, he was disqualified for interference, and Country House was declared the winner of the 145th edition of the Kentucky Derby.
KENTUCKY DERBY WINNERS (LAST 10)
2021 - *Medina Spirit (Mandaloun)
2020 - Authentic
2019 - Country House
2018 - Justify
2017 - Always Dreaming
2016 - Nyquist
2015 - American Pharoah
2014 - California Chrome
2013 - Orb
2012 - I'll Have Another
The 2021 Kentucky Derby watched Medina Spirt win the race as a 12/1 betting choice but there was plenty of noise surrounding the win.
Medina Spirit trainer Bob Baffert was banned from the first Triple Crown race for two years following the verification of a positive drug test by the winning horse.
Per the disqualification, Mandaloun was named the winner of the race and Medina Spirit was stripped of its win.
147TH KENTUCKY DERBY BETTING RESULTS
The Kentucky Derby is the most famous horse race in the United States and the 2021 installment lived up to the hype with a great race.
Veteran jockey John Velazquez rode Medina Spirit to the 147th Kentucky Derby victory as he outlasted Mandaloun and Hot Rod Charlie.
Trainer Bob Baffert once again captured the Kentucky Derby, this win the seventh at the Triple Crown race from Churchill Downs. The win for Velazquez was his fourth in the Kentucky Derby.
Medina Spirit led all the way and ran 1 1/4 miles in 2:01.02. He paid $26.20, $12 and $7.60 for Win, Place and Show wagers. The victory was worth $1.86 million.
The betting favorite, Essential Quality, finished in fourth place.
BETTING RESULTS (WIN-PLACE-SHOW)
- 8) Medina Spirit ($26.20, $12, $7.60)
- 7) Mandaloun ($23, $13.40)
- 9) Hot Rod Charlie $5.20
- $2 Exacta 8-7 paid $503.60
- $1 Trifecta 8-7-9 paid $1,696.90
- $1 Superfecta 8-7-9-14 paid $9,456.40
2021 KENTUCKY DERBY FINISHING POSITION
| Post Position | Horse | Trainer | Jockey | Odds |
| 8 | Medina Spirit | Bob Baffert | John Velazquez | 12/1 |
| 7 | Mandaloun | Brad Cox | Florent Geroux | 27/1 |
| 9 | Hot Rod Charlie | Doug O'Neill | Flavien Prat | 6/1 |
| 14 | Essential Quality | Brad Cox | Luis Saez | 3/1 |
| 6 | O Besos | Greg Foley | Marcelino Pedroza | 42/1 |
| 10 | Midnight Bourbon | Steve Asmussen | Mike Smith | 13/1 |
| 4 | Keepmeinmind | Robertino Diodoro | David Cohen | 49/1 |
| 12 | Helium | Mark Casse | Julien Leparoux | 38/1 |
| 1 | Known Agenda | Todd Pletcher | Irad Ortiz Jr. | 10/1 |
| 17 | Highly Motivated | Chad Brown | Javier Castellano | 11/1 |
| 5 | Sainthood | Todd Pletcher | Corey Lanerie | 43/1 |
| 2 | Like the King | Wesley Ward | Drayden Van Dyke | 50/1 |
| 20 | Bourbonic | Todd Pletcher | Kendrick Carmouche | 30/1 |
| 13 | Hidden Stash | Vicki Oliver | Rafael Bejarano | 39/1 |
| 3 | Brooklyn Strong | Daniel Velazquez | Umberto Rispoli | 44/1 |
| 18 | Super Stock | Steve Asmussen | Ricardo Santana Jr. | 34/1 |
| 15 | Rock Your World | John Sadler | Joel Rosario | 9/2 |
| 11 | Dynamic One | Todd Pletcher | Jose Ortiz | 45/1 |
| 19 | Soup and Sandwich | Mark Casse | Tyler Gaffalione | 27/1 |
| 16 | King Fury | Kenneth McPeek | Brian Hernandez Jr. | SCR |
HOW TO BET THE 2022 KENTUCKY DERBY
A FEW WORDS ABOUT KENTUCKY DERBY ONLINE BETTING
When it comes to the 2022 Kentucky Derby, it could be any horse’s race. Make sure to check the odds on one of the websites we’ve recommended you above and keep an eye on them.
Kentucky Derby online betting is a much-beloved tradition for many people, and therefore all these online betting operators try their best to provide users with an excellent betting experience.
Many of these operators even offer the possibility of live streaming so you can watch the race from the comfort of one device. However, in order to watch the Kentucky Derby online, you need to register with an operator of your choice.
The majority of Kentucky Derby online betting operators have adopted the “bet and watch” concept. Basically, you need to have placed a bet in the past 24 hours in order to watch a race’s livestream.
There’s nothing more exciting than watching a live stream of your favorite Kentucky Derby contenders and rooting for them to achieve Triple Crown glory. Without a doubt, the Kentucky Derby is one of the most important events in the American sporting calendar.
Whether you decide to watch the race directly from the racecourse, from the Kentucky Derby online betting mobile application or on the operator’s official website, exciting action is guaranteed. In order to be fully prepared to make bets, bettors look at the odds months in advance.
