The 137th running of the Kentucky Derby, horse racings’ most prestigious event, is scheduled for Saturday, May 7, at historic Churchill Downs in Louisville. Twenty of the top three-year-old thoroughbreds will compete in the annual ‘Run for the Roses’ in a field that has been determined by more than 60 prep races that are held from the beginning of the year until mid-April. These prep races not only set the field for the Derby, they also provide some solid insight into which horses have the best chance to win the race.

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Sports Interaction has released Kentucky Derby futures odds for the current field of Derby hopefuls. The following is a brief look at some of this year’s top contenders with predictions on the possible frontrunner.

Uncle Mo     +175

If the Kentucky Derby was run today this horse would be such a prohibitive favorite that the rest of the field would all have double-digit odds to win. Trained by Todd Pletcher and ridden by John Velazquez, Uncle Mo was last year’s juvenile champion and is unbeaten in four previous starts, including a win in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile last November. He will make his three-year old debut in the Wood Memorial at Aqueduct on April 9. A win there would most likely cement his place as the odds-on-favorite in the Derby.

The Factor    +1000

Trainer Bob Baffert’s top Derby hopeful is off to a great start as a three year old with victories in the grade II San Vicente at Santa Anita on Feb.20 and the grade II Rebel Stakes at Oaklawn on March 19. Ridden by Martin Garcia, The Factor smoked the field at the Rebel as the 7-5 favorite with a 6 ¼-length margin of victory. Baffert has targeted either the Santa Anita Derby or the Arkansas Derby as this horse’s final prep race before heading to Kentucky.

Dialed In       +1000

Trained by Nicholas Zito and ridden by Julien Leparoux, this horse won his debut at Churchill as a two-year old last November and scored an early season win in the grade III Holy Bull Stakes at Gulfstream on Jan.30. He finished a close second in an allowance race on March 11, but has a chance to really open some eyes with a strong performance in this Sunday’s Florida Derby.

Premier Pegasus      +1000

He was 3-0 as a juvenile with wins in a maiden at Del Mar and the Jack Goodman and grade II Hollywood Prevue at Hollywood Park. This year he finished third in the San Vicente, but bounced back with a victory in the grade II San Felipe Stakes at Santa Anita on March 12. Trained by Myung Kwon Cho and ridden by Alonzo Quinonez, the next outing for this horse is expected to be in the Santa Anita Derby on April 9.

Soldat      +1200

Kiaran McLaughlin’s top prospect for the Derby had a solid juvenile record with a victory in the grade III With Anticipation at Saratoga and a second-place finish in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf. His three-year-old campaign started with an allowance race win and a win in the grade II Fountain of Youth at Gulfstream on Feb.26. Ridden by Alan Garcia, his next start is scheduled in this Sunday’s Florida Derby.

To Honor and Serve     +1400

Trained by Bill Mott, this horse closed-out his juvenile campaign with impressive wins in the grade II Nashua and the grade II Remset. His only race as a three-year old was in the Fountain of Youth, where he recorded a third-place finish. He is also expected to be in the field at Gulfstream for the Florida Derby.

Doc’s Sports will be releasing their Kentucky Derby picks again this year and after our success in the Breeders’ Cup where we more than tripled our recommended investment; we are excited for the Run for the Roses in May. Our picks against the Kentucky Derby odds are just $19, so this is a great opportunity for profit.