The Super Bowl of horse racing is here! It’s almost time for the Kentucky Derby and the eyes of the world will look to the spectacle around a dirt track in Louisville.
Hundreds of thousands of racing fans dressed in their best will pack the grandstands at Churchill Downs to watch ‘The Fastest Two-Minutes in Sports’.
Many a Mint Julep will be consumed, the most extravagant hats will be worn, celebrities will step out in designer clothes, wagers will be placed and – most importantly – 19 thoroughbreds and their jockeys will race for their shot at immortality.
Over $350million in wagers were placed on The Run for the Roses last year, and we expect that number to taken an even further step forward this year – potentially up to $400million.
As the home of horse racing in North America, FanDuel has been at the Derby all week – covering everything you need to know about the races.
So even if you’re a casual fan of the sport that watches this once a year, or you’re a well established racing lover, we have all you need to stay up-to-date on the biggest storylines and best bets for the Derby.
FanDuel racing expert Dubbs Anderson reveals the Kentucky Derby tips you cannot miss
The biggest weekend in horse racing is upon us: Saturday marks the 151st Kentucky Derby
It’s the grandest spectacle in horse racing as the top thoroughbreds ‘Run for the Roses’
The Return of Bob Baffert
Saturday will mark a return for one of the most legendary trainers in American thoroughbred racing, Bob Baffert.
A six-time winner of the Kentucky Derby, Baffert has been a staple at the race ever since he won his first Derby with Silver Charm in 1997.
He’s also trained the two most recent winners of the Triple Crown: American Pharoah and Justify.
But Baffert has been absent the past three years due to a ban when it was found that Medina Spirit, the horse that crossed the line first at the 2021 Kentucky Derby, tested positive for steroids.
While Baffert has been around other races during this ban, he’s been absent from the grandest stage in American horse racing – until now.
Baffert was set to have two competitors in the race, however, Rodriguez has been scratched.
But his other colt, Citizen Bull, is intriguing to me. He starts on the inside spot, but bettors and favorites have been sleeping on him.
Baffert’s return is almost overshadowing Citizen Bull’s success, and if anyone is capable of training a horse to victory, it’s him.
Saturday will mark the return of legendary trainer Bob Baffert after a three-year ban
Baffert was set to have two horses in the race, but Rodriguez has since been scratched
Surprising Scratches
By Friday morning, the field of 21 horses got whittled down to 19.
Two horses trained by two of the most successful trainers and ridden by two of the best jockeys of all time will not be loaded into the starting gates on Saturday evening.
I talked about how Baffert’s Rodriguez, which is ridden by Triple Crown winning jockey Mike Smith, will not be in the running.
But on Friday, it was revealed that Grande – trained by two-time Kentucky Derby winner Todd Pletcher and ridden by three-time Kentucky Derby winning jockey John Velazquez – will also be scratched.
It’s surprising, but I don’t expect any more scratches in this race. For one, Friday is typically when we hear late information from the veterinarian teams.
So while it is upsetting for Grande and for Rodriguez, you have to prioritize the health of the athletes – both human and equine. While neither of them will run in Louisville, it’s better to keep them healthy as possible for future so they can take part in other races.
Baffert stands with Rodriguez, one of two scratches from Saturday’s main event
Who’s the Favorite?
There’s a reason why Journalism is FanDuel’s odds-on favorite at 3-1.
His speed figures have been a standout among his division all season long and he looks better each race.
Journalism has won four races in a row and has beaten some of the best in the sport.
He even walks like a champion, with his stride this week looking like a panther’s – walking tall, with confidence, and not seeming distracted by the noise or the cameras.
The only knock I can find with Journalism is that he hasn’t raced in large fields. He’s only been in one race with more than four competitors and is set to race in a Derby field of 19.
So while he makes sense on paper, there could be adversity if he’s stuck in traffic.
Journalism is the top contender in the field this year having won four races this season
What about the Dark Horses? Horses to watch from FanDuel’s Dubbs Anderson
I can’t believe I’m saying this, but this might be the year that a Japanese horse finally wins the Kentucky Derby.
After poking around for years – including last year, when two horses from ‘The Land of the Rising Sun’ finished in the top-five – we may finally have a thoroughbred that stands atop the podium.
There are two Japanese horses in this race: Admire Daytona at 30-1 odds and Luxor Cafe at 15-1.
While Admire Daytona is capable of winning, I’m taking a long look at Luxor Cafe.
For starters, Luxor Cafe comes from championship lineage as the son of Triple Crown winner American Pharoah.
But more than that, he’s been highly successful coming into the Derby and is ridden by Hong Kong-based jockey Joao Moreira, who has won up and down the Eastern Hemisphere.
Everything is there for Luxor Cafe to win this race, but he’s under the radar due to the simple fact that he’s not an American horse. Look to Luxor Cafe to be a shocker on Saturday.
Luxor Cafe could be the first Japanese horse in history to win the Kentucky Derby