Kentucky Derby 2023: Predictions and Betting Preview

What is the Kentucky Derby?

The Kentucky Derby is a Grade I horse race that is run annually in Louisville, Kentucky. The race is usually held on the first Saturday of May and is one of the three races in the Triple Crown series. Following the Kentucky Derby, the horses and jockeys participate in the Preakness Stakes and then the Belmont Stakes to complete the Triple Crown.

Horses race on a 1.25-mile dirt track. Horse racing enthusiasts may know the race as “The Most Exciting Two Minutes in Sports”, due to the approximate time it takes for horses to complete the race.

The Kentucky Derby is one of the few competitions that is open to all horses, however, it does have handicap conditions to balance out the race. Colts and geldings should carry 126 pounds (57kg) and fillies should carry 121 pounds (55kg).

In 2015, the Kentucky Derby was listed as the joint second top Grade I race with Whitney Handicap. It is only behind the Breeders Cup Races. Despite this, the Kentucky Derby still tops the attendance charts in North America. In the same year, the race attracted a crowd of 170,000 spectators and it regularly attracts the largest attendance for a horse race in the United States. Furthermore, betting on that race also broke a record, with over $137.9 million wagered.

The Road to the Kentucky Derby

To compete in the Kentucky Derby, horses will have to win enough points on the ‘Road to the Derby’. It is a series of races that take place leading up to the Kentucky Derby. Up to 20 horses are able to qualify for North America’s most viewed horse racing event.

The US, Japanese and European Roads to the Kentucky

Horses can qualify to the Derby through three separate roads, the US Road to the Kentucky Derby, the Japanese Road to the Kentucky Derby and the European Road to the Kentucky Derby. The US Road has the most contenders, followed by the European and finally the Japanese Road.

Of the 20 place, 18 are offered to the first 18 horses from the US Road. The winners of the Japanese and European Roads will also receive a berth to the competition. If either one of them rejects the berth, it is offered to the next placed horse on the leaderboard. It is constantly passed down (if rejected) until the fourth position. If the berth is rejected again, it is offered to the 19^th positioned horse from the US Road. It is the same for the US Road, any rejections are passed down to the next horse on the leaderboard.

The leaderboard qualification system is to the advantage of bettors. Barring the European and Japanese Roads, players can collect useful information about the horses such as their recent form, their form in similar conditions, and so on. With eighteen of the twenty places filled by US horses, bettors can conduct a great deal of research in the run up to the event.

If you are planning to bet on the Kentucky Derby, you will want to consider many different factors. For instance, you will find data about the horses’ form, its preferred track type, its favoured race length, the jockeys’ form, and so on. This can all be analysed throughout the Road to the Kentucky Derby.

Kentucky Derby 2023 Predictions

At the time of writing, a complete runners list for the 2023 Kentucky Derby is not available. However, there are a number of horses that look sure to make it to the final 20 and could potentially go on to win the race. Below, we have details about some of the most impressive horses of the year that may be worth considering when betting on the outright winner of the race.

Forte

The favourite to win the Kentucky Derby is Forte, the 3 year old colt. He was trained by Todd Pletcher and was bred in Kentucky. In his previous seven races, he has finished first on six occasions, finishing fourth at the 2022 Sanford (G3).

Practical Move

Another favourite for the race is Practical Move. Just like Forte, he is also a 3 year old colt that was bred in Kentucky. Practical Move was trained by Tim Yakteen and has raced for Amestoy, Leslie A., Amestoy, Jr., Pierre Jean and Beasley, Roger K. From his previous seven races, he has won four times, finishing second once and third twice.

Tapit Trice

The third and final favourite for the Kentucky Derby is Tapit Trice. He is also a 3 year old colt that was trained by Todd Pletcher. Bred in Kentucky, the young horse has raced from 2022 to 2023 and has completed five races. Of the five races that he has completed, he has won four times and he finished third at the MSW.

Mage

An outside bet could be placed on Mage to win the Kentucky Derby. The 3 year old colt was bred in Kentucky and trained by Gustavo Delgado. He has only raced three times, winning once, finishing fourth and finishing second.

Two Phil’s

The 3 year old colt Two Phil’s has been racing since 2022. He was bred in Kentucky and trained by Larry Rivelli. His record is quite impressive, having raced eight times already. He has won four of his eight races, and finished second, third, fifth and seventh in his other races.

Rocket Can

The 3 year old colt Rocket Can was bred in Kentucky and trained by William Mott. Rocket Can has an outside chance of winning the Kentucky Derby but is certainly not considered as one of the favourites. He has run seven times from 2022 to 2023, winning two of his races. His other finishes include a seventh place finish, fifth place finish, fourth place finish and two second place finishes.

Lord Miles

Lord Miles is a 3 year old colt that was bred in Kentucky and trained by Saffie Joseph Jr. He is not one of the favourites to win but is still likely to compete in the Derby. He has raced five times before, finishing first on two occasions. His other finishes include third, fifth and sixth.

Verifying

With an outside chance of winning, Verifying is a 3 year old colt that was bred in Kentucky and trained by Brad Cox. He has raced for Westerberg, Magnier, Mrs. John, Poulin, Jonathan, Smith, Derrick and Tabor, and Michael B. Between 2022 and 2023, he has raced six times, winning twice, finishing second twice, fourth and sixth.

Disarm

Having raced from 2022 to 2023, Disarm is a 3 year old colt that was bred in Kentucky and trained by Steven Asmussen. He has raced five times, winning once at the MSW. His other finishes include two second place finishes and two third place finishes.

Derma Sotogake (JPN)

Derma Sotogake is a 3 year old colt that was trained by Hidetaka Otonashi and has raced for Hiroyuki Asanuma. He has only raced twice before, winning one of his races. He finished first at the 2023 UAE Derby (G2) and third at the 2023 Saudi Derby (G3).

How to Bet on the Kentucky Derby

If you are looking to place horse racing bets on the Kentucky Derby, then you have plenty of options here at mr.play including outright bets on the three main favourites to win, Forte, Practical Move and Tapit Trice.

It is possible to bet on a variety of different outcomes, including the winner of the race, which horse will finish second and so on. Betting on the outright winner will long odds, as it is difficult to predict. However, you can also find easier bets to win, if you want to place a safer bet, although they will not pay out as well. For example, you could bet on a horse to finish in the places. If you really want to challenge yourself, you could consider a bet on the top three horses and what order they will finish in. The Kentucky Derby is rapidly approaching so now is the time to do your research and start making your picks.