Kentucky Derby 2019: Complete Odds and Analysis for Top Contenders

The 2019 Kentucky Derby will be run on May 4, with a new group of contenders bidding for Triple Crown glory.

The post draw has yet to be finalised for the 145th Run for the Roses, but there are some early front-runners emerging with bookmakers. Those include Omaha Beach and Bob Baffert-trained pair Roadster and Improbable.

Here are the odds, according to Oddschecker:

• Omaha Beach, 6-1
• Game Winner, 7-1
• Roadster, 7-1
• Improbable, 8-1
• Tacitus, 10-1
• Maximum Security, 12-1
• Vekoma, 14-1
• Code of Honor, 16-1
• Cutting Humor, 25-1
• By My Standards, 25-1
• Win Win Win, 25-1
• Tax, 25-1
• War of Will, 25-1
• Spinoff, 33-1
• Haikal, 33-1
• Plus Que Parfait, 33-1
• Long Range Toddy, 33-1
• Country House, 33-1
• Gray Magician, 50-1
• Master Fencer, 66-1

Omaha Beach, 6-1

Omaha Beach is the leading contender heading into the showpiece at Churchill Downs, having won each of his past three races, including the Rebel Stakes and the Arkansas Derby.

Here's a look at his performance in the latter:

Horse racing experts Jeremy Balan and Jay Privman were impressed with his showing:

Omaha Beach's winning performances bode well for his chances in Kentucky, and so too does his jockey.

He'll be ridden over the 10 furlongs by Mike Smith, who rode Justify to a historic Triple Crown victory last year.

If he can avoid an unfavourable gate in the post position draw, he looks to have a good chance of winning on May 4.

Improbable, 8-1

Improbable finished second in the Rebel Stakes and the Arkansas Derby. He only came up against Omaha Beach in the latter, as the former was split into different divisions.

As the Daily Racing Form's Mary Rampellini shared, here's how Improbable fared on the final straight against Omaha Beach:

Improbable does have winning experience despite those two runner-up finishes, having won each of his three races in 2018.

One of those came at Churchill Downs, where he has been for some time, per Thoroughbred Insider's Nicole Schiveley:

Five-time winning trainer Baffert will hope Improbable's early settling in Kentucky and his experience there can get him back to winning form.

Roadster, 7-1

Roadster is also trained by Baffert, and he has won three of his four career starts.

That includes the Santa Anita Derby, which he won with a strong finish from behind on April 6:

Per Mike Curry of America's Best Racing, coming from off the pace isn't Roadster's typical style. In his other victories, he would be close to the front before accelerating to the finish.

In Curry's opinion: "That versatility could prove extremely beneficial in the Kentucky Derby, where jockeys are trying to gauge pace, avoid traffic and overcome the adversity that comes with a field of 20 three-year-olds racing in front of 150,000 fans."

Having had throat surgery on a breathing problem last year, Roadster hasn't made as many starts as some of his rivals.

While it means he has less racing experience, it might also make him a little fresher heading into the Derby.