Kentucky Derby Picks, Tips, Expert Betting Predictions

Far Right Odds to Win the 2015 Kentucky Derby with Picks and Predictions
by Trevor Whenham - 4/16/2015

Far Right is a nice horse. On his best day he could be a factor in big races. That is precisely the problem with the Kentucky Derby this year. There are just so many good horses running — and a few that could be absolutely exceptional — that it will be much harder than normal for horses like this one to break through and for bettors to figure out what to do with them.

Mr. Z Odds to Win the 2015 Kentucky Derby with Picks and Predictions
by Trevor Whenham - 4/16/2015

Mr. Z is the worst of the three horses that Zayat Stables is aiming for the Kentucky Derby. First, though, you can’t have too much sympathy for Zayat — or any other owner who is in position to start three horses in the biggest race there is. Second, there is no shame in being third best behind the decent El Kabeir and the truly brilliant American Pharoah. So, can Mr. Z eclipse his stablemates and win the Kentucky Derby? Oddsmakers don’t think so — at 85/1 in early futures action at BetOnline he is tied for the longest odds in the field. That’s not that flattering.

Tencendur Odds to Win the 2015 Kentucky Derby with Picks and Predictions
by Trevor Whenham - 4/16/2015

In a very deep, talented and highly-memorable field for the Kentucky Derby this year, if there is one horse that fades into the background for me it’s Tencendur. It’s not that I think he is the worst horse in the field — far from it, actually. He’s maturing quickly and coming off a strong race. It’s just that he doesn’t elicit any real emotion. Others either strike me as potential megastars, or in the case of Itsaknockout and others I just don’t feel like they belong.

American Pharoah Odds to Win the 2015 Kentucky Derby with Picks and Predictions
by Trevor Whenham - 4/15/2015

Wow. Just wow. If American Pharoah had completely and utterly bombed last weekend, this would still be one of the most impressive Kentucky Derby classes in the last decade or more. Of course, American Pharoah, the reigning two-year-old champion, did not bomb. Far from it. In fact, he really couldn’t have looked any better than he did in the win. In a year of great and dominating prep race wins, his was the greatest and most dominating.

Danzig Moon Odds to Win the 2015 Kentucky Derby with Picks and Predictions
by Trevor Whenham - 4/15/2015

I will certainly not complain, but if there is a problem with having a Derby field as deep and talented as this one it’s that it makes it hard to back a horse like this one that in most years I would really like in the Derby. He has a lot of development he needs to do between now and that race, but I have liked a lot of what I have seen, accept excuses for the disappointments, and think he could be sitting on a big race. I’m not convinced that he is good enough to beat the likes of American Pharoah, Dortmund, or Carpe Diem, though.

El Kabeir Odds to Win the 2015 Kentucky Derby with Picks and Predictions
by Trevor Whenham - 4/15/2015

The path to the Kentucky Derby reminds us each year just how much of a factor timing is. If the race was in early February, or even early March, instead of early May, then this horse would be a much bigger factor in the betting than he is likely to be now. He hasn’t been terrible since then, but the enthusiasm has certainly dimmed somewhat. Now he sits at 40/1 to win the race according to BetOnline.

2015 Arkansas Derby Picks with Odds and Expert Betting Predictions
by Trevor Whenham - 4/10/2015

We are down to the final moment before the biggest of moments. The Arkansas Derby, taking place on Saturday at Oaklawn Park, is the last of the major Kentucky Derby preps. A first- or second-place finish provides enough points to get into the Kentucky Derby field, and other horses with points already could earn enough from a lower finish to wind up in the field. After this race ends, all we have left to do is wait for the Kentucky Derby, watch the training, and second guess ourselves a hundred times before finally placing our bets.

War Story Odds to Win the 2015 Kentucky Derby with Picks and Predictions
by Trevor Whenham - 4/10/2015

War Story is hoping to prove that you don’t have to win a stakes race in order to win the Kentucky Derby. Horses have, I’m sure, done it before — though they certainly don’t jump to mind in bulk. The most extreme I can think of was Sir Barton. In 1919 he was a maiden (meaning he had never won a race) heading into the Derby, but went on to become the first Triple Crown winner.

International Star Odds to Win the 2015 Kentucky Derby with Picks and Predictions
by Trevor Whenham - 4/10/2015

You don’t win anything for having the most Kentucky Derby qualifying points, and it does nothing for you once you are in the starting gate on the first Saturday in May. It does provide a few bragging rights, though — so International Star has at least one thing going for him. Now he and his connections just need to accomplish one more thing — getting this year’s Kentucky Derby moved from Churchill Downs to Fair Grounds in New Orleans.

