2021 Kentucky Derby Top Contenders by Odds, Analysis and Betting Tips (May 1st, 2021)

Top sportsbooks online may not be on the same page as the Road to the Kentucky Derby, but some interesting top contenders are going by the latter. The Road to the Kentucky Derby is a series of 36 races that award points to the Top 4 finishers of each race.

The top 19 or 20 point earners will secure a spot in the starting gate for the 147th running of the $3 million Kentucky Derby on Saturday, May 1, 2021. Invitations will also be extended to the top point earners in the Europe Road to the Kentucky. As well as the top point earners in the Japan Road to the Kentucky Derby. The Kentucky Derby field has been limited to 20 horses since 1975. At least 20 starters have entered the 1 1/4-mile race for 3-year-olds every year since 2004. And 19 of the last 21 years.

Essential Quality

Essential Quality has earned 140 points and is also the favorite so far at the best online sportsbooks. He is a gray colt by Tapit and out of Delightful Quality, by Elusive Quality. He has been bred and is owned by Godolphin for HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum of Dubai.

His training is overseen by conditioner Brad Cox. Jockey Luis Saez sits aboard. The skilled three-year-old won the 2021 Southwest Stakes following a win in the prestigious Breeders’ Cup Juvenile at Keeneland in 2020. Essential Quality’s perfect track record also holds his Breeders’ Futurity win in October at Keeneland. And his maiden debut at Churchill Downs in September of 2020.

Hot Rod Charlie

Hot Rod Charlie has earned 110 points and his odds at top sportsbooks online at the moment sit at +700. He is a dark bay colt by Preakness Stakes winner Oxbow and out of the Indian Charlie mare, Indian Miss.

On his road to crossing the $1 million career earnings mark in 2021, Hot Road Charlie won the Louisiana Derby. He is well seasoned with four maiden race appearances and two other stakes races through the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile and Robert B. Lewis Stakes. Hot Rod Charlie’s trainer is Leandro Mora. He is ridden by veteran jockey Joel Rosario.

Super Stock

Super Stock has earned 109 points. Not much else is known about this horse. Even his odds at top sportsbooks online are a mystery. We know Super Stock is a Dialed In and owned by Erv Woolsey and Keith Asmussen.

He is the father of winning Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen. Taking advantage from a contested pace and the conditioning from a fourth-place finish behind Concert Tour in his three-year-old debut, the March 13 Rebel Stakes, Super Stock proved best in the final furlong of the Arkansas Derby. He swept past the tiring leaders. He pulled away to a 2 1/2-length win for his second win in eight career starts.

Like the King

Like the King has 104 points. Seventy miles down the road at Keeneland, M Racing Group’s Like the King, who won the Jeff Ruby Steaks (G3) on the all-weather surface at Turfway Park last month, breezed on the grass.

This is a frequent training surface of horses conditioned by Wesley Ward. The work was the first of three at Keeneland that Ward has planned for Like the King. With jockey Drayden Van Dyke aboard, Like the King started far back of his workmates and fellow stakes, Outadore and After Five.

He passed the former and made up five lengths on the latter.
Like the King is third on the Road to the Kentucky Derby leaderboard with 104 points. He is scheduled to ship to Churchill after his final work and gallop over the main course there. No Jeff Ruby participant has ever run in the Derby since Fast and Accurate placed 17th in 2017.

2021 Kentucky Derby Latest Odds by BetUs