Kentucky Derby 2012 Post Time: Updated Listings for 138th Derby
No matter which horse you choose to bet on among this year's headliners, you can't really go wrong. Unfortunately, you can't really go right, either.
In one of the most wide-open fields since Barbaro took the win in 2006, the odds currently stand in Bodemeister's favor, but with Union Rags, Gemologist, Dullahan and Creative Cause right behind him, there are a plethora of good options to choose from and no definitive answer for which one will rise above the rest.
At least 12 of the 20 horses have a legitimate shot at winning it all at Churchill Downs, which means there may not be a future Triple Crown winner among the bunch, but at least it'll be one of the most fun races to watch in years.
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Here's everything you need to know about the 138th running of the Kentucky Derby.
Date: May 5, 2012
Start Time: 6:24 p.m. ET (Coverage begins at 4 p.m. ET)
How to Watch
TV: NBC
Radio: The Horse Racing Radio Network Live Stream, beginning at 5 p.m. ET
Live Stream: NBC Sports, 4 p.m. ET
Horses to Watch
Of course, most of the dialogue leading up to the race has been dedicated to Bodemeister, the 4-1 favorite who's been trained by three-time winner Bob Baffert.
Oddsmaker Mike Battaglia admitted to being swayed by the colt's astonishing finish in the Arkansas Derby, where he won by nine-and-a-half lengths. That was one of the only elements that set him apart from Union Rags.
But there are a couple of things working against the favorite.
For one thing, it's been 130 years since a horse that didn't race as a two-year-old won the Derby. And secondly, there's no consensus that he's much better than Union Rags, whose odds of winning are slightly less at 9-2.
Union Rags is trained by Michael Matz, who also trained Barbaro when he won in 2006—and Matz is unintimidated by a less-than-ideal No. 4 post position. The majority of experts from The New York Times, The Courier-Journal, the New York Daily News and Churchill Downs are all picking him to win, according to CBSNews.com.
Though those two are the horses dominating the majority of the pre-race hype, other solid bets are Creative Cause—who's finished on the board in all eight of his career races and has never lost by more than a length—and Gemologist, the only horse who enters the Derby with an undefeated record but has largely been untested in his wins.
Prediction
Union Rags is the winner. Michael Matz has the magic, and the odds-on favorite rarely wins, anyway. Behind him, Bodemeister will place and Creative Cause will show.
You can find complete updated odds for the race here, and below is the complete 20-horse field.
| 1. | Daddy Long Legs | 30-1 |
| 2. | Optimizer | 50-1 |
| 3. | Take Charge Indy | 10-1 |
| 4. | Union Rags | 9-2 |
| 5. | Dullahan | 8-1 |
| 6. | Bodemeister | 9-2 |
| 7. | Rousing Sermon | 30-1 |
| 8. | Creative Cause | 12-1 |
| 9. | Trinniberg | 50-1 |
| 10. | Daddy Nose Best | 15-1 |
| 11. | Alpha | 15-1 |
| 12. | Prospective | 30-1 |
| 13. | Went The Day Well | 20-1 |
| 14. | Hansen | 10-1 |
| 15. | Gemologist | 6-1 |
| 16. | El Padrino | 20-1 |
| 17. | Done Talking | 50-1 |
| 18. | Sabercat | 50-1 |
| 19. | I'll Have Another | 12-1 |
| 20. | Liaison | 50-1 |
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