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Kentucky Derby Picks, Tips, Expert Betting Predictions


Get our 2025 Kentucky Derby Picks and coverage including Guaranteed Expert Picks and Odds

Kentucky Derby contenders will Run for the Roses.


by Trevor Whenham - 4/17/2019

Todd Pletcher usually has a horse or two among the top contenders in the Kentucky Derby - and a few more that have a chance. But this year the trainer has just two, and neither really moves the needle. Spinoff has some upside, and at his best he has been impressive, but it is tougher to imagine him wearing roses on the first Saturday in May than it is for most horses in the field. Can Spinoff give Pletcher another derby winner?

Some horses have a better chance than others to win the Kentucky Derby on May 2


by Trevor Whenham - 4/17/2019

There are the horses in any Kentucky Derby field that are the obvious strength. And there are the ones that have no place in the field and are easy to toss out. But then there are horses in the middle, ones like Win Win Win this year, who fit somewhere between those two groups. They aren't good enough to be considered a major contender, but if things fall their way and they have a good day they could find themselves in the mix.

Garrett Gomez will be aboard Pioneerof the Nile in the 2009 Preakness Stakes at Pimlico.


by Trevor Whenham - 4/17/2019

Sooner or later we are going to see one of the massive racing operations owned by the ruling family of Dubai - Godolphin or Shadwell Stable - win the Kentucky Derby. It's a massive prize, and two stables that have won pretty much every race worth winning around the world have yet to claim this one.

Uncle Mo


by Trevor Whenham - 4/17/2019

Want a surefire test of whether a name for a horse is a good one or not? It's simple. If you are thinking of a simple, common one-word name for a horse and that name is available then it is a bad name. By that criteria, Tax is a bad name. And by a lot of other criteria as well. The name of this gelding actually kind of makes me angry. Probably much more than it should.

Kentucky Derby


by Trevor Whenham - 4/17/2019

The Sunland Derby is not exactly a major Kentucky Derby prep race, but it has had its moments. In 2015 Firing Line won the race and then led the Kentucky Derby in the stretch before being passed by American Pharoah, who was on his way to a Triple Crown. By far the most notable Sunland moment came from a horse that didn't even look good in the race, though.

Mario Gutierrez rides I'll Have Another


by Trevor Whenham - 4/17/2019

If you have ever doubted that Derby fever is a real thing, you just need to look at this horse. At best, the colt was a fringe Derby contender heading into his last race. He hadn't done much to prove he belonged before that race, and he really didn't do a ton in that race to make us think he could be a Derby winner, either. And right after the race, his trainer all but said he wasn't going to Kentucky. But then a couple of days passed, the fever grabbed hold, and suddenly the horse was training for the Derby.

Curlin, race horse


by Trevor Whenham - 4/16/2019

Bob Baffert had to find a way to follow up a Triple Crown win this year. That is very tough to do. When he followed up his first Triple Crown in 2015, he brought just one horse in 2016, and Mor Spirit was far from a serious contender. But this year Baffert is loaded, with three entrants - which could very well be among the top four favorites by post time.

Comma to the Top


by Trevor Whenham - 4/12/2019

The Kentucky Derby this year is shaping up as a bit of an international affair. There are sires from Japan, Canada and the U.S. represented, along with a British great that brings us Code of Honor. Sires from outside of Kentucky can and do produce winners of this race, and the connections of this one will be hoping it happens again. Code of Honor is a nice colt, but one who is hard for us to really get a sense of. Is he good enough to win the Kentucky Derby?

Midnight Lute, a horse


by Trevor Whenham - 4/11/2019

In the Derby every year, there is always a horse or two that is simultaneously both a serious contender and a lovable upstart. They have some real accomplishments and wouldn't look out of place in the winner's circle, but their story also has some Disney elements to it. This colt hasn't followed a straight line to this point, but there is enough to like that he is worth a closer look. Can Vekoma win the Kentucky Derby?

I'll Have Another, a horse


by Trevor Whenham - 4/11/2019

The Road to the Kentucky Derby this spring has been equal parts frustrating and underwhelming for long stretches. Horses that we expected a lot from have often found ways to disappoint. And a lot of big races have been won by horses who weren't exactly at the forefront of our minds before the race. The Louisiana Derby certainly fit into that category, and now By My Standards - a horse that didn't even make it into the preview of the race I wrote - is heading to the Kentucky Derby.

