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The postponement of the 146th Kentucky Derby until September put a fly in everyone’s mint julep, so instead NBC Sports is quenching our thirst for horse racing by setting up a virtual race featuring every Triple Crown Sportsbook in the event’s history.
The Derby, which is typically held the first weekend of May, will broadcast on NBC as a computer simulation for the Run for the Roses. With it featuring the most successful horses in the event’s 145-year history, naturally, Secretariat is the +125 favorite to complete the “Quadruple Crown.”
Secretariat, the thoroughbred stallion who won the Triple Crown in 1973, originally opened as the +225 fave and will race out of lane 3. He's followed on the oddsboard by Citation (+600), a stallion from 1948 who is in lane 8, with American Pharoah (lane 6) and Seattle Slew (lane 5) tied for third on the list, each at +800.
As a sports bettor, if this all seems to be going over your head, no sweat. Odds Shark has got you covered with some handy guides to get you up to speed like “How To Bet on Virtual Sports” and “The Difference Between Esports and Virtual Sports.”
For now, here are the full betting odds to win the Virtual Kentucky Derby on May 2:
| Horse (Lane) | Odds |
|---|---|
| Secretariat (3) | +125 |
| Citation (8) | +600 |
| Seattle Slew (5) | +800 |
| American Pharoah (6) | +800 |
| Affirmed (1) | +1000 |
| Count Fleet (11) | +1000 |
| Whirlaway (10) | +1200 |
| Justify (12) | +1200 |
| War Admiral (9) | +1200 |
| Omaha (13) | +3300 |
| Assault (2) | +4000 |
| Sir Barton (4) | +4000 |
| Gallant Fox (7) | +4000 |
Odds as of May 2 at [Sportsbook not available for your region]
Broadcast Schedule and Where To Watch
The Kentucky Derby is one of the many sports events in 2020 affected or canceled by the COVID-19 outbreak, with Churchill Downs empty on the first Saturday in May for the first time since 1945.
Obviously, we didn’t have the technology back then to digitize this popular race for the masses, and with it now going virtual, bettors and horse racing aficionados get to watch this at home at the same time this year’s event was originally supposed to start.
Here are the full details for the broadcast schedule and where to watch the virtual Run for the Roses:
- Date/Time: Saturday, May 2, 5:45 p.m. ET
- Venue: Churchill Downs
- TV Coverage: NBCSN
- Sportsbook Odds: Secretariat +225 Favorite
- Kentucky Derby Betting Guide
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Virtual Kentucky Derby FAQ
Why was the Kentucky Derby postponed?
The Kentucky Derby horse race was initially postponed because of the COVID-19 outbreak that canceled or delayed sporting events in 2020. The global pandemic wouldn’t be enough to prevent the prestigious horse racing event from taking place though as the race was eventually run on Saturday, September 5, 2020, at Churchill Downs racetrack in Louisville, Kentucky.
Who was the favorite to win the Virtual Kentucky Derby?
Secretariat was the betting favorite to win the Virtual Kentucky Derby at +225 odds. The stallion won the Triple Crown in 1973, and is widely considered to be the greatest racing horse of all time. Citation (+600), Seattle Slew (+800), American Pharoah (+800), and Affirmed (+1000) rounded out the Top 5 favorites to win the Virtual Kentucky Derby.
How did they determine the odds for the Virtual Kentucky Derby?
To determine the probability of each contending horse winning the race, select officials from Churchill Downs analyzed the historical past performances of each Triple Crown Sportsbook. They then incorporated the opinions of distinguished horse racing experts who evaluated each horse’s achievements, and put them into historical perspective. Ultimately, Secretariat ended up getting the edge over the other horses.
