Forte is the favorite in the Kentucky Derby Odds
Horse Racing

2023 Kentucky Derby Odds: Forte Scratched! Tapit Trice New Favorite!

The clock is ticking down to the greatest two minutes in sport, with the 2023 Run For The Roses now fast approaching, and it promises to be one of the most eagerly awaited renewals of the Kentucky Derby for many years.

The question on everybody's lips is, Will lightning "Rich Strike" twice, or will the chalk Tapit Trice bring home the roses for trainer Todd Pletcher and owners Repole Stable and St. Elias Stable?

Breeders Cup Futurity winner Forte from the Pletcher barn was the heavy favorite. But the three-year-old was scratched last minute after veterinarians were concerned over a bruised leg.

However, it is the Kentucky Derby, and we do not know the post positions yet, and they will have an effect on the Kentucky Derby odds as we get closer to the big day.

So let's see where some of the value lies in the horses outside of the chalk.

2023 Kentucky Derby Odds

The top 10 betting favorites in the 2023 Kentucky Derby betting odds are shown below.

Betting Odds To Win The Kentucky Derby
HorseOdds
Tapit Trice+350
Angel Of Empire+500
Derma Sotogake+700
Two Phil's+750
Kingsbarns+1000
Verifying+1200
Confidence Game+1600
Mandarin Hero+1600

Odds as of May 6

Late Kentucky Derby Odds Update

So race fans, the draw for the Kentucky Derby post draw has now been completed and while some connections will have been jumping with joy, others will have had their spirits well and truly dampened by a poor post position.

Worse off at the draw is the Japanese raider Derma Sotogake who has drawn out even wider in post position 17 and if he wants to attack early and get on the speed then he'll need to be away sharply under Christophe Lemaire.

His odds have now drifted as well from 6/1 to 9/1.

Those that have fared well in the draw are Kingsbarns and Two Phils. Todd Pletcher's Kingsbarns is now 12/1 from 15/1 and the impressive winner of the Louisiana Derby last time has a super draw in post position 6.

Meanwhile, Two Phil's who crushed the opposition last time in the Jeff Ruby Steaks by just over five lengths has an even better position in post position 3.

He has been tipped up as one of the main fancies for many handicapping experts and was 20/1 before the draw but is now a 12/1 chance on the current morning line odds.

This shows just how important the draw is, and you should study where your horse is positioned before making your wagers. A low to middle draw is a big plus, while being out in the car park is, of course, a more difficult assignment.

The well-fancied Tapit Trice has pulled gate 5 and he has also compressed in the betting at +350.

Kentucky Derby form and pre-race workouts

While Forte had the best odds at +325 before being pulled, here's a look at a few horses in the Kentucky Derby odds that deserve your attention.

Angel Of Empire +500

Angel Of Empire has been a talking horse for a while and is near the top of the betting. He has been putting in consistent drills over at Churchill Downs and went six furlongs in 1:13 on April 21.

As many would have seen, he was impressive in the Arkansas Derby and is already at the top of a lot of expert lists. He was far enough back in that Kentucky Derby trial and had to pitch into the four-lane off the home turn but soon widened to win easily by four 1/4 lengths.

He has already shipped to Churchill Downs where he is now settling in with barn buddy Wet Paint who will be trying to give Cox a Derby/Oaks double.

TAPIT TRICE +350

After winning the Blue Grass Stakes at Keeneland, many handicappers noted this Todd Pletcher colt down as a serious Kentucky Derby contender. The pace was quick there and he met some serious traffic problems on the clubhouse turn and had to be reined back and soon found himself six lengths off the lead.

To his credit, he did well to win after a mammoth stretch duel with Verifying. The question will be, does he have enough speed?

He also won the Tampa Bay Derby but it was hard work again as he only got to the front at the 16th pole. I doubt there is a stronger stayer in the lineup but can he serve it up to barn buddy Forte?

Trainer Todd Pletcher was quoted immediately after that run as saying. “I feel like he is still learning.”

With that thought in mind, he looks more like a Belmont horse to me, and his recent half-mile workout April 21 didn't really get the blood racing.

