The first Saturday in May marks the start of the American Triple Crown in horse racing as the 2022 Kentucky Derby is upon us. The 148th running is going to an epic race as we’ve already seen some hot competition on the run-up to the Run for the Roses.
This year, we might see as many as 20 of the top thoroughbreds in the starting gate but which are worth your money and which are best to be avoid for betting purposes? Let’s take a closer look at the field.
Kentucky Derby Favorites
We still don’t know the final list of participants just yet but by mid next week we’ll know who is in the running and which starting gates they’ll fire from.
Epicenter (5/1) is the current favorite after capturing a couple of key races along the Road to the Kentucky Derby. That includes a pair of graded stakes wins at the Risen Star Stakes and the Louisiana Derby. He also finished second in the Lecome Stakes. Add it all up and no other horse has done better (in terms of points) in the Road to the Kentucky Derby.
Taiba (6/1) is right there neck-in-neck in terms of the odds as he’s the winner of the Santa Anita Derby. He smoked the field, winning by 2 ¼ lengths, beating Messier, who is also among the favorites at Churchill Downs. He’s hard to read, though, as his first real race was at Santa Anita; can this three-year-old colt really be trusted as one of the shortest prices on the board?
Speaking of Messier (6/1), he has lost two of his last three races but doesn’t be all too concerned. In six career starts, he’s never finished worse (won three starts and was runner-up in three others). He won the Robert B. Lewis and Bob Hopes – both quality graded stakes races – and finished second to the aforementioned Taiba in the Santa Anita Derby. He posted a 107-speed rating in the Robert B. Lewis, winning by a whopping 15 lengths, which is why he’s among the favorites.
Kentucky Derby Longshots
Those who are looking for a long shot that might cash in can look to White Abarrio (14/1). The three-year-old colt has won four of his five career starts with the lone miss being a third-place result at the Kentucky Jockey Club in November. White Abarrio is coming off back-to-back wins at the Florida Derby and Holy Bull, which is always a great sign.
Looking further down the list, an intriguing name to watch is Tiz the Bomb (20/1). This horse has won back-to-back races and five of his last seven. That stretch includes a runner-up at the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf. More recently, he won the Jeff Ruby Stakes and the John Battaglia Memorial. This horse has won at four Kentucky tracks, including Ellis Park, Kentucky Downs, Keeneland and Turfway. Could the Kentucky Derby be next? The 20/1 payout is going to be juicy enough for some to take a flier and find out.
