Kentucky Derby Odds 2014: Top Picks, Updated Vegas Lines for 140th Race

Believe it or not, the 2014 Kentucky Derby draw, like any draw for the annual spectacle, is just as important as the race itself.

Just look at the odds.

The Derby itself is guesswork for bettors. This horse is too inside near the rail, so he could simply get lost in the shuffle and never recover, right? That one is far enough outside to break away from the pack, but does he have enough speed to keep pace for the entire two minutes?

Still, it's some of the most fun sports fans can have all year. Do some research on the posts and horses, and walk away with some cash too.

2014 Kentucky Derby Lineup

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 & Jana Wagner
3	Uncle Sigh	Irad Ortiz Jr.	Gary Contessa	Wounded Warrior Stables & 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 & Skychai Racing, LLC
9	Vinceremos	Joe Rococo Jr.	Todd Pletcher	WinStar Farm LLC and Twin Creeks Racing
10	Wildcat Red	Luis Saez	Jose Garoffalo	Honors Stable Corp.
11	Hoppertunity (scratched)	Mike Smith	Bob Baffert	Karl Watson, Mike Pegram & Paul Weitman
12	Dance With Fate	Corey Nakatani	Peter Eurton	S. Alesia, Bran Jam Stable & 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 Odds

Horse	Odds
California Chrome	11-4
Wicked Strong	7-1
Danza	9-1
Hoppertunity	scratched
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

Top Picks

Wicked Strong 7-1

Andy Lyons/Getty Images

Look, California Chrome is the odds-on favorite, but the returns make the investment price a bit too much to ask.

Let's talk some Wicked Strong instead.

Bettors may shy away from Wicked Strong thanks to the No. 20 post, but David Grening of the Daily Racing Form captures the thoughts of those in the know, who suggest the post may work in the horse's favor:

Why perfect? Wicked Strong has steady burst, endurance and, well, a wicked ability to kick into final gear in the closing stretches. Horses with similar skill sets have won from the outside in the past, and, given the odds, Vegas seems to understand that. The payout is worth the risk.

Danza 9-1

Rob Carr/Getty Images

The No. 4 slot isn't horrible, but it's interesting how much firepower Danza has next to him. On one side is California Chrome; on the other side is Uncle Sigh.

So why the favorable odds? Danza might just have the quickest step of all, meaning he has the ability to break free from the pack early and ride strong endurance to the win.

At the Races' Steve Byk says Danza got the best draw of any horse in terms of post and skill set:

Forget skill set for a minute and look at something as simple as history, which Yahoo! Sports' Pat Forde points out:

Any way you slice it, Danza is a superb pick, and the payout is sound.