Kentucky Derby 2016 Odds: Best and Worst Horse-Jockey Tandem to Bet
Sometimes, horse racing doesn't come down to just the horses. The jockey has just as much of an impact once the horse exits the gate.
That could very well be the case when the Kentucky Derby plays out on Saturday. There are horses listed as overwhelming favorites, but it takes the right jockey to lead that horse to victory and deliver you the winnings you get in return.
With at least 20 horses running in the 142nd edition of this classic race at Churchill Downs Racetrack, picking the right horse-jockey combo is vital to your betting success.
.jpg?w=256 "Colts Jaguars Football")
Here's a look at some of those tandems you should look out for on Saturday.
| Nyquist | +300 |
| Exaggerator | +750 |
| Mohaymen | +800 |
| Gun Runner | +900 |
| Creator | +1200 |
| Destin | +1400 |
| Mor Spirit | +1400 |
| Brody's Cause | +1400 |
| Outwork | +1600 |
| Whitmore | +1800 |
| Suddenbreakingnews | +2000 |
| My Man Sam | +2000 |
| Danzing Candy | +2000 |
| Mo Tom | +2200 |
| Lani | +2800 |
| Shagaf | +2800 |
| Majesto | +3300 |
| Tom's Ready | +4000 |
| Trojan Nation | +6600 |
| Oscar Nominated | +6600 |
Best Horse-Jockey Duos
Nyquist, Mario Gutierrez
It would be wise to start with the favorite. Nyquist is 7-for-7 in his career. Since June 5, Nyquist has been the first to cross the finish line each time, and the jockey has been Mario Gutierrez.
With the exception of an eighth-place finish on April 9 while riding Si Sage, Gutierrez has had a string of success since the end of March. That run has involved back-to-back first-place finishes, one of them aboard Nyquist, and three other top-four results.
Nyquist will be running from the No. 13 spot on Saturday. Normally, 13 is an unlucky number in the superstitions world. ESPN.com's Dana O'Neil noted racing from the 13th post may not be a bad thing for Nyquist:
If it's not broke, don't fix it. That's the advantage Nyquist and Gutierrez have, and that will probably be the key to victory on Saturday.
Whitmore, Victor Espinoza
A lot can change in a year.
Last May, Victor Espinoza was the jockey of American Pharoah. They were the favorites at the Kentucky Derby, but no one could've imagined how dominant Espinoza and American Pharoah would be. American Pharoah became the first horse since 1978 to win the Triple Crown.
Espinoza is the reason why you can't count out the horse he'll be riding on Saturday—Whitmore. The three-year-old Gelding has had a strong start to 2016. In four races, Whitmore has finished first once, second twice and third once.
Odds Shark has Whitmore listed at 18-1 as of Thursday. That shouldn't matter to Espinoza, who has won the last two Derbies with California Chrome and American Pharoah. He is happy to be back at Churchill Downs, per Rosemary Feitelberg of WWD.com:
"Physically, my training is exactly the same. But obviously this race is different. The horse that I’m riding is not the favorite. It’s just a regular horse compared to the last two that I rode.
But no matter what horse that I ride in the Kentucky Derby, it is always fun to be part of it. Everybody is excited to be here. Even though Churchill Downs is not so great. Forget about it—the track is just not my favorite. It’s nothing really special except for the Kentucky Derby—only that day.
"
Espinoza is hoping to go 3-for-3 at the Kentucky Derby over the last three years. He's not favored, but as long as Espinoza is the jockey, you shouldn't count out Whitmore.
Worst Horse-Jockey Duos
Trojan Nation, Aaron Gryder
Expect to see a couple of horses and jockeys in this section that are long shots to win. One of those will be the first horse to enter the starting gate: Trojan Nation.
Jockey Aaron Gryder has finishes of ninth and eighth place, respectively, in his last two races. He does have a second-place finish on April 9, thanks to Trojan Nation.
But while Trojan Nation has run well lately, the three-year-old Colt has not won a race in six races since Oct. 10. Trojan Nation's bane was created by a group of USC fans, with owner Aaron Sones leading the charge, according to David Medzerian of USC News.
“I think we’ve got a great shot,” Sones said, per Medzerian.
While it's good to be optimistic, the latest results are not kind to Trojan Nation and Gryder. Trojan Nation is listed a 66-1 selection heading into the Run for the Roses.
Tom's Ready, Brian Hernandez Jr.
The irony of a horse named Tom starting at the No. 12 gate is too good to pass up. New England Patriots fans have to enjoy this.
Nevertheless, while Tom may be ready, the three-year-old Colt might not be ready to win. Jockey Brian Hernandez Jr. and Tom's Ready are listed at 40-1, according to Odds Shark, to win. Tom's Ready has finished second in three of his last four races, so that's not the issue.
The problem is Hernandez. Outside of those three second-place finishes from Tom's Ready, Hernandez has finished 12th twice in the last five races and has a seventh-place finish in that span, as well.
"You just have to leave it up to [Hernandez Jr.],'' said trainer Dallas Stewart, per Jonathan Lintner of the Courier-Journal. "You can't over-coach him. You just have to let it play out. I don't want him to be thinking (too much). I hired him to do the job. He knows how to get it done.''
It would be one of the bigger upsets if Hernandez can bring Tom's Ready to victory, but it doesn't seem likely considering he'll have to run alongside Nyquist along the first part of the track.
.jpg?w=480 "Colts Jaguars Football")
