Kentucky Derby 2018 Contenders: Horse Pedigree and Jockey Info for Top Favorites

The turn from April to May every year means just one thing for horse racing fans, the Kentucky Derby is at hand.

The 144th edition of the Run for the Roses will take place on Saturday, and Justify is the current favourite. 

The Bob Baffert-trained colt is unbeaten in three career starts and heads the betting ahead of Mendelssohn and Audible.

Here are the latest odds for the 2018 Kentucky Derby, per OddsShark:

Justify +300

Mendelssohn +400

Audible +650

Magnum Moon +800

Bolt d'Oro +900

Good Magic +1100

Vino Rosso +1600

Hofburg +1800

Noble Indy +2000

Solomini +2200

My Boy Jack +2500

Enticed +2500

Promises Fulfilled +3300

Free Drop Billy +3300

Flameaway +3300

Restoring Hope +4000

Firenze Fire +4000

Lone Sailor +4000

Quip +4000

Combatant +4000

Reride +5000

Snapper Sinclair +5000

Bravazo +5000

Dream Baby Dream +6600

Mike E. Smith, who rode Giacomo to Kentucky Derby glory at Churchill Downs back in 2005, will be the jockey tasked with steering Justify to victory in 2018.

Sired by 2007 Florida Derby winner Scat Daddy, Justify's dam is Stage Magic, who won three of her 12 starts.

Justify comes into the 2018 Kentucky Derby on the back of an impressive win at the Santa Anita Derby in April, a race in which Bolt d'Oro was second. 

Mendelssohn is trained by legendary Irish trainer Aidan O'Brien and was also sired by Scat Daddy, while his dam is Leslie's Lady, Kentucky Broodmare of the Year in 2016.

Englishman Ryan Moore, champion jockey in 2006, 2008 and 2009, is set to ride the second favourite, as discussed by O'Brien on At The Races:

Moore will forego the chance to ride in the 2,000 Guineas at Newmarket in England in order to jockey Mendelssohn in Louisville, Kentucky, a potential indication of how much confidence he has in the horse.

Meanwhile, Audible is likely to be Todd Pletcher's best chance of training back-to-back Derby winners following Always Dreaming's success in 2017.

The colt, son of Into Mischief and Blue Devil Bel, was ridden to victory in the 2018 Florida Derby by John Velazquez.

But, per Ed McNamara of Newsday, the two-time Kentucky Derby winner has opted to ride Vino Rosso this year at Churchill Downs.

It means Javier Castellano will take charge of Audible as he looks to ride his first-ever Kentucky Derby winner.