Kentucky Derby 2019 Contenders: Final Vegas Odds and Projections for Top Horses

Four horses are seen as the favorites for the 2019 Kentucky Derby.

Improbable, Tacitus, Maximum Security and Game Winner all have odds of 6-1 or lower going into Saturday's race at Churchill Downs in Louisville.

The wide array of favorites speaks to how wide-open the first leg of the Triple Crown could be since you could also make a case for two or three other horses to win.

Nine of the 19 horses in the Kentucky Derby field have odds of less than 20-1, and those lines could fluctuate more in the hours leading up to the race.

Kentucky Derby Odds

Projections for Top Horses

Tacitus

Tacitus has gained momentum on the odds sheet throughout the week, starting at 10-1 and falling to 5-1 by the end of Friday.

The William I. Mott-trained horse has some of the best form coming into the race after victories in the Wood Memorial and Tampa Bay Derby.

If he wins the Kentucky Derby, Tacitus would be the first gray horse since Giacomo in 2005 to capture the crown, per TwinSpires.com.

Tom Pennington/Getty Images

A win for Tacitus would also be the first Kentucky Derby title for Mott, who is a Hall of Fame trainer with a resume that includes victories at almost every other big race.

Tacitus should benefit from the experience of jockey Jose Ortiz, who won the 2017 Belmont Stakes with Tapwrit.

The key for Tacitus is to get out to a fast start from a group in the middle post positions that includes co-favorites Improbable and Maximum Security.

If the rainy conditions create a sloppy track, it is imperative for any horse to get into the lead early so that it does not have to come from behind with mud flinging into its face.

As long as Tacitus starts well, he should be up front with the leaders and will have an opportunity to take his third straight win.

Projection: Second

Game Winner

Game Winner comes into the Kentucky Derby with an advantage over every horse in the field.

In November, Game Winner took home first place in the Breeders' Cup juvenile race at Churchill Downs.

Charlie Riedel/Associated Press

Experience on the track could play a huge role in Game Winner's performance, as he will look to control the pack while surging in from the outside post positions.

Game Winner is likely to overcome starting in post No. 16 because he and Roadster should follow each other into the main group from the outside.

Once the pack comes together, Game Winner should make a surge into the first two spots in the field and see whether anyone else can challenge him.

In addition to already winning at Churchill Downs, Game Winner has a Kentucky Derby-winning jockey in Joel Rosario, who went to the winner's circle in 2013 with Orb.

Let's not forget this is a horse trained by Bob Baffert, who has won two of the past four Kentucky Derby races.

Game Winner appears to have the perfect combination of experience and all-around quality in his team to win the Kentucky Derby, and it would not be a surprise if he starts the race as the standalone favorite.

Projection: First 

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