Kentucky Derby Betting Odds: The Favourites
This year’s 148th Kentucky Derby will be on May 7th, and upwards of 155,000 horse racing fans adorned in elaborate headpieces will crowd into Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky, happily sipping on mint juleps and singing “My Old Kentucky Home”.
At the same time, bettors at Bodog will crowd into their own viewing places, having grabbed a hold of Kentucky Derby betting odds before settling in for the race.
History of the Kentucky Derby
The Kentucky Derby is the longest running sporting event in the United States with its first race taking place in 1875.
The “Run for the Roses” all began when William Clark Meriwether Lewis, from the explorer duo Lewis and Clark, brought the horse racing tradition to the US after discovering it upon a trip to Europe. Clark’s uncles John & Henry Churchill gave Clark the land for the track, and the most famous southern-culture sporting tradition was officially born.
Biggest Moments in the Kentucky Derby
Since the first race, fans have witnessed decades of huge moments.
In 1973, the record for the fastest finishing time of 1:59:4 was broken by Secretariat, followed by a Triple Crown win.
The Triple Crown remained unclaimed for another 30 years, until 2015 when American Pharoah claimed it, and then 2018 when Justify took the Triple Crown.
Bettors on the Kentucky Derby have witnessed their own impressive history as well. In 1913, Donerail won the race with long odds of +9100, and in 2019, Country House won at odds of +6500, making that the biggest longshot in recent years.
Kentucky Derby Betting Odds: The Top 10
We have a robust lineup for the 2022 Kentucky Derby, but only one horse will be showered in roses and take home the $3 million purse. These are the latest Kentucky Derby betting odds for 2022.
Epicenter (+450)
Epicenter is one of the highest yielding horses in racing, with $1.01 million in career earnings, clocking in two wins and four starts since the beginning of his career. He’s caught attention with his prep races – and a good handful of other major races leading up to the Kentucky Derby, including wins at the Gun Runner, Risen Star, and the Louisiana Derby. It’s looking like Epicenter is a shoe-in to place top two at the very least, if not win it all, with odds of +450.
Messier (+650)
Messier certainly isn’t messing around with odds of +650, and in his past six races the three-year-old colt has placed either first or second. The six include Robert B. Lewis Stakes in February, where he cleaned up as winner, and the Santa Anita Derby as the runner-up, which Messier lost to Taiba.
Messier was under the purview of suspended trainer Bob Baffert before the reins were handed to Tim Yakteen, but, having won three times in the last seven years, Baffert’s successes remain untarnished, and we can safely bet that his horses will perform well.
Taiba (+650)
Taiba was also trained by Baffert before the suspension, and he was the winner against Messier in the Santa Anita Derby on April 9. While this $1.7 million son of Gun Runner has plenty of power packed behind his legs, winning against six horses in the Santa Anita is a much different feat than winning against 19 others in the Kentucky Derby. Odds are +650 that another former-Baffert runner can do the trick.
Zandon (+800)
The $1 million Toyota Blue Grass Stakes was awarded to Zandon on April 9th at Keeneland. He’s come a long way since the days of the three-quarter-mile sprint at Belmont Park in October 2021 where Zandon won his first ever race, and now Jeff Drown’s Zandon is in top contention as a winner for the Kentucky Derby in 2022 with odds of +800.
Mo Donegal (+1000)
Mo Donegal narrowly beat out Zandon by a hair after a close heel-to-heel fight in the Remsen Stakes. Todd Pletcher’s bay colt showed impressive pace against Zandon. He’s had some strong prep races at Aqueduct, and raised eyebrows at the Holly Bull. His fighting spirit proves that Mo Donegal is worthy of his favourite position for Kentucky Derby betting odds at +1000. Let’s see whether he brings the luck of the Irish to the track.
White Abarrio (+1100)
Despite having very little prep time, White Abarrio was the first horse to stomp over the finish line for the Holy Bull (G3) and Florida Derby as his only two starts in the year. With a bit more prep leading up to the Run for the Roses, his +1100 odds might well shorten with demonstrated form, making him an all-white contender.
Smile Happy (+1400)
Back in November, Kenny McPeek’s runner won the Kentucky Jockey Club, happily proving he has what it takes to compete at the famous Kentucky Derby. Smile Happy was all grins when he finished runner-up to Epicenter in the Risen Star, and stayed on Zandon’s heels in the Blue Grass. +1400 odds say that Smile Happy has reason to stay optimistic for his big moment at Churchill Downs.
Charge It (+1600)
Charge It is trained by two-time Kentucky Derby winner Todd Pletcher, which alone accounts for odds of +1600 in the absence of a paper trail of big derby wins for his charge. The Florida Derby was Charge It’s most recent race, and he was just one place shy of victory, with White Abarrio finishing just ahead.
Tiz the Bomb (+1600)
Tiz the Bomb trainer, Ken McPeek, was planning to pull the pin on the Derby altogether… but then his horse won the Jeff Ruby with an impressive finishing time of 1:48.60, and plans changed. Tiz the Bomb used his capable firepower to win the John Battaglia Memorial at Turfway by a long measure, and odds are +1600 he can pull it off again on May 7.
Early Voting (+1800)
Early Voting has won the Eclipse Award four times with trainer Chad Brown. He’s a bit behind with only three starts, irony notwithstanding, but Early Voting did hold his own as the winner in the 2022 Withers (G3) race with a one-turn mile and eight furlongs. This backstory secures his spot a little down the ballot with odds of +1800 for the race at Churchill Downs.
Bodog bettors are bred for moments like these on May 7 at Churchill Downs. The most competitive Kentucky Derby betting odds are already up, but it’s your winning selection that could prove to be the mane event.