Justify in the Kentucky Derby


by Trevor Whenham - 4/10/2019

The Arkansas Derby is the last major Kentucky Derby prep of the year, and this year's edition has shaped up as a strong one. That's nothing new in recent years. Most notably, Triple Crown winner American Pharoah made his final preparations for his trip into history here in 2015. The next year Creator won this race and the Belmont.

American Pharoah, racehorse


by Trevor Whenham - 4/10/2019

The Lexington Stakes is not a major Kentucky Derby prep race, but it has had its moments of intense relevance. 1988 winner Risen Star and 1991 winner Hansel went on to win both the Preakness and the Belmont. Touch Gold won this race in 1997 and then became an enemy to many - including me - when he ended Silver Charm's Triple Crown bid by winning the Belmont.

2010 Preakness Stakes


by Trevor Whenham - 4/10/2019

It's no surprise that the comparisons to Justify are flying hot and heavy when people talk about Roadster. It's a bit of a lazy comparison, but there is enough in common between the two horses for it to make sense. They are both trained by Bob Baffert. They both won the Santa Anita Derby impressively after being very lightly raced. Both are ridden by Mike Smith, and both have the magical chemistry with the rider that only he can have.

Breeders Cup Classic


by Trevor Whenham - 4/10/2019

Bob Baffert must laugh at his luck at times. He has two of the likely favorites for this race already set, and as I write this Improbable hasn't run his last prep yet and could be another Derby favorite with a bit of luck as well. This horse is the reigning Two-Year-Old Champion, his breeding is spectacular, and he can run any kind of race.

Kentucky Derby entrant Mucho Macho Man


by Trevor Whenham - 4/10/2019

Bob Baffert is going to be the biggest story of this year's Kentucky Derby, as he regularly is. That's what happens when you win the Triple Crown. Twice. And while Maximum Security is not trained by Baffert, he still has an interesting connection to the white-haired master trainer. This colt is sired by New Year's Day. Baffert trained that colt in 2013, winning the Breeders' Cup Juvenile and finishing second to Shared Belief in Champion Two-Year-Old voting.

Curlin, race horse


by Trevor Whenham - 4/10/2019

This horse pioneered a path to the Kentucky Derby that other colts are sure to try to follow. He had been off to a very disappointing start to his three-year-old campaign on the Derby trail in the U.S., so instead of trying another prep race here, he headed to Dubai for the UAE Derby. It's a major Derby prep points race - the same as the big races like the Florida Derby or the Santa Anita Derby.

Firing Line, horse racing


by Trevor Whenham - 4/10/2019

The presence of this horse in this race is a total and absolute farce. There is no way around that. He doesn't belong, and he is stealing a spot from a more deserving horse. But money makes the world go around, and this horse represents a whole lot of money.

Jockey Rosie Napravnik


by Trevor Whenham - 5/1/2018

The Kentucky Derby is the main event this weekend at Churchill Downs, but the Kentucky Oaks at the heart of Friday's card is a heck of a race in its own right. If you are actually in Louisville then Oaks day is actually the more enjoyable day than the Derby in some ways - more manageable crowds, slighter fewer big hats, but just as much bourbon and a pile of good races.

Game on Dude


by Trevor Whenham - 4/30/2018

Instilled Regard is just lucky to be in the starting gate for the Kentucky Derby. After all of the prep races had ended the colt sat 22nd in points and seemed to be stuck on the outside looking in. In one day, though, Quip was aimed for the Preakness and Gronkowski suffered an infection, and suddenly the door was open. He's got a new lease on life and a shot at the toughest and most important race in North America there is to win. But is he capable of making the most of this unexpected opportunity?

Belmont Stakes winner Racjel Alexandra.


by Trevor Whenham - 4/26/2018

If you are paying attention to the media coverage heading up to the Kentucky Derby then chances are pretty good that you have heard about the Curse of Apollo. And if you haven't yet then you are going to. It applies both to heavy favorite Justify and strong contender Magnum Moon, so it is more of a factor than it usually is. Therefore, our job here today is to offer Kentucky Derby expert betting advice, so you understand what the curse is and what it means to us in 2018.

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