Kentucky Derby 2023: Projected Prize Money Earnings, Order of Finish and More

The Kentucky Derby is set for Saturday at 6:57 p.m. ET from Louisville's Churchill Downs. This year's race looks tightly contested with a host of horses making good cases to find themselves in the winner's circle.

As usual, a lot of money is on the line as well. The Kentucky Derby purse was raised to $3 million in 2019 after sitting at $2 million from 2005-2018.

Here's a look at the purse breakdown alongside the projected top finishers, as well as some notes on a few horses who have moved up the odds ledger this week.

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Kentucky Derby Purse

1. $1.86 million

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Projected Top Finishers

1. Tapit Trice (6-1)

2. Confidence Game (20-1)

3. Angel of Empire (6-1)

4. Two Phil's (8-1)

Odds via Kentucky Derby website and accurate as of 9:15 a.m. ET on Saturday.

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Angel of Empire (6-1)

After pre-race favorite Forte (4-1) was scratched on Saturday morning, Angel of Empire is now the co-favorite in this Kentucky Derby, with Tapit Trice also landing at 6-1.

There's a lot going in Angel of Empire's favor. For starters, he has a Kentucky Derby-winning jockey in Flavien Prat, who rode 65-1 Country House to victory in 2019.

He also has a Kentucky Derby-winning trainer in Brad H. Cox, who guided Mandaloun to the winner's circle in 2021.

Angel of Empire is also looking good heading into the Run for the Roses.

Angel of Empire is also rolling into Churchill Downs off the hooves of wins at the Risen Star Stakes and the Arkansas Derby.

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Two Phil's (8-1)

Two Phil's started at 12-1 on the initial morning line odds, but he's since moved to 8-1, the fourth-shortest odds in the field.

He's entering the Derby off a win at the Jeff Ruby Steaks, and trainer Larry Rivelli has confidence in the horse.

"I'd have found a different course for this horse if I didn't think he could win. Believe me, I'm the last guy that wants to go put a suit on and walk around with the big shots," Rivelli said to Marcus Hersh of Daily Racing Forum.

Two Phil's does have a tough starting spot at No. 3, and horse racing analyst Kevin Gorg told David Griswold of KARE 11 that he might encounter some issues.

"He won't have a chance to go outside and go around horses, he's going to have to sit inside and he's going to have to wait for something to open up," Gorg said.

"Sometimes it does and sometimes it doesn't when you get 20 horses, so there'll need to be some racing luck there, but what an opportunity for this kid."

If you're wondering about the origin of the name, owner Phil Sagan explained it away to Gabby Gaudet of FanDuel TV.

Two Phil's may not have the pedigree, reputation or connections that horses higher up on the odds ledger hold, but he's one to watch as a potential winner Saturday.