Kentucky Derby 2017: Early Odds and Predictions for Entire Entry Lineup

Tensions are bubbling and excitement levels are rising as the opening leg of this year's Triple Crown gets under way with the 2017 Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs in Louisville this Saturday.

"The Fastest Two Minute in Sports" will mark the return of the most eagerly anticipated period in the American horse-racing calendar and bring a climactic end to a fortnight of action at the Kentucky Derby Festival.

Classic Empire features among the favourites running in this year's meeting, but Always Dreaming and Irish War Cry are following up closely in the odds ahead of what's sure to be close run this year.

That being said, a bolter might emerge from the pack to upset the start to this year's Triple Crown and grasp their chance to clinch a piece of horse-race history.

Read on for a comprehensive breakdown of the runners comprising Saturday's race as things stand, complete with odds, previews and finish-place predictions.

Horse	Odds	Race Prediction
Classic Empire	+400 (bet $100 to win $400)	First
Always Dreaming	+500	Fifth
Irish War Cry	+800	Second
Gunnevera	+1000	Eighth
McCraken	+1000	Third
Irap	+1400	10th or worse
Tapwrit	+1400	10th or worse
Gormley	+1600	Ninth
Thunder Snow	+1800	Fourth
Girvin	+2000	10th or worse
Practical Joke	+2000	Seventh
Conquest Mo Money	+2500	10th or worse
J Boys Echo	+2800	10th or worse
Hence	+2800	10th or worse
Lookin At Lee	+5000	10th or worse
State of Honor	+5000	10th or worse
Cloud Computing	+5000	10th or worse
Patch	+5000	10th or worse
Battle of Midway	+5000	10th or worse
Sonneteer	+5000	10th or worse
Royal Mo	+5000	10th or worse
Untrapped	+5000	10th or worse
Fast and Accurate	+6600	10th or worse

All odd provided courtesy of OddsShark.

Thunder Snow

Despite taking root as one of the also-rans of the field, according to bookmakers, United Arab Emirates Derby-winner Thunder Snow will be among the lurking outsiders vying for a top finish in Kentucky this Saturday.

Trainer Saeed Bin Suroor has spoken highly of the colt in the buildup to Saturday's meeting and said he was "so happy" with the progress he's made of late, both in training and in terms of the results he's produced:

The official Kentucky Derby Twitter account posted footage of Thunder Snow arriving at Churchill Downs on Sunday, and the Godolphin resident is set to take to the track on Tuesday for training:

Bin Suroor has had seven runners in the Kentucky Derby in the past, but Thunder Snow—his eighth—will be his first since 2009, perhaps an indication as to how much he trusts the three-year-old following three successive wins.

All three of those victories have come with jockey Christophe Soumillon atop the contender, and the Belgian will be back aboard Thunder Snow this Saturday as they look to continue their flourishing relationship. 

Classic Empire

Classic Empire has been heavily tipped as the favourite to win this year's Kentucky Derby since it emerged he would be contesting, although much will come down to what version of the runner we see on the day.

Guy Martin of Forbes mused the result would lean on whether "the top of his head is gonna pop off," and OddsShark's Jon Campbell recently discussed his chances with analyst Michael Dempsey:

Trainer Mark Casse also has great faith in his charge and indicated to Blood Horse's Erin Shea that he's upbeat about their chances of success:

"

Mark Casse said he wishes #KyDerby was today, Classic Empire doing great. Will gallop tomorrow.

— Erin Shea (@BH_EShea) April 30, 2017"

It's almost poetic that Classic Empire's first race—and career win—came at Churchill Downs in July 2016, and he returns to the scene of that debut feat almost a year on seeking much greater accolades this time around.

A bruised foot did throw some doubt over Class Empire's health, but after winning at the Arkansas Derby in the middle of April, any lingering concerns over his fitness may have been laid to rest.