Kentucky Derby Odds: Longshots Worth Betting on in Run for the Roses

With the Kentucky Derby just about a week away, anticipation is mounting for horse enthusiasts everywhere. Even if you aren't up on your ponies, though, there is a good chance that you have placed a bet on the run for the roses in the past, or that you perhaps intend to do precisely that this year.

There is no exact science when it comes to betting on horses, but if you're somebody who likes longshots, then this article is for you. There are a couple prohibitive favorites in Bodemeister and Union Rags who have looked quite good, but literally anything can happen at Churchill Downs, so you may be best off looking at some underdogs.

Here are three horses who nobody is giving much of a chance to come out on top, but all of whom have the tools to cross the finish line first:

Prospective (50/1)

Prospective may be the longest shot on this list, but there are quite a few reasons to like him. He is coming off a sixth place finish in the Blue Grass Stakes, which may not seem particularly good but allowed him to get valuable experience. He got his three-year old career off to a good start earlier in the year by winning the Tampa Bay Derby as well, so he has some quality victories under his belt.

Prospective's trainer, Mark Casse, has over 1,000 wins in his career, but he is still looking for the big one. Few expect that Prospective will be the one to bring Casse to the winner's circle in the Kentucky Derby, but if he can set the pace and keep it, then all bets are off.

Liaison (45/1)

Liaison is a fairly unheralded horse, but he has a lot working in his favor, even as a 45/1 shot. The biggest reason for optimism is that Liaison is trained by the legendary Bob Baffert. There is no doubt that Baffert's other horse, Bodemeister, is receiving a lot more publicity at this point, but it wouldn't be fair to sleep on Liaison. 

He ran the Santa Anita Derby a few weeks back and only finished in sixth, but it allowed him to get a good feel for what he'll experience at the Kentucky Derby, especially racing against the likes of I'll Have Another and Creative Cause. Liaison may not get a lot of play, but you can never count out a Baffert-trained horse.

Daddy Nose Best (30/1)

Not only is Daddy Nose Best coming off a win in the Sunland Derby, but he will be saddled by one of Churchill Downs' most decorated jockeys never to win a Kentucky Derby in Julien Leparoux. He became just the second jockey ever, along with Pat Day, to ride seven horses to a victory on a single card at Churchill Downs in 2007.

Leparoux has also had success on the Breeders Cup stage as well, winning five faces at that venue. Like the other horses on this list, Daddy Nose Best hasn't gotten a lot of attention, but he may have the best chance to win of all the longshots. His odds aren't as eye popping, but there is no question that a win would surprise many and line your pockets if you take him.