Kentucky Derby 2013: Goldencents and More Favorites Worth Betting

Whether you are a serious horse racing enthusiast or a casual fan that only watches the Triple Crown races, a smart and simple betting strategy that will likely net a profit is to play the favorites.

In the 2013 Kentucky Derby, there are a number of contenders that have separated themselves from the rest of the field and the odds reflect that.

While the return on investment won’t be enormous, these thoroughbreds are simply too good to lose. Keep reading to find out about the handful of competitors that are almost guaranteed to hit the board on Saturday. 

Odds courtesy of AllHorseRacing.ag.

Goldencents: 10-1

Goldencents has been generating some buzz leading up to the Run for the Roses. He’s co-owned by Louisville Cardinals basketball coach Rick Pitino, who is fresh off a national championship victory.

This horse is also notable for being trained by the controversial but undeniably successful Doug O’Neill—who won two of the three Triple Crown races (Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes) with I’ll Have Another in 2012.

In addition to the big names surrounding this contender, Goldencents is a strong runner that absolutely deserves consideration for a to-win bet on May 4.

His style perfectly suits the 10-furlong stretch at Churchill Downs. Jockey Kevin Krigger will look to take the three-year-old out of the gate fast and maintain that pace from wire to wire.

If he can dig deep down the stretch, there’s no doubting Goldencents will be at the front of the pack when he crosses the finish the line.

 

Itsmyluckyday: 12-1

Itsmyluckyday is an intriguing horse to bet on in “The Most Exciting Two Minutes in Sports.”

While his prep career wasn’t outstanding—a win at Holy Bull and second place at the Florida Derby—he’s been from the Seattle Slew line and possesses much potential due to his running style.

Jockey Elvis Trujillo is extremely experienced and will have the option of either stalking off the lead and waiting to make a big break down the stretch or attempting to take an early lead and maintaining it for the duration of the race.

Trainer Eddie Plesa Jr. has done an admirable job developing the thoroughbred for a variety of situations, which could pay off with a blanket of roses being placed on Itsmyluckyday.

Don’t be afraid to take this adaptable contender regardless of the odds or what post position he draws on Wednesday evening.

 

Verrazano: 9-2

Along with Orb, Verrazano is currently the co-favorite to win the 2013 Kentucky Derby.

The Todd Pletcher-trained horse comes into this after a short but extremely successful prep period, having won all four of his starts.

He began competitive racing on New Year's Day and put together his best performance at the Tampa Bay Derby by absolutely destroying the competition. Verrazano followed that up with a good showing at Wood Memorial at Aqueduct, beating out Normandy Invasion and Vyjack—two other Derby horses.

John Velazquez will be on board at Churchill Downs this weekend, hoping to win this event for a second time—his first win coming in 2011 with Animal Kingdom.

Verrazano himself has everything you look for in a winning thoroughbred, as he has immense size and a powerful appearance. As you watch him seamlessly glide across the track at blistering speed, it’s hard to imagine he has another gear for the stretch run.

However, Verrazano can turn on the jets in the final lengths to leave the rest of the field in the dust. It’s extremely possible he does exactly that and coasts to an easy victory on Saturday.