Kentucky Derby Start Time 2019: Race Post Info, NBC TV Coverage and More
The 2019 edition of Derby Day is here. At 6:50 p.m. ET, 19 horses will engage in the fastest two minutes in sports for their share of a whopping $3 million prize purse.
The early favorite for the 2019 Derby, Omaha Beach, has been pulled from the race because of illness. Haikal has also been scratched after suffering a foot abscess, which means there will only be 19 participants instead of the usual 20.
So what does the field look like with both Omaha Beach and Haikal out? Here, you'll find the post lineup, the latest odds and the television schedule, along with some of the latest pre-race buzz.
Post Lineup and Odds
1. War of Will (18-1)
2. Tax (38-1)
3. By My Standards (14-1)
4. Gray Magician (29-1)
5. Improbable (5-1)
6. Vekoma (22-1)
7. Maximum Security (9-2)
8. Tacitus (5-1)
9. Plus Que Parfait (50-1)
10. Cutting Humor (21-1)
13. Code of Honor (13-1)
14. Win Win Win (15-1)
15. Master Fencer (50-1)
16. Game Winner (6-1)
17. Roadster (9-1)
18. Long Range Toddy (44-1)
19. Spinoff (54-1)
20. Country House (71-1)
21. Bodexpress (99-1)
Odds via SportsLine, as of Saturday at 5 a.m. ET.
TV and Schedule Information
National TV: NBC
Live Stream: NBC Sports App
Coverage Times: 2:30-7:15 p.m. ET
Post Time: 6:50 p.m. ET
Game Winner Among the New Favorites
With Omaha Beach out, the odds for the 2019 Kentucky Derby have been shaken up. Maximum Security is the new favorite, followed by Improbable and Tacitus. Fourth in the betting is Game Winner, but there are plenty of factors swinging in his favor.
First of all, he's been trained by Hall of Famer Bob Baffert, who is no stranger to the Churchill Downs faithful. Baffert has had five horses trained under him go on to win the Kentucky Derby in the past. Among those are Triple Crown winners American Pharaoh and Justify.
Game Winner is one of three Baffert-trained horses in this year's race, along with Improbable and Roadster.
Game Winner also has an experienced jockey in Joel Rosario, who won the 2013 Kentucky Derby and the 2014 Belmont Stakes. He knows what it takes to win a race of this magnitude, as does seemingly everyone involved in getting Game Winner to Louisville.
Of course, it will be the colt himself who has to go out and win.
"You can't teach talent to untalented people," owner Gary West said, per Anna Peele of ESPN.com. "And you can't make a slow racehorse run fast."
The Field is Now Wide Open, Will Likely be Wet
Though Game Winner, Improbable and Roadster are all considered favorites to win on Saturday, this isn't going to be a three-horse race dominated by Baffert's projects. Omaha Beach looked poised to dominate, but now the field appears incredibly close.
"No Pharaohs or Justifys this year," Baffert said, per Tom Layden of SI.com.
Several racing styles will be on display, but when it comes to the raw ability in this 1 1/4-mile race, there isn't a lot separating horses like Game Winner, Maximum Security and By My Standards.
Further clouding the pre-race picture is the fact that the horses will likely be running on a wet track, AccuWeather meteorologist Maura Kelly told Billy Kobin of the Louisville Courier Journal.
This will make for conditions that many of the 19 participants are not accustomed to. According to Teresa Genaro of Forbes.com, the list of horses who have never run on an off track include favorites Game Winner and Roadster.
War of Will, Maximum Security and Improbable have all won or finished second on sloppy tracks before and could be ones to watch if the rain continues to fall up until post.
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