Picture of previous kentucky derby horse race contesters

2023 Kentucky Derby Sports News

2023 Kentucky Derby Overview, Odds, Betting Picks

By Blake Roberts Founder & Editor in Chief Updated: 06 May 2023

Blake Roberts Founder & Editor in Chief

Blake Roberts is the founder of Betting.US and is currently heading the creative team as Editor in Chief. Born and raised in Morgantown, West Virginia, Blake is a great sports fan, with football and basketball being his favorite. He’s our trusted voice for all betting-related matters.

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The 149th Kentucky Derby is set to take place on Saturday, May 6, 2022. Held yearly in Louisville, Kentucky, the Kentucky Derby is the first leg of the American Triple Crown, which includes the Preakness Stakes and Belmont Stakes. The horse race is part of the two-week Kentucky Derby Festival and is also referred to as “The Run for the Roses” because the winner is draped with a blanket of roses. The Kentucky Derby is not just one of the most prestigious horse races but also one of the most prestigious events in all sports, making it a popular occasion on the best betting sites across the world.

Horse races and betting are almost synonymous with one another. This piece will provide an overview of the derby, the odds on offer, and some factors worth considering when making your picks. Let’s start by looking at the odds for the Kentucky Derby 2023.

Kentucky Derby 2023 Odds

Here are the odds for the Kentucky Derby 2023:

Horse	Odds
Forte	3-1
Tapit Trice	5-1
Angel of Empire	8-1
Derma Sotogake	10-1
Practical Move	10-1
Kingsbarns	12-1
Two Phil’s	12-1
Mage	15-1
Verifying	15-1
Confidence Game	20-1
Skinner	20-1

Kentucky Derby 2023 Overview

Much of the focus this year will be on the two-time winner, Todd Pletcher, who has had 62 horses run in the Kentucky Derby – nobody has recorded more in the history of the Kentucky Derby. Pletcher will aim to become the seventh trainer in the competition’s history to win the race three times. Pletcher has three excellent thoroughbreds in Forte (3-1), Tapit Trice (5-1), and Kingsbarns (12-1). All three are capable of winning the competition.

Brad Cox is another trainer with excellent thoroughbreds like Angel of Empire (8-1), Verifying (15-1), Hit Show, and Jace’s Road. He is the most likely to come in the way of Pletcher’s ambitions this year. Let’s now take a more detailed look at some of the top thoroughbreds in the competition and what makes them stand out in the predictions section.

Kentucky Derby 2023 Predictions

Pick: Tapit Trice

Forte is the odds-on favorite to win the Kentucky Derby this year, and Tapit Trice is just behind Forte. Both horses, as mentioned earlier, are owned by Todd Pletcher. Of course, Forte is on a great run, but there are so many other thoroughbreds with great odds, and Forte just doesn’t offer value in such a tight competition.

It’s also important to note that Forte’s recent wins came against weaker opposition. The Florida Derby offered Forte some competition in the form of Mage (15-1), but Forte only won the race because of an immense surge towards the end. It won’t be easy to recreate that in the Kentucky Derby.

Tapit Trice, on the other hand, has many of the same narratives surrounding him that Forte has but with more valuable odds. Tapit Trice has won his last four races and is a great closer, which is crucial in competitions like this. Trice’s performance in the Blue Grass Stakes in Keeneland last month was awe-inspiring, and a similar race could be enough to get him over the line.

Angel of Empire is the third on the odds table and the first thoroughbred that doesn’t belong to Pletcher. Unlike the first two names on the list, Angel of Empire doesn’t have the same sort of pressure to win the Kentucky Derby, which might just help his cause.

Cox, as mentioned earlier, is one of the best trainers in the world. Angel of Empire will not just be supported by Cox’s expertise but also by Flavient Prat on the saddle. Prat went on a historic run with Flightline last year and can do the same with Angel of Empire.

Other top contenders include Derma Sotogake, Practical Move, Kingsbarns, Two Phil’s, Mage, Verifying, Confidence Game, and Skinner. All of them are worth consideration, but we think the winner will come from one of Forte, Tapit Trice, and Angel of Empire. The three of them have got world-class trainers, winning experience, and good form on their side.

The odds on Forte are far too safe, so there’s not a lot of value in placing a wager on them. Tapit Trice and Angel of Empire have got far better odds, but Angel of Empire hasn’t gone on a clean run like Tapit Trice. However, if you trust the abilities of Flavien Prant, Angel of Empire is worth the punt. In our opinion, Tapit Trice ticks all the boxes: excellent trainer, level of expectation, valuable odds, and good form. It doesn’t get better than this.