Kentucky Derby 2020 Post Positions: Odds and Race Outlook for Entire Field

After months of anticipation, the 2020 Kentucky Derby is finally upon us.

Fans have had to wait a few more months than usual, but Churchill Downs officials were proactive in their response to the COVID-19 pandemic, as they announced in March that the race would be delayed until September.

As a result, the Derby will be the second leg in horse racing's Triple Crown. Tiz the Law took the Belmont Stakes in June, and the Preakness Stakes will follow on Oct. 3.

Not surprisingly, Tiz the Law is the clear favorite for Saturday.

2020 Kentucky Derby Odds

• 1. Finnick the Fierce (SCR)
• 2. Max Player (15-1)
• 3. Enforceable (22-1)
• 4. Storm the Court (25-1)
• 5. Major Fed (26-1)
• 6. King Guillermo (SCR)
• 7. Money Moves (15-1)
• 8. South Bend (36-1)
• 9. Mr. Big News (45-1)
• 10. Thousand Words (9-1)
• 11. Necker Island (42-1)
• 12. Sole Volante (26-1)
• 13. Attachment Rate (46-1)
• 14. Winning Impression (47-1)
• 15. Ny Traffic (18-1)
• 16. Honor A. P. (7-1)
• 17. Tiz the Law (1-1)
• 18. Authentic (8-1)

Odds via KentuckyDerby.com

Race Outlook

Favorites

Tiz the Law is in a class of his own in terms of the race favorites. Even in what amounted to a sprint, he won the Belmont Stakes in convincing fashion.

Jockey Manny Franco expertly bided his time before really letting the colt go down the final stretch.

Tiz the Law has run in six graded stakes events and won five times. The outlier was the Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes in November, where he only managed a third-place showing.

Honor A. P. will be one of the strongest challengers looking to end Tiz the Law's Triple Crown quest. His biggest win was the Santa Anita Derby in June. He started his surge from the outside coming around the final turn and opened up some breathing room on the field before crossing the finish line.

Authentic might prove to have the winning combination Saturday evening. He reeled off wins in the San Felipe and Haskell Stakes to show off his skills. 

Two-time Derby winner John Velazquez will be on board Authentic as well.

The post draw did few favors for Tiz the Law and Authentic as they're stuck on the outside. No horse has won from the No. 17 post in the last 40 years, with two victorious after starting from No. 18. History isn't on Tiz the Law's side in his Derby bid.

Rest of the Field

A few notable jockeys will be absent at Churchill Downs because of coronavirus-related restrictions at other tracks.

Javier Castellano will be competing in the Derby, and that's enough to give Money Moves a puncher's chance. Even though the colt has yet to run in a graded stakes race, Castellano is one of the best jockeys in the world.

Likewise, Florent Geroux has Kentucky Oaks (2018) and Breeders Cup Classic (2017) victories under his belt, so he has triumphed on the biggest stage. 

Geroux wasn't in the saddle when Thousand Words took the Shared Belief Stakes on August 1, but the outcome did showcase the colt's talent.

Ny Traffic has yet to enjoy a trip to the winner's circle, but it hasn't been for a lack of trying. He was second in the Louisiana Derby, Matt Winn and Haskell Stakes in the buildup to the Derby. Perhaps he will finally get over the hump Saturday.