HOW TO BET ON KENTUCKY DERBY LINES
After going through some of the currently available predictions and analyzing the horses’ forms and past performances, the next logical step when it comes to Kentucky Derby online betting is to actually place a bet. In our guide, we’ll go through some of the basic steps that you usually need to follow when it comes to betting with different online bookmakers.
First of all, you need to visit an online sportsbook offering the possibility to bet on the Kentucky Derby. We have included a list of such operators at the beginning of our article. Feel free to take a look at them and choose the one that suits your style of betting.
Once you visit one of the websites, you’ll need to register in order to access the operator’s services. Keep in mind that the vast majority of these online sportsbooks offer certain welcome promotions for all new users who register for the very first time.
Importantly, don’t forget to go through the operator’s terms and conditions and see what requirements must be met in order to get the available bonus.
As soon as you register, you gain access to the available betting markets. Let’s go through some of the most popular Kentucky Derby online betting options and see what the possible choices are:
DIFFERENT TYPES OF KENTUCKY DERBY ONLINE BETTING
After signing in to your online sportsbook account, you’ll need to select the track of the race of your choice, then pick one or more races you'd like to bet on. Next, select your runner and wager type. Finally, all you have to do is enter the amount you’d like to wager and submit your bet slip.
Before you start placing your first bets, we want to make sure that you are well aware of all the betting options available when it comes to Kentucky Derby online betting.
Therefore, let’s take a quick look at some of the popular types of bets:
EARLY BETTING
Kentucky Derby future wagering is a great option for all those who enjoy early betting. This type of bet is usually available during different runnings of the “Road to the Kentucky Derby” prep races.
WIN, PLACE & SHOW BETS
Win, place and show bets are types of wagers that new players usually stick to. Just like the name suggests, a win bet is a bet placed on the horse that you hope to win the Kentucky Derby.
With place bets, you can get a return if your selection finishes first, second, or sometimes even fourth or fifth depending on the bookie’s offer. It goes without saying that the odds are much lower, but this type of bet is more reassuring.
Show bet is the next in line. It’s quite simple - you win if your selection finishes in the top three. As you probably imagine, this bet comes with lower risk, but also a lower payoff.
Of course, it’s up to you to decide which one of these options is the best for you. There are also some other, maybe slightly more complicated types of wagers. But once you get familiar with them, you’ll see that they can be easily understood. So, let’s get started!
EXACTA BET
If you’ve already tried some of the previous types of bets and you’d like to try something new when it comes to Kentucky Derby online betting, exacta is the next one on our list we’d like to discuss.
In this type of bet, you have to choose two runners who you’ll think will finish first and second, but in exact order. That’s what makes this type of bet more complicated compared to those we discussed earlier. Of course, bigger risk means bigger potential payouts.
TRIFECTA BET
Another type of bet that you can try is trifecta bet. It’s similar to an exacta, but just like the name suggests, this type of wager involves three horses. Choose three runners you think will finish in the top three, in the exact order, and wait for the outcome of the race.
If the “exact order” part of the bet is what bothers you, there’s another option called a boxed trifecta wager. With this modified trifecta bet, you also have to choose three horses, but the order is not important.
KENTUCKY DERBY ONLINE BETTING ODDS
The good news is that thanks to the various Kentucky Derby online betting options, you don’t have to be at Churchill Downs to place your bets. You can place a bet online as long as you are in one of the states where Kentucky Derby online betting is available.
With our Kentucky Derby betting guide, we want to point out some of the most important aspects of this exciting betting adventure. However, it’s all up to you – you choose when to place a bet. You can rely on early Kentucky Derby online betting or you can place bets just a few minutes before the windows close.
There’s one thing to keep in mind: don’t forget to regularly check the Kentucky Derby online betting odds. Odds can change from one day to the next. Most of all, make sure to compare the odds offered by different bookmakers.
When it comes to odds, it won’t hurt to know how they are calculated. They are determined by a Pari-Mutuel System. In other words, the odds are dependent on the peoples’ wagers.
Once the specific amount bet on a horse is determined, that amount is compared to how much is bet on the other horses in the field and the bookies determine the odds. That’s why odds constantly change, and why the more money is bet on a particular horse, the lower odds he’ll get.
READY FOR KENTUCKY DERBY BETTING?
There’s no easy way to create a successful Kentucky Derby online betting strategy. To sum up, we’d like to once again go through some of the most important things to remember when it comes to betting on the most exciting two minutes in sports.
First of all, make sure to know who you are betting on before you decide to place a bet. Because of this, it is important to do some research in advance. We don’t say that it's a guaranteed way to bet successfully-- luck also plays an important role. However, it’s good to do everything you can to try and prevent unpleasant surprises.
Make sure to consider all the important factors, including the horse’s past performance and jockeys’ and trainers’ histories. Don’t forget to find out what style of races your horse is good at, and what types of tracks they prefer. For example, when it comes to the Kentucky Derby, horses that had some success on a dirt track might be the promising ones.
Also, keep an eye on the favorites, but don’t forget to check the underdogs too. We never know what might happen. That’s where the whole excitement in the Kentucky Derby online betting comes from.
Last but not least, once you choose your horse(s), find an online sports betting platform that suits your style. If you are opening a new account for the first time, make sure to check the currently available promotions and let the fun begin!
