Kentucky Derby 2015 Odds: Examining Lines, Payouts for Field at Churchill Downs
The Kentucky Derby is hailed as one of horse racing's biggest annual fixtures first and foremost, but it also provides the betting audience with a superb opportunity to make their money on the side.
The announcement of Wednesday's post positions altered the odds slightly, with some horses faring better than others in regards to where they'll begin Saturday's Run of the Roses.
Leading into the first leg of this year's Triple Crown, we've taken a look at the latest odds in an attempt to determine which outside bets offer the best bang for your buck.
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| 1 | Ocho Ocho Ocho | Elvis Trujillo | Jim Cassidy | 25-1 | 50-1 |
| 2 | Carpe Diem | John Velazquez | Todd Pletcher | 17-2 | 8-1 |
| 3 | Materiality | Javier Castellano | Todd Pletcher | 16-1 | 12-1 |
| 4 | Tencendur | Manny Franco | George Weaver | 50-1 | 30-1 |
| 5 | Danzig Moon | Julien Leparoux | Mark Casse | 40-1 | 30-1 |
| 6 | Mubtaahij | Christophe Soumillon | Mike de Kock | 12-1 | 20-1 |
| 7 | El Kabeir | Calvin Borel | John Terranova II | 33-1 | 30-1 |
| 8 | Dortmund | Martin Garcia | Bob Baffert | 7-2 | 3-1 |
| 9 | Bolo | Rafael Bejarano | Carla Gaines | 40-1 | 30-1 |
| 10 | Firing Line | Gary Stevens | Simon Callaghan | 16-1 | 12-1 |
| 11 | International Star | Miguel Mena | Mike Maker | 22-1 | 20-1 |
| 12 | Itsaknockout | Luis Saez | Todd Pletcher | 33-1 | 30-1 |
| 13 | Keen Ice | Kent Desormeaux | Dale Romans | 50-1 | 50-1 |
| 14 | Frosted | Joel Rosario | Kiaran McLaughlin | 16-1 | 15-1 |
| 15 | War Story | Joe Talamo | Tom Amoss | 50-1 | 50-1 |
| 16 | Mr. Z | Ramon Vazquez | D. Wayne Lukas | 50-1 | 50-1 |
| 17 | American Pharoah | Victor Espinoza | Bob Baffert | 13-5 | 5-2 |
| 18 | Upstart | Jose Ortiz | Rick Violette Jr. | 22-1 | 15-1 |
| 19 | Far Right | Mike Smith | Ron Moquett | 40-1 | 30-1 |
| 20 | Frammento | Corey Nakatani | Nick Zito | N/A | N/A |
All odds come courtesy of Odds Shark and are correct as of 9 a.m. ET on May 1.
Firing Line, 16-1
Situated smack-bang in the middle of the pack at No. 10, Firing Line faces a fight to get out of his opponents' crosshairs, but the colt stands a good chance if able to emerge from that bundle.
Firing Line's most recent outing was a dominant run in the Grade III Sunland Derby. The official Twitter account of the National Thoroughbred Racing Association reveals he has a penchant for placing highly:
Riding the three-year-old on Saturday will be Gary Stevens, one of the most experienced jockeys taking part in this year's Kentucky Derby and a Hall of Fame entrant.
Stevens has won a terrific tally of nine Triple Crown races in total, three of which have been Kentucky Derbies.
Earlier this year, Firing Line faced off with Saturday's Kentucky Derby second favorite, Dortmund, in the Bob Lewis Stakes, placing second to the heavy hitter and proving he can contend against stiff opposition:
Should luck smile a little more favorably on him this weekend and Stevens' wise touch proves as influential as it can, his 16-1 billing may be made to look that much more valuable.
International Star, 22-1
Three successive wins coming into Saturday's Derby ensures International Star is riding a wave of good form into this weekend's main attraction, although none of those were Grade I meets.
That being said, HRTV have nonetheless highlighted his success heading to Churchill Downs, where a taste for leading the pack could have massive benefits:
Owner Ken Ramsey is Kentucky born and bred, with as much reason as any other to be seeking Roses glory. The underdog tag attached to this outsider could work in their favor.
International Star's trainer, Mike Maker, spoke to the Blood-Horse this week and insisted being "under the radar" suits the team fine, with no undue attention likely to spoil their prize hopes:
International Star does have some history in this race, sired by 2000 Kentucky Derby winner Fusaichi Pegasus, who also held a winning streak coming into that achievement.
Superstitious, perhaps, but it could be the family's knack for building off Kentucky success sees International Star emerge from obscurity to claim a most grand prize 15 years down the line.
Frosted, 16-1
Trainer Kiaran McLaughlin is looking to eclipse his victory in the 2006 Belmont Stakes this weekend, where Frosted leads his stable with some favorable chances at the Kentucky Derby.
McLaughlin spoke to Horse Racing Nation this week to expand on what he expects from his front-runner on Saturday and hailed the connection between Frosted and jockey Joel Rosario:
Rosario made his Kentucky Derby debut only five years ago but has quickly become a respected among these circles, having already triumphed in the Derby aboard Orb two years ago.
After placing fourth at the Fountain of Youth in February, Frosted perhaps didn't look up to the challenge of competing for a Triple Crown, but everything came together at the right moment for him and Rosario at Wood Memorial.
There, the pair made the step up to Grade I and a distance of 1.125 miles as McLaughlin would have hoped, with owners Godolphin Racing undoubtedly striving to see more of the same on Saturday.
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