Kentucky Derby Post Draw 2020: Contenders, Dark Horses with Best Odds

A heavy favorite leads the Kentucky Derby field, but 18 horses create plenty of options for bettors heading into Saturday's race.

The COVID-19 pandemic forced an adjusted schedule to the 2020 season, delaying the Derby by four months while making it the second leg of the Triple Crown. Tiz the Law took advantage at the Belmont Stakes in June and is looking to add another win as the 3-5 favorite ($5 bet wins $3).

Meanwhile, several contenders who missed the Belmont are ready to excel on the big stage at Churchill Downs.

Here is the full list of entries along with some top picks for the upcoming Run for the Roses.

Kentucky Derby Post Positions and Odds

1. Finnick The Fierce: 50-1 (Trainer: Rey Hernandez)

2. Max Player: 30-1 (Trainer: Steven M. Asmussen)

3. Enforceable: 30-1 (Trainer: Mark E. Casse)

4. Storm The Court: 50-1 (Trainer: Peter Eurton)

5. Major Fed: 50-1 (Trainer: Gregory D. Foley)

6. King Guillermo: 20-1 (Trainer: Juan Carlos Avila)

7. Money Moves: 30-1 (Trainer: Todd Pletcher)

8. South Bend: 50-1 (Trainer: William I. Mott)

9. Mr. Big News: 50-1 (Trainer: William Bret Calhoun)

10. Thousand Words: 15-1 (Trainer: Bob Baffert)

11. Necker Islander: 50-1 (Trainer: Stanley M. Hough)

12. Sole Volante: 30-1 (Trainer: Patrick L. Biancone)

13. Attachment Rate: 50-1 (Trainer: Dale L. Romans)

14. Winning Impression: 50-1 (Trainer: Dallas Stewart)

15. Ny Traffic: 20-1 (Trainer: Saffie A. Joseph Jr.)

16. Honor A. P.: 5-1 (Trainer: John Shirreffs)

17. Tiz the Law: 3-5 (Trainer: Barclay Tagg)

18. Authentic: 8-1 (Trainer: Bob Baffert)

Post information and morning line odds available at KentuckyDerby.com.

Top Contenders

Tiz the Law

Seth Wenig/Associated Press

A favorite at better than even money stands out at the Kentucky Derby, but Tiz the Law has earned it.

The colt has started four Grade 1 stakes and won all of them, including the Belmont Stakes in June. He then followed it up with a 5½-length win at the Travers Stakes in August.

Tiz the Law continues to step up to every challenge while proving it is the clear fastest horse in the field.

Of course, things can still go wrong.

Manny Franco, 25, is the youngest jockey in the field and has never finished higher than 17th in his two Derby appearances. Veteran trainer Barclay Tagg hasn't led a horse to a win at an American Classic event since Funny Cide in 2003.

The bizarre scheduling due to the pandemic could also lead to unknown issues.

Even as the overwhelming favorite, nothing is guaranteed at an event like this.

Honor A. P.

Darron Cummings/Associated Press

The start will play a significant role in determining this race because the top three favorites—Tiz the Law, Honor A. P. and Authentic—are all on the outside at the starting gate. A good break and positioning in the first few seconds could allow any of them to control the race and eventually come away with the win.

This puts a lot of pressure on the jockeys, which gives Honor A. P. a leg up thanks to the experience of Mike Smith.

The 55-year-old has won the Derby twice in his career and will be making his 26th start.

Honor A. P. has also proved himself in the past with at least a second-place finish in each of his five races, including a win in the Santa Anita Derby over Authentic. 

After skipping the Belmont, this could be the horse to knock off the favorite on Saturday.

Dark Horses

Money Moves

It's rare for a horse to enter the Kentucky Derby as so much of an unknown as Money Moves.

The three-year-old has just three starts, none in a graded race, and only has a chance at this event because of the delayed schedule. However, this could provide an opportunity for the 30-1 long shot to shock the world.

Money Moves has been trained by Todd Pletcher, with Hall of Famer D. Wayne Lukas providing assistance for the upcoming race. This type of experience will help, although the horse deserves credit as well with two wins in three starts.

"He came into us with high expectations and I thought he ran very impressively to win his first two races," Pletcher said, per Horse Racing Nation.

The trainer added they were forced to change the schedule due to an illness, resulting in a race against older competition. The horse finished second in a July race at Saratoga, which remains his most recent start.

He could flop, but Money Moves provides as much upside as any with long odds.

Finnick The Fierce

Darron Cummings/Associated Press

Only two horses have finished ahead of Tiz the Law in an official race and one of them is in this field: Finnick The Fierce.

The gelding earned a second-place finish at the Grade 2 Kentucky Jockey Club at Churchill Downs late last year, beating third-place Tiz the Law. He also topped fellow Kentucky Derby contenders Enforceable and South Bend.

Finnick The Fierce has only two wins in nine starts, but he has been challenged throughout his career with five graded events on his resume. This could help the horse excel despite a crowded field and a tough draw in the No. 1 post.

The rail is especially damaging as the horse is blind in his right eye, but co-owner Rey Hernandez remains confident in the competitor.

"You know, he's been running really good with the one position," he said, per Natalie Voss of the Paulick Report. "His best races have been from the one position. He might like to be there."

The 50-1 long shot might not win, but he has enough talent to finish in the money.