American Pharoah Regains Role as Kentucky Derby Favorite

Zayat Stables’ American Pharoah has regained the role as the early betting favorite for the 141st Kentucky Derby in the latest odds released this week by Odds Shark. 

The Bob Baffert trainee won the $750,000 Rebel Stakes (G2) last Saturday at Oaklawn Park in his return off a five-and-a-half month layoff, with his price dropping from 8-1 last week to his current odds of 9-2.

The colt had been the betting favorite for the Run for the Roses since winning the Frontunner (G1) at Santa Anita on Sept. 27 but had to share top honors with his stablemate Dortmund last week after that colt was an impressive winner of the San Felipe (G2) at Santa Anita on March 7.

The pair was both listed at early Derby betting odds of 8-1 last week at Odds Shark.

The twosome gives the Hall of Famer Baffert a dynamic duo heading for Churchill Downs as the trainer seeks his fourth win in the Kentucky Derby and first since War Emblem won in 2002. Baffert won back to back with Silver Charm and Real Quiet in 1997 and 1998.

American Pharoah won the Eclipse Award for top juvenile of 2014 with his two Grade 1 wins in the Del Mar Futurity and Frontrunner. The colt would have been the morning-line favorite for the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile, (G1) but a foot issue knocked him out of the race and to the sidelines.

The Rebel win was worth 50 points as part of the Road to the Derby series, and with his 10 points he earned in the Frontrunner, the colt is currently fifth in the Road to the Derby points standings with 60, more than enough to assure a ticket to Louisville, Kentucky.

The colt will make his final prep for the Run for the Roses in the $1 million Arkansas Derby (G1) at Oaklawn Park on April 11.

Dortmund, who saw his price drop to 7-1 this week at Odds Shark in early Derby wagering, will make his final prep in the $1 million Santa Anita Derby (G1) on April 4.

Uncredited/Associated Press

The other big mover over the past couple of weeks in early Kentucky Derby wagering is Carpe Diem from the Todd Pletcher barn.

The colt returned off nearly a four-month layoff to win the Tampa Bay Derby (G2) on March 7. The colt had shown plenty of promise as a juvenile last year, with a victory in the Breeders’ Futurity (G1) and a second-place finish in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1) behind Texas Red as the beaten favorite.

Before his Tampa Bay Derby victory, his early Derby odds were at 20-1, but two weeks later his price has been slashed to 10-1, good for third choice among Kentucky Derby contenders.

His final prep for the Kentucky Derby will come in the $1 million Blue Grass Stakes (G1) at Keeneland on April 4.

There are two Road to the Derby points races this weekend. On Saturday, a field of 11 Derby hopefuls will line up in the $550,000 Spiral Stakes (G3) at Turfway Park, and on Sunday eight will battle in the $800,000 Sunland Derby (G3) at Sunland Park.

Odds courtesy of Odds Shark

Follow Michael Dempsey on Twitter @turfnsport