The 144th Kentucky Derby is less than a week away and now that all the preparation races are over is worth looking at who this year’s top contenders are expected to be at Churchill Downs in Lexington, Kentucky.
The 2018 Run for the Roses takes place on May 5 and will be attended by more than 150,000 people. This year’s Kentucky Derby and is expected to have a little faster pace than in the last couple of years as it’s composed of a field that could be the best at the Derby in the last 10 to 15 years.
In perspective, there are as many as eight horses that can be considered legitimate contenders and capable of winning this race, a fact that makes the 2018 Kentucky Derby one of the best betting races in a long time.
There is a group of front-runners that is most likely to compete for the lead of the race early and that group consists of Justify, Promises Fulfilled, Mendelssohn, Bravazo, and Flameaway.
Of course, it’s important to know who the front-runners are because they go a long way in determining how the race plays out, but they are far from guaranteeing a winning bet.
Since 2000 only one front-running horse has won the Kentucky Derby going gate-to-wire and that was of course War Emblem in 2002.
The Kentucky Derby, dubbed the “two most exciting minutes in sports” is the most wagered horse race of the year (more than $150 million is bet annually at this race) and for this year there are nine horses listed at lower than 20-1, but none has better odds than Justify (2-1).
Then Magnus Moon is listed at 4-1, followed by Mendelssohn at 9-2. Bolt d’Oro (5-1) and Good Magic (7-1) close the top five.
Here are the odds for the entire field.
Justify (2-1)
Magnum Moon (4-1)
Mendelssohn (9-2)
Bolt d’Oro (5-1)
Good Magic (7-1)
Audible (10-1)
Vino Rosso (12-1)
My Boy Jack (16-1)
Enticed (18-1)
Solomini (20-1)
Instilled Regard (20-1)
Noble Indy (24-1)
Hofburg (30-1)
Lone Sailor (40-1)
Flameaway (40-1)
Combatant (40-1)
Free Drop Billy (40-1)
Promises Fulfilled (50-1)
Bravazo (50-1)
Strike Power (50-1)
Restoring Hope (50-1)
Firenze Fire (60-1)
Snapper Sinclair (75-1)
Dream Baby Dream (100-1)
