Kentucky Derby 2023: Odds, Pedigree, Jockey Info for Favorites and More Horses
A lot goes into building a Kentucky Derby winner. Having a capable horse is critical, obviously, but it takes the proper training and guidance for even the best horses to cross the wire first.
Experience, as they say, goes a long way.
In this year's field, trainers Brad H. Cox, Bill Mott and Todd A. Pletcher have experience winning the Run for the Roses. Likewise, jockeys Joel Rosario, Florent Geroux and Flavien Pratt have claimed victory in the Kentucky Derby. Jockey Velazquez has done it three times (2011, 2017, 2020).
What are the teams and the history behind this year's Kentucky Derby favorites? Let's take a look.
The 149th Kentucky Derby
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When: Saturday, May 6
Where: Churchill Downs in Louisville
Post Time: 6:57 p.m. ET
TV Coverage: 12-7:30 p.m. ET
TV and Live Stream: NBC, NBCSports.com, NBC Sports App and Peacock
Post Positions and Odds
No. 1: Hit Show 30-1
No. 2: Verifying 15-1
No. 3: Two Phil's 12-1
No. 4: Confidence Game 20-1
No. 5: Tapit Trice 5-1
No. 6: Kingsbarns 12-1
No. 7: Reincarnate 50-1
No. 8: Mage 15-1
No. 9: Skinner 20-1
No. 10: Practical Move 10-1
No. 11: Disarm 30-1
No. 12: Jace's Road 50-1
No. 13: Sun Thunder 50-1
No. 14: Angel of Empire 8-1
No. 15: Forte 3-1
No. 16: Raise Cain 50-1
No. 17: Derma Sotogake 10-1
No. 18: Rocket Can 30-1
No. 19: Lord Miles 30-1
No. 20: Continuar 50-1
No. 21: Cyclone Mischief 30-1
No. 22: Mandarin Hero 20-1
No. 23: King Russell 50-1
*Odds via KentuckyDerby.com
Forte 3-1
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Trainer: Todd A. Pletcher
Jockey: Irad Ortiz Jr.
Lineage: Violence and Queen Caroline
Forte is one of two Pletcher-trained horses who sit among the early favorites, and for good reason.
Pletcher has trained two Derby winners, Super Saver in 2010 and Always Dreaming in 2017. That's a solid track record, and Forte's is equally strong.
The Kentucky-bred colt comes in on a five-race winning streak and has victories at the Fountain of Youth Stakes and the Florida Derby this year. Forte also won the FanDuel Breeders' Cup Juvenile Claiborne Breeders' Futurity in 2022.
Forte also has a favorable post position at the No. 15 gate. He won't start from too far outside, where horses can get left behind early, or too far inside, where they can be pinned behind a crowded rail.
While jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. has never won the Kentucky Derby, he took home a victory in last year's Belmont Stakes with Mo Donegal. Ortiz also won the 2016 Belmont atop Creator.
Tapit Trice 6-1
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Trainer: Todd A. Pletcher
Jockey: Luis Saez
Lineage: Tapit and Danzatrice
While Tapit Trice has slightly longer odds than Forte, he stands a very good chance of getting Pletcher a third Derby winner.
Tapit Trice is on a four-race winning streak with victories at the Toyota Bluegrass Stakes and the Lambholm South Tampa Bay Derby. Like Forte, Tapit Trice drew a favorable position at the No. 5 gate, a spot that has yielded the most Kentucky Derby winners (10) since the starting gate was introduced in 1930.
According to Pletcher, though, positioning might not matter for this horse.
"In Tapit Trice’s case, it didn’t matter what post position he drew," Pletcher said, per Jason Frakes of the Louisville Courier-Journal.
Tapit Trice was sired by Tapit, who has four Belmont winners—Essential Quality, Tonalist, Creator and Tapwrit—among his progeny.
Jockey Luis Saez rode Essential Quality to victory at the Belmont in 2021 and won the Kentucky Oaks atop Secret Oath last spring.
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Angel of Empire 8-1
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Trainer: Brad H. Cox
Jockey: Flavien Prat
Lineage: Classic Empire and Armony's Angel
Cox is searching for his second Derby win after taking home the 2021 prize with Mandaloun. Angel of Empire gives him a solid chance to do it.
Angel of Empire is coming off of wins at the Arkansas Derby and the Risen Star 5, with a second-place finish at the Smarty Jones Stakes. The win at the Arkansas Derby was particularly impressive.
Like Pletcher's two favorites, Angel of Empire has a favorable position, running from the 14th gate.
"Flavien will be able to break running and get a good spot mid-pack. That's what I'm envisioning," Cox said, per Gary B. Graves of the Associated Press.
Prat could be a difference-maker here, given his past success in Triple Crown races. He won the 2021 Preakness Stakes atop Rombauer and won the 2019 Kentucky Derby with Country House. Prat won last year's Breeder's Cup with Flightline.
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