Kentucky Derby Picks 2019: Predictions for Projected Lineup at Churchill Downs
Twenty horses will attempt to follow in the footsteps of Justify and win the 2019 Kentucky Derby.
Omaha Beach has been established as the favorite to win Saturday's race, but there are a few other horses receiving a good amount of attention as well.
The hype surrounding this year's competitors isn't as big as it was for Justify a year ago, as the Triple Crown winner was an overwhelming favorite going into the Kentucky Derby.
.jpg?w=256 "Colts Jaguars Football")
If you're looking for recent trends to make your winning pick off of, there aren't many to follow, as three different jockeys and three different trainers have won the race since 2016.
Kentucky Derby Field, Post Position
1. War of Will
2. Tax
3. By My Standards
4. Gray Magician
5. Improbable
6. Vekoma
7. Maximum Security
8. Tacitus
9. Plus Que Parfait
10. Cutting Humor
11. Haikal
12. Omaha Beach
13. Code of Honor
14. Win Win Win
15. Master Fencer
16. Game Winner
17. Roadster
18. Long Range Toddy
19. Spinoff
20. Country House
Predictions
At Least 1 of Bob Baffert's Horses Finishes In Top 3
Trainer Bob Baffert has five Kentucky Derby victories, and the last two with American Pharoah and Justify kicked off Triple Crown runs.
Baffert has three horses entered in Saturday's race that could end up placing in the top three.
Improbable has an inside post position at No. 5, while Game Winner and Roadster start alongside each other in posts No. 16 and No. 17.
Of the three horses, Roadster has the most-recent victory, as he went to the winner's circle at the Santa Anita Derby in early April.
Game Winner took second behind Roadster at Santa Anita and also ended up second at the Rebel Stakes in March.
Improbable took second at the other race at the Rebel Stakes and was the second-place finisher at the Arkansas Derby.
All three have shown they can race with the best three-year-old horses, but the Kentucky Derby is a completely different event.
The three Baffert horses have raced against some of the favorites, but not all of them at once.
With that being said, the quality of the Baffert horses should stand out, and at least one of them should end up with a top-three finish for the legendary trainer.
Tacitus Benefits From Middle Post Position
Tacitus enters the Kentucky Derby field with the most points on the Road to the Kentucky Derby leaderboard.
Tacitus is in that position because he won his last two races at the Tampa Bay Derby and Wood Memorial.
While he isn't receiving as much hype as Omaha Beach, Tacitus deserves some attention because he comes into Churchill Downs with two consecutive wins.
Jockey Jose Ortiz might not have a volume of Triple Crown wins like other jockeys in the field, but he did win the 2017 Belmont Stakes aboard Tapwrit.
If Tacitus gets out fast from his No. 8 post position, he could remain at the front of the pack for most of the race.
If that is the case, Ortiz and Tacitus should use their experience to make a charge into first place over the final stretch.
Follow Joe on Twitter, @JTansey90
Statistics obtained from KentuckyDerby.com
.jpg?w=480 "Colts Jaguars Football")
