Kentucky Derby Start Time 2019: Post Info, TV Schedule and Live Stream Coverage

The 2019 Kentucky Derby takes on an entirely different feel following Omaha Beach's late scratch.

After receiving the No. 12 post position, trainer Richard Mandella withdrew the early favorite on Wednesday after the horse was diagnosed with entrapped epiglottis. A field already lacking many potent contenders lost the top draw, who triumphed at the Rebel Stakes and Arkansas Derby.

Without Omaha Beach, there's no clear favorite to win The Fastest Two Minutes in Sports. The oddsmakers, however, like Bob Baffert's chances of claiming his sixth Kentucky Derby crown. He trains all three of the updated favorites in Game Winner, Improbable and Roadster.

The trio is bunched together at 5-1 or 6-1, courtesy of the Kentucky Derby morning-line odds. As of Thursday evening, no other horse carries better odds than 15-1.

Given this narrow gap on top, bettors need to take a closer look at the main contenders.

Kentucky Derby Information

When: Saturday, May 4 at 6:50 p.m. ET

TV Info: NBC

Live Stream: NBC Sports Live

Post Positions and Odds

1. War of Will: 20-1

2. Tax: 20-1

3. By My Standards: 20-1

4. Gray Magician: 50-1

5. Improbable: 6-1

6. Vekoma: 20-1

7. Maximum Security: 10-1

8. Tacitus: 10-1

9. Plus Que Parfait: 30-1

10. Cutting Humor: 30-1

11. Haikal: 30-1

12. Code of Honor: 15-1

13. Win Win Win: 15-1

14. Master Fencer: 50-1

15. Game Winner: 5-1

16. Roadster: 6-1

17. Long Road Toddy: 30-1

18. Spinoff: 30-1

19. Country House: 30-1

20. Bodexpress: 30-1

Odds according to Action Network.

Preview

Michael Reaves/Getty Images

Even before Omaha Beach's scratch, Baffert discussed the field's balance with the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette's Eric Crawford.

"I think anyone could win it," Baffert said. "You have to get the trip, and the post is important. Last year we came in with Justify, and he was a man amongst boys, and American Pharoah. This year is different. With them I knew I had the horse and felt like I needed a little luck. Now I’ve got three nice horses, and there’s a lot of parity. It’s wide open."

Per the Associated Press' Beth Harris (h/t Fox Baltimore), he's not changing his tune.

"I think everybody is trying to jinx me," Baffert said on Thursday. "It's still a very wide-open race."

The odds depict an unpredictable outcome, but only among his entrants.

Following a pair of runner-up finishes at the Rebel Stakes and Santa Anita Derby, Game Winner is favored to live up to his moniker. The son of Candy Ride notched the most recent of four first-placed finishes at Churchill Downs' Sentient Jet Breeders' Cup Juvenile in November.

After falling short to Omaha Beach at Oaklawn Park, Game Winner placed second to Roadster at Santa Anita last month. According to Equibase, his Speed Figure has increased in all four races. 

He's also the only horse of Baffert's three favorites with a spotless record in 2019:

While Game Winner's jockey, Joel Rosario, has both a Kentucky Derby and Belmont Stakes triumph on his resume, Roadster jockey Florent Geroux has finished no higher than third—riding Gun Runner in the 2016 Kentucky Derby—in any Triple Crown event.

An Improbable victory is not impossible. The son of City Zip no longer runs the risk of finishing second behind Omaha Beach for the third consecutive race. 

If having the same trainer and owner as 2018 Triple Crown winner Justify weren't enough, Improbable also has the guidance of Irad Ortiz Jr. Although still searching for this first Kentucky Derby win, the 2016 Belmont Stakes victor led all jockeys in wins and earnings last year.

Undefeated in 2018, Improbable brandishes the best speed of Baffert's entrants. Operating from the No. 5 gate, which has hosted more winners (10) than any other post position, makes him the most intriguing favorite to back.