Kentucky Derby Early Betting: Revolutionary, Goldencents Taking Action
With nearly $600,000 in win betting taken on Friday in advance on the $139th running of the Kentucky Derby (G1), Revolutionary and Goldencents share betting-favorite billing at 5-1.
The Todd Pletcher-trained Revolutionary actually has more money wagered, with $73,955 in the wagering pool compared to $71,010 for Goldencents.
Revolutionary was 10-1 on the morning line set by Churchill Downs linesmaker Mike Battaglia. The colt is coming into the Run for the Roses off a victory in the Withers (G3) at Aqueduct and the Louisiana Derby (G2) at Fair Grounds. The colt will be ridden by three-time Derby-winning jockey Calvin Borel.
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Borel certainly is popular among fans, which might explain the action, as well as the fact that the colt broke his maiden over a wet track and has a strong off-track pedigree.
There is a 90 percent chance of rain in Louisville on Saturday, according to Weather.com.
The Doug O’Neill-trained Goldencents is coming off a win in the Santa Anita Derby (G1) and is right at his morning line odds of 5-1.
Florida Derby (G1) winner Orb was installed as the 7-2 morning line favorite but has drifted up to 6-1 in early betting.
Perhaps the biggest surprise is the undefeated Verrazano, who is the 4-1 second choice on the morning line. The Pletcher trainee has drifted up to 11-1.
The colt closed at 7-1 in Pool 3 of the Kentucky Derby Future Wager on March 22, and has been the betting favorite through most of the spring.
Normandy Invasion, the Chad Brown trainee that rallied to finish second behind Verrazano in the Wood Memorial, is at 8-1, down from his 12-1 morning line.
Arkansas Derby (G2) runner-up Frac Daddy took some action on Friday, closing at 15-1. The Ken McPeek trainee is 50-1 on the morning line.
One of the chilliest in wagering on Friday was Vyjack, who was undefeated in four starts before running third in the Wood. The colt is 15-1 on the morning line but drifted up to 43-1 in early wagering.
Advance wagering was brisk for the Derby. “There was plenty of advance wagering on the Derby on Friday,” stated Barry Dorey, manager at U.S. Racebook, which takes wagers on Churchill Downs and over 100 other tracks in the U.S. and abroad.
“Interest in this year’s Derby is high, and with such a wide-open field, even a little rain will not stop horseplayers from getting down on the two most exciting minutes in sports,“ Dorey added.
Post time for the Kentucky Derby is at 6:24 p.m. ET; the race will be broadcast live on NBC.
Derby Wagering Odds as of Friday
| Friday Odds | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Black Onyx | — | Kelly Breen | Scratched | N/A |
| 2 | Oxbow | Gary Stevens | D. Wayne Lukas | 30-1 | 25-1 |
| 3 | Revolutionary | Calvin Borel | Todd Pletcher | 10-1 | 5-1 |
| 4 | Golden Soul | Robby Albarado | Dallas Stewart | 50-1 | 31-1 |
| 5 | Normandy Invasion | Javier Castellano | Chad Brown | 12-1 | 8-1 |
| 6 | Mylute | Rosie Napravnik | Tom Amoss | 15-1 | 14-1 |
| 7 | Giant Finish | Jose L. Espinoza | Anthony W. Dutrow | 50-1 | 44-1 |
| 8 | Goldencents | Kevin Krigger | Doug O'Neill | 5-1 | 5-1 |
| 9 | Overanalyze | Rafael Bejarano | Todd Pletcher | 15-1 | 14-1 |
| 10 | Palace Malice | Mike Smith | Todd Pletcher | 20-1 | 26-1 |
| 11 | Lines of Battle | Ryan Moore | Aidan O'Brien | 30-1 | 42-1 |
| 12 | Itsmyluckyday | Elvis Trujillo | Eddie Plesa, Jr. | 15-1 | 11-1 |
| 13 | Falling Sky | Luis Saez | John Terranova II | 50-1 | 49-1 |
| 14 | Verrazano | John R. Velazquez | Todd Pletcher | 4-1 | 11-1 |
| 15 | Charming Kitten | Edgar Prado | Todd Pletcher | 20-1 | 32-1 |
| 16 | Orb | Joel Rosario | Claude R. McGaughey III | 7-2 | 6-1 |
| 17 | Will Take Charge | Jon Court | D. Wayne Lukas | 20-1 | 31-1 |
| 18 | Frac Daddy | Victor Lebron | Ken McPeek | 50-1 | 15-1 |
| 19 | Java's War | Julien Leparoux | Ken McPeek | 15-1 | 22-1 |
| 20 | Vyjack | Garrett Gomez | Rudy Rodriguez | 15-1 | 43-1 |
Oaks-Derby Double $2 Will-Pays
1. Black Onyx, scratched
2. Oxbow, $2,133.40
3. Revolutionary, $790
4. Golden Soul, $3,599.20
5. Normandy Invasion, $742
6. Mylute, $1,508.20
7. Giant Finish, $5,844
8. Goldencents, $953.60
9. Overanalyze, $1,246.80
10. Palace Malice, $1,547.60
11. Lines of Battle, $2,337.20
12. Itsmyluckyday, $983
13. Falling Sky, $6,241.40
14. Verrazano, $804.60
15. Charming Kitten, $3,617.80
16. Orb, $621.40
17. Will Take Charge, $3,088
18. Frac Daddy, $3,943.80
19. Java's War, $1,685.60
20. Vyjack, $1,313.80
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