Sports betting

Kentucky Derby Betting, Bet On Kentucky Derby Horse Racing

by Mike Gratton | May 1 2009

The horse racing world is getting set to welcome the first leg of this year's Triple Crown on May 2 when the Kentucky Derby is run at the famous Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky.

Many people are wondering "how to bet on the Kentucky Derby?"

Many people don't pay attention to horse racing all year except in the weeks leading up to the Derby and the Triple Crown betting period. That's why I've put together this Kentucky Derby betting guide, to give everyone a betting preview of this year's big race.

This Kentucky Derby is obviously essential for trainers hoping to capture the coveted Triple Crown and it has been more than three decades since the feat was accomplished.

Almost all of the horses with serious potential for winning the "Run for the Roses" will be off until the main event to avoid the risk of an injury and Kentucky Derby odds have been posted for this year's thoroughbreds with a shot at the title.

I Want Revenge is the clear favorite in early betting after finishing in all eight of his events ran in 2009 but there are concerns that the competition in those races was questionable. Odds at online sportsbooks range from +200 up to nearly +500 at some outlets as handicappers anxiously await the colt's next training session at the Downs scheduled for April 21.

Check out all the Kentucky Derby odds

Times for the colt in a recent workout at Churchill were in the bottom half of the 25-horse group that ran the half-mile but trainer Jeff Mullins was not concerned with the results.

Quality Road and Dunkirk are next on the list at most online sportsbooks and the list of three-year olds rounding out the 10-to-1 or-less segment includes Friesan Fire and Pioneer of the Nile.

Friesan Fire showed remarkable stamina this year on the muddy track at the Louisiana Derby (Mar. 14), winning by more than seven lengths but his training regimen through April is under scrutiny. Pioneer of the Nile is being considered simply for the fact that trainer Bob Baffert already has three Kentucky Derby titles to his credit. That and the colt's 5-0-1 record this year in eight races.

The field for the Derby opened considerably when it was announced earlier this week that Old Fashioned was being withdrawn from the race after undergoing knee surgery from an injury suffered after a second place finish in the Arkansas Derby. Old Fashioned won its first four races of 2009 but has now permanently been retired from racing.

Handicappers looking for a quality chance with a longshot would be wise to keep a close eye on Square Eddie's results at the Lexington Stakes. The colt is making a comeback from a stress fracture and is running the Stakes unusually close to the Kentucky Derby but trainer Doug O'Neill feels he has no other option to test his three-year old before such a rigorous test as the one offered at Churchill. Square Eddie is currently listed at 25-to-1 but that number could fall substantially if Lexington goes well.

Run over a 1 and ¼ mile track, the Kentucky Derby will give bettors a good look at this year's top thoroughbreds and can be an excellent starting point for those just gaining interest in the sport that may want to place a wager in the next two legs of the Triple Crown. Win, place or show, tracking results from Churchill Downs will offer anyone who likes to bet the ponies an advantage when the Preakness and the Belmont Stakes are run on May 16 and early June.

The Preakness, at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Maryland will be of distinct interest for bettors that follow the Kentucky Derby since the distances of the two are nearly identical. Today's thoroughbreds are so specialized in their training that along with several other factors, the length of the tracks run is a key factor when trying to source out a winner.

By comparison, Belmont Park in New York, where they run the Belmont Stakes, is 20-percent longer than the race at Churchill and it is that large differential that experts feels is the most likely reason that no horse has won all three since Affirmed took the Triple Crown in 1978.

During that drought, eleven horses have won both the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness Stakes while there has been only one year since 2000 where a different horse won each event.

The Derby is approaching, kicking off all the excitement that goes with another run at the Triple Crown.

Good luck with your Kentucky Derby betting and be sure to check out SPORTSBETTING.COM for all their Kentucky Derby contests, special bonuses and great promotions.

Author: Mike Gratton placed his first wager on a horse race in the mid-80s. It was a 2-1 horse to show… and it came in fourth. Mike has progressed to be a successful horse racing handicapper and sports betting mind over the years. He loves to impart the knowledge he has garnered over the years in his articles focused on helping others with their sports betting and horse handicapping.