Upstart Odds to Win the 2015 Kentucky Derby with Picks and Predictions
by Trevor Whenham - 4/10/2015

The bad news is that Upstart has only one win in five graded stakes races and three wins in seven career starts. The good news, though, is that he has never run a bad race and has never finished worse than third while running in tough races against good horses. At the very least, then, this is a horse worth paying attention to when looking to bet exotics on the first Saturday in May.

Materiality Odds to Win the 2015 Kentucky Derby with Picks and Predictions
by Trevor Whenham - 4/10/2015

Materiality is the kind of horse that gives me major headaches heading into the Kentucky Derby. In fact, just thinking about him gives me the chills. Or makes me want to have a drink. Or three. On one hand, he won the Florida Derby. That commands respect — in the last nine years Barbaro, Big Brown and Orb have all won that race and the Kentucky Derby, and Union Rags and Shackleford both finished Top 3 in the Florida Derby before winning a Triple Crown race.

Stanford Odds to Win the 2015 Kentucky Derby with Picks and Predictions
by Trevor Whenham - 4/10/2015

How do you feel about using your money to take a leap of faith when betting on the Kentucky Derby? You’ll have to if you want to bet on Stanford. He might draw you in with dreams of a big payoff — he’s at 40/1 in early futures betting. There are good reasons for that price, though.

Carpe Diem Odds to Win the 2015 Kentucky Derby with Picks and Predictions
by Trevor Whenham - 4/9/2015

The early Kentucky Derby futures odds would suggest that there are three elite contenders in this year’s Run for the Roses. That would be the two Bob Baffert stars — Dortmund and American Pharoah — and Todd Pletcher’s Carpe Diem (11/2 odds). It’s hardly surprising that those two trainers — perhaps more obsessed with the Triple Crown than any other trainers active today — are atop the rankings.

Dortmund Odds to Win the 2015 Kentucky Derby with Picks and Predictions
by Trevor Whenham - 4/7/2015

Fans of German soccer will recognize that this horse, like his stablemate and last year’s controversial Breeders’ Cup Classic winner Bayern, is named after a team in the Bundesliga. Owner Kaleem Shah is a fan — and given the success his German-flavored horses have had, you can be sure these won’t be the only ones.

One Lucky Dane Odds to Win the 2015 Kentucky Derby with Picks and Predictions
by Trevor Whenham - 4/7/2015

Bob Baffert has been given, deservedly, a ton of attention on the Triple Crown Trail this year. In Dortmund and American Pharoah he has, arguably, the two best three year olds in the country right now. And they are on a collision course on the first Saturday in May. There are plenty of potential spoilers out there in this strong class of three year olds, though, including one from their own stable.

Firing Line Odds to Win the 2015 Kentucky Derby with Picks and Predictions
by Trevor Whenham - 4/7/2015

There is an embarrassment of riches when it comes to top three year olds in California this year. So much so that horses like Firing Line and American Pharoah have left the state to avoid the crowds as they prep. With these two along with Dortmund, One Lucky Dane and others, bettors will have no choice but to factor that state heavily into their betting decisions.

Frosted Odds to Win the 2015 Kentucky Derby with Picks and Predictions
by Trevor Whenham - 4/7/2015

Man, is this ever a ridiculously deep and talented Kentucky Derby field this year. This is the fifth horse already that I have written about that would be a top pick in most recent years, and I haven’t even gotten to American Pharoah or Carpe Diem yet. Every time you turn around there is another very professional winner of an important prep race. Frosted certainly qualifies on that front after his last outing. And, at +1800 to win the Kentucky Derby at Sportsbook.ag,

Mubtaahij Odds to Win the 2015 Kentucky Derby with Picks and Predictions
by Trevor Whenham - 4/7/2015

I have been torn about Mubtaahij since we first heard a few months ago that he could be a legitimate contender. One on hand, the more the merrier when it comes to top-level horses in the Kentucky Derby. On the other hand, since I struggle to spell the name, and have no idea at all how to say it, I was kind of hoping he’d get upset in his last race — maybe by a horse with a much more straightforward name.

2014 Kentucky Derby Recap
by Trevor Whenham - 5/6/2014

I’m not taking anything away from California Chrome — he ran a very professional race in which he was clearly the best, and he really has the chance to do something special in his next two races. That being said, you can’t talk about his victory without discussing how perfect his trip was.

2014 Kentucky Derby Contenders with Predictions and Handicapping
by Robert Ferringo - 5/2/2014

Well, it certainly appears that the Racing Gods are setting things up for California Chrome. The California colt is a massive favorite to win this year’s Kentucky Derby and has caught several breaks in the lead-up to the race that are helping to clear his path in the Run For The Roses.