Kentucky Derby Betting: The Field, Favorites, Long Shots, and More. Place a horse racing bet now with the best odds at YouWager.lv.

Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky will play host to the 151st year of the Kentucky Derby, which will take place on Saturday at 6:57 p.m. Eastern Time (ET). The day in question is the most significant day in the sport of horse racing since it marks the beginning of the Triple Crown, which is the most crucial stretch of the horse racing season.

On the morning line, Journalism is the favorite by a margin of three to one; however, these odds are subject to alter throughout the week, particularly on the day of the event.

Yahoo Sports had a conversation with Lane Gold, the host of Kentucky’s Winners Circle, in order to receive a preview of the favorites and long shots in the race, as well as to obtain a few recommendations for the greatest gambles.

Kentucky Derby Betting: The Favorites

First in this article on Kentucky Derby Betting, we have the favorites for the 2025 edition of this Triple Crown race.

Eighth-place Journalism (3-1): “He has won four races in a row, and the only race he has lost was his very first race.” Finished first in both of the major prep races held in California, including the Santa Anita Derby, which took place on April 5th. There is no such thing as a bad starting position; it is neither the best nor the worst. Both good luck and a skilled rider are required to win the Derby. The fact that he is going to break very quickly is going to require a little bit of luck on his part, but he is going to be sitting behind the first flight. His jockey, Umberto Rispoli, is a rising star in California and is considered to be an undervalued jockey. Based on his current performance, this is definitely his greatest chance to win the Derby. Previously, D. Wayne Lukas employed trainer Mike McCarthy in his capacity. When it comes to winning the prep races in California, this is the kind of road that Bob Baffert would take. The field of journalism has a lot of potential benefits. The fact that there are twenty horses and that Baffert is competing in the Derby increases the likelihood that his odds will improve. Journalism is likely going to finish up with a score of 4-1 or 5-1. He is the favorite, but he won’t be a winner by a significant margin.

“He’s outside, which is a good thing, probably running the middle pack early on, maybe seventh to tenth,” said the No. 18 Sovereignty (5-1) coach. Over the course of five starts, he has a record that is superior than that of Sandman, with two victories and two second-place finishes. Despite the fact that his debut, in which he finished fourth, was his poorest performance, he has been relatively steady. Gets a fantastic rider in Junior Alvarado and trainer Bill Mott, who is one of the top trainers to technically never win it outright, but this is one of his best chances to do so. Overall, this is one of the finest opportunities for him to win it. Once upon a time, in order to win, you had to compete in three races during your sophomore year. However, horses are now handled with greater caution. Additionally, Sovereignty triumphed in a race that took place at Churchill Downs in October of last year. The morning line for him is 5-1, and I have a feeling that number will go up. I believe that he will go 7-1, 8-1, or even higher than that since the public will sometimes neglect these horses.

No. 17 Sandman (6-1): “A similar line of reasoning applies here, as there are fewer horses that will be out early on, and there are times when being outside is a good thing because of this.” Sandman has a record of three wins out of eight, which indicates that he is not a reliable horse. Despite the fact that he is a horse that will arrive from behind, none of the numbers will be able to blow your doors off with him. This horse is likely to be sitting somewhere in the middle of the 12th, 13th, and 14th positions, and there ought to be a lot of speed up front that will be beneficial to a horse like this. It is highly likely that he will be a formidable opponent in the final quarter mile if he is able to maneuver his way through the traffic. In addition, his trainer, Mark Casse, is a fine trainer in the United States and one of the greatest trainers in Canada. He has a wonderful ride in Jose Ortiz, and he is a competent trainer. In March of last year, the owners of this horse purchased him in a public auction for a price of $1.2 million, indicating that they saw something in him. Some things are going to have to go his way in order for him to succeed.

Kentucky Derby Betting: Long Shots to Watch

Now in this article on Kentucky Derby Betting, we have the long shots for the race.

According to No. 9 Burnham Square (12-1), “He has won three of the six races, including the Blue Grass Stakes, where he won at the very last moment despite a rough start. This tells me that he is able to deal with adversity, and the Derby is full of that.” Due to the fact that he trains at Churchill Downs, he has a home-track advantage, and the Derby is a race that is known for its high average speed. In spite of the fact that he is returning to Kentucky, where he is located, he is most likely going to go to the 12th grade early. This is not a well-known trainer.”

No. 1 Citizen Bull (20-1): “Do I believe that he is, in fact, capable of winning?” It’s possible, but this is a horse that will pick up speed very quickly. Once he is on the rail, he does not have any other option. With the exception of his most recent race, he has performed brilliantly and will be in the lead. His record on paper is fairly strong, and you are getting Baffert at a 20-1 odds. He has won four of the six races he has competed in. There have been some strange occurrences involving Baffert. After taking the lead in the Derby, War Emblem never looked back a second later. The cost will be what it should be. It is going to be early for him to leave the race, and you are aware that Baffert is very, really interested in winning this race.

Kentucky Derby Betting: Grande Out, Field Down to 19

Next in this article on Kentucky Derby Betting, we have information on why Grande is out of the race.

“Shocked and Confused,” said Mike Repole, proprietor of the Grande empire.

Another day, another scratch in the Kentucky Derby (G1), which can be worth up to $5 million.

Churchill Downs and the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission vets scratched Grande on Friday morning, one day before the Run for the Roses. This occurred on the day before the race. One of the official reasons was a contusion on the foot.

The gates will open on Saturday at 6:57 p.m. Eastern Time (ET), and there will be 19 three-year-olds competing in the race rather than a full field of twenty. This is because there are no also-eligible drivers who are qualified to move into the field.

Baeza, who was the only horse that was also qualified to compete in the Kentucky Derby, came into the field on Thursday after Rodriguez, who had a foot injury and was the favorite to win the race, was scratched.

Due to the withdrawal of Grande (Kentucky Derby betting odds 20-1), Todd Pletcher, who has won the Derby twice, will not have an entry for the first time in 21 years. Pletcher is now in the lead among all trainers with 65 starters.

Bob Baffert, who has won the Kentucky Derby six times, is the trainer of Rodriguez, who won the Wood Memorial (G2) race against Grande. Baffert is also the trainer of Citizen Bull, who is still competing in the race.

As a result of the scratches, two of the most accomplished jockeys in the world are unable to ride a horse in the Derby. These jockeys are John Velazquez (Grande), who has won the Derby three times, and Mike Smith (Rodriguez), who has won the Derby twice.

Kentucky Derby Betting: Best Bet

Last but not least in this article on Kentucky Derby Betting, we have the best bet for the race.

In the event that I were to place a wager on the Derby at this moment, I would place Journalism and a few other horses in an exacta or trifecta. In my opinion, Citizen Bull is either going to be at the forefront of the fight or he will pass away.

In the past, we have had horses come from behind, such as Publisher, who have the potential to finish in the top three. As a result of the fact that the Baffert road, which he went, is highly likable and that he is one of the most popular horses in the race, I will continue to back the favorite on top.

I believe that he has a chance to win if he has a clean trip, but I could see a horse with odds of 30 or 40 getting second place. You can receive a large reward by selecting some of your bombers in the second or third position.

 

Read our page on Horse Racing Betting. Visit the Betting School and learn how to wager on the moneyline, spread, and total; on your favorite team or an undervalued underdog. Sign up with YouWager.lv now and get in the game with the best welcome bonus, click below: