Kentucky Derby 2020: Projected Prize-Money Earnings, Order of Finish and More

The 2020 Kentucky Derby will be unlike any other in the storied race's 146-year history.

It's not the first Saturday in May. The Derby isn't kicking off a hectic five-week Triple Crown season. And no fans will pack the infield at Churchill Downs because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Tiz the Law arrives in Kentucky with a Belmont Stakes victory already on his resume. It was a dominant performance in June that was followed by a similar romp over the competition in the Travers Stakes in August, raising expectations about the potential for a third Triple Crown winner in six years.

Let's check out all of the key details for this year's Run for the Roses. That's followed by a race preview and a prediction for which horses will finish in the money.

Important Information

Where: Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky

When: Saturday, Sept. 5 at 7:01 p.m. ET

Watch: NBC

Live Stream: NBC Sports Live

Purse: Prize Money

2020 Field

Post. Horse (Jockey; Trainer; Odds)

1. Finnick The Fierce (scratched)

2. Max Player (Ricardo Santana Jr.; Steve Asmussen; 15-1)

3. Enforceable (Adam Beschizza; Mark Casse; 21-1)

4. Storm the Court (Flavien Prat; Peter Eurton; 21-1)

5. Major Fed (James Graham; Greg Foley; 29-1)

6. King Guillermo (scratched)

7. Money Moves (Javier Castellano; Todd Pletcher; 14-1)

8. South Bend (Jose Ortiz; William Mott; 32-1)

9. Mr. Big News (Gabriel Saez; Bret Calhoun; 40-1)

10. Thousand Words (Florent Geroux; Bob Baffert; 9-1)

11. Necker Island (Miguel Mana; Chris Hartman; 39-1)

12. Sole Volante (Luca Panici; Patrick Biancone; 25-1)

13. Attachment Rate (Joe Talamo; Dale Romans; 38-1)

14. Winning Impression (Joe Rocco Jr.; Dallas Stewart; 38-1)

15. Ny Traffic (Paco Lopez; Saffie Joseph Jr.; 16-1)

16. Honor A. P. (Mike Smith; John Shirreffs; 8-1)

17. Tiz the Law (Manny Franco; Barclay Tagg; 6-5)

18. Authentic (John Velazquez; Bob Baffert; 9-1)

Odds from Churchill Downs as of 7:15 a.m. ET.

Kentucky Derby Preview

Quite simply, it will be a major surprise if Tiz the Law doesn't win the Kentucky Derby.

The three-year-old bay colt has been clearly better than the competition since the start of 2020, winning all four of his starts by a combined 16½ lengths under the guidance of jockey Manny Franco.

His last loss did came at Churchill Downs last November in the Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes when he finished third to Silver Prospector and Finnick the Fierce. It's notable given this is his first start at the track since the only defeat of his career, but it doesn't supersede his other tremendous performances.

Tiz the Law also isn't dealing with the typical quick turnaround associated with Triple Crown races, which was a significant factor in the extended Triple Crown drought that American Pharoah ended in 2015.

If he runs up to his potential, he'll win by a couple of lengths at minimum. It's going to take an off day to bring the other contenders into the mix.

Meanwhile, Honor A. P. and Authentic headline the group of talented challengers.

Honor A. P. has still finished no worse than second in any of his five career outings and should once again be around the lead should Tiz the Law falter Saturday.

Authentic compiled four wins in five starts, with the only loss coming to Honor A. P. in the Santa Anita Derby. He'd previously beaten Honor A. P. in the San Felipe Stakes. His performance to win the Haskell Stakes may be the most impressive from a three-year-old horse not named Tiz the Law this year.

Other horses who could play the role of spoiler include Thousand Words, Ny Traffic and Sole Volante.

Predicted Top Finishers and Earnings

Win: Tiz the Law ($1,860,000)

Place: Honor A. P. ($600,000)

Show: Sole Volante ($400,000)