Kentucky Derby Odds 2014: Updated Vegas Lines and Predictions After Post Draw

Hear that? It's casual and hardcore bettors racing to Las Vegas in a stampede to throw down hard-earned cash on the 2014 Kentucky Derby odds that are now set in stone after the post-position draw.

While there were odds available before the draw—a risky endeavor, no doubt—now it's easy to see which jockey-horse combos have favorable or iffy odds based on the skill of the duo and the historical performance of each position.

As CBS' Kenneth Moultry points out, the post draw decides the fate of many:

Here's a look at the draw results, updated Vegas odds and some predictions to take to the bank now that we know the official order.

Official Post Positions

Post	Horse	Jockey	Trainer	Owner
1	Vicar's In Trouble	Rosie Napravnik	Mike Maker	Kenneth L. and Sarah K. Ramsey
2	Harry's Holiday	Corey Lanerie	Mike Maker	Skychai Racing LLC, Sand Dollar Stable LLC, Terry Raymond and Jana Wagner
3	Uncle Sigh	Irad Ortiz Jr.	Gary Contessa	Wounded Warrior Stables and Anthony C. Robertson
4	Danza	Joe Bravo	Todd Pletcher	Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners
5	California Chrome	Victor Espinoza	Art Sherman	Steve and Carolyn Coburn & Perry and Denise Martin
6	Samraat	Jose Ortiz	Rick Violette Jr.	My Meadowview Farm
7	We Miss Artie	Javier Castellano	Todd Pletcher	Kenneth L. and Sarah K. Ramsey
8	General a Rod	Joel Rosario	Mike Maker	Starlight Racing and Skychai Racing LLC
9	Vinceremos	Joe Rocco Jr.	Todd Pletcher	WinStar Farm LLC and Twin Creeks Racing
10	Wildcat Red	Luis Saez	Jose Garoffalo	Honors Stable Corp.
11	Hoppertunity	Mike Smith	Bob Baffert	Karl Watson, Mike Pegram and Paul Weitman
12	Dance With Fate	Corey Nakatani	Peter Eurton	S. Alesia, Bran Jam Stable and Ciaglia Racing LLC
13	Chitu	Martin Garcia	Bob Baffert	Tanma Corporation
14	Medal Count	Robby Albarado	Dale Romans	Spendthrift Farm
15	Tapiture	Ricardo Santana Jr.	Steve Asmussen	Winchell Thoroughbreds
16	Intense Holiday	John Velazquez	Todd Pletcher	Starlight Racing
17	Commanding Curve	Shaun Bridgmohan	Dallas Stewart	West Point Thoroughbreds
18	Candy Boy	Gary Stevens	John Sadler	C R K Stable LLC
19	Ride On Curlin	Calvin Borel	William G. Gowan	Daniel J. Dougherty
20	Wicked Strong	Rajiv Maragh	James A. Jerkens	Centennial Farms

Updated Vegas Odds

Horse	Odds
California Chrome	11-4
Wicked Strong	7-1
Danza	9-1
Hoppertunity	10-1
Samraat	16-1
Intense Holiday	18-1
Dance With Fate	20-1
Ride On Curlin	20-1
Vicar's in Trouble	20-1
Wildcat Red	20-1
Candy Boy	25-1
Tapiture	28-1
Social Inclusion	33-1
General a Rod	33-1
Chitu	33-1
We Miss Artie	40-1
Medal Count	40-1
Uncle Sigh	40-1
Commanding Curve	40-1
Vinceremos	50-1
Harry's Holiday	50-1

Predictions

California Chrome Blows Away the Field

Uncredited/Associated Press

Look, the draw was going to change little in regard to one thing this year—California Chrome remains the favorite.

In fact, take it to the bank that California Chrome rides to the finish line first.

Post position is one thing, but recent dominance and training quality are others. California Chrome comes into the race with major advantages in both. Not only has he won four races in a row, but trainer Art Sherman is also a legend with experience at the Derby that dates back as far as 1955.

There's a reason California Chrome's owners have turned down lucrative offers for their prized horse, as Yahoo! Sports' Pat Forde captures:

California Chrome is the sexy pick, and sometimes that's the only way to roll. As Forde points out, the fifth post is not a bad thing in any way: 

Those who want to play it safe and earn some easy cash are in good hands thanks to Sherman and the horse on the biggest roll of all.

Hoppertunity Comes in a Close Second

Garry Jones/Associated Press

Deja vu, no?

Hoppertunity came in second place recently at the Santa Anita Derby behind California Chrome and displayed great closing speed that makes the horse a favorite at Churchill Downs.

The only issue here is just how great Chrome has been and the fact he didn't race as a two-year-old and has little experience in a field with so many other contestants.

Now take the post position into consideration. Eleven is a sound way to start for a horse that needed to avoid the clutter and get off to a fast break. Sports Illustrated's Tim Layden put it best:

All things considered, closing speed will once again play a big factor for Hoppertunity, but it simply won't be enough to take down the top horse in the field.

Danza Shocks the Field and Stays in Contention to Finish Third

Morry Gash/Associated Press

Any horse named after Tony Danza has to do great on such a big stage, right?

There's a lot to like about Danza, including a recent win at the Arkansas Derby by quite a large margin. But there's also reason to exercise caution, such as the fact the horse spent seven months near the tail end of last year rehabbing a knee injury.

Danza has the look of a healthy, dominant horse. Now add in a very interesting draw position, as Forde details: 

Translation—Danza is a major beneficiary of the draw and is therefore an extremely strong bet for those who want a little more return on their bets.