KINGSBARNS +1000

Broke the maiden tag the first time of asking and has since gone on to win twice more to remain unbeaten. Kingsbarns was very impressive when taking the Louisiana Derby at Fairgrounds by 3 1/2 lengths, and there is no doubt this is a serious racehorse. He gives Todd Pletcher a stranglehold on this year's Kentucky Derby.

This is a big step up the class ladder and he can be a step slow at the gates, something he cannot afford to do here. The big plus in his Kentucky Derby prep is that he has already shown a liking for Churchill Downs with his recent drill on April 20 over five furlongs in just a minute and change.

Which Kentucky Derby Longshots Should You Be Looking At?

While the field and post positions will be finalized nearer race day, let's try and pick out a couple of runners that should make the final cut and could provide some value on the boards. Let's see who we are pinning their hard-earned dollars to.

These two are likely going to be huge odds to win the 2023 Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs.

TWO PHILS +750

This colt is trained by Larry Rivelli, and Two Phils put up a solid performance on debut at Churchill Downs and sure showed the benefit of that experience when breaking the maiden tag the second time around at Canterbury Park.

That run showed that this colt by Hard Spun has some real quality about him and that was shown in spades when he took a race here at Churchill Downs on the slop.

As we know at this time of year, it's always possible to see a sloppy surface at Churchill Downs and we know this one will certainly handle conditions like that.

He likes to stalk mid-pack, and this race might just give him an optimal setup and he could be one for exotics players to include.

One of his recent drills was very sharp, going five furlongs in a minute flat, and 12/1 looks fair enough odds.

2023 Kentucky Derby Post Positions

Check back closer to the event for the Kentucky Derby post positions.

Post Positions for Kentucky Derby
Post PositionHorse
1Hit Show
2Verifying
Two Phil's
4Confidence Game
5Tapit Trice
6Kingsbarns
7Reincarnate
8Mage
9Skinner
10Practical Move
11Disarm
12Jace's Road
13Sun Thunder
14Angel of Empire
15 Forte
16Raise Cain
17Derma Sotogake
18Rocket Can
19Lord Miles
20Continuar

The post positions are important as certain starting spots have had great success in winning the derby. For example, post position 5 has had 10 wins, which is the most of any spot, whereas post position 17 has never had a victory – not good news for Classic Causeway.

Here’s a look at how the various Kentucky Derby post positions have fared through history.

Post Positions for Kentucky Derby Sportsbooks
Post PositionNumber Of Kentucky Derby Sportsbooks
18
27
5
45
510
62
78
88
94
109
112
123
135
142
15 6
164
170
182
191
201
211

Kentucky Derby Odds History

If you’re looking for what the Kentucky Derby winning times have been in recent years, we have them listed below along with each of the winning horses over the last 10 years – a handy tool when selecting a Kentucky Derby prop bet.

Past Kentucky Derby Winners
YearHorseTime
2022Rich Strike2:02:61
2021Mandaloun2:01.02
2020Authentic2:00.61
2019Country House2:03.98
2018Justify2:04.20
2017Always Dreaming2:03.59
2016Nyquist2:01.31
2015American Pharoah2:03.02
2014California Chrome2:03.66
2013Orb2:02.89

Kentucky Derby 2022 Odds FAQ

Who won the 2021 Kentucky Derby?

Medina Spirit won the 2021 Kentucky Derby but was later disqualified and thus Mandaloun with odds of +1200 won the Run for the Roses last year. With no Bob Baffert horses in the running this year, there are plenty of Kentucky Derby picks to be found.

Which horse is favored to win the 2022 Kentucky Derby?

Epicenter is the favorite to win the 2022 Kentucky Derby with odds of +300 or 3/1. While that horse is the favorite, there are plenty of other Kentucky Derby betting options out there. See other 2022 Kentucky Derby horse contenders here.

What prop bets can I make on the Kentucky Derby?

You can make all kinds of Kentucky Derby prop bets. At the Run for the Roses, you can place wagers on what color of the winning horse will be and what will be the winning race time among other options.

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