Kentucky Derby 2020: Prize Money Purse, Latest Vegas Odds Payouts and More

The number of challengers to Tiz the Law's Triple Crown quest is down to 15. 

Finnick the Fierce became the fourth horse to withdraw from the 2020 Kentucky Derby field, which leaves the field with 16 three-year-old horses. 

The scratch Friday does not affect Tiz the Law's starting outlook, as he will still begin in the second-most outside position sandwiched between Honor A. P. and Authentic. 

Due to the number of withdrawn horses, the three positions of the 20-position starting gate will be open, which shifts Tiz the Law to post 16. The inside spot that Finnick the Fierce was supposed to hold will also be vacant. 

The 16 competitors scheduled to leave the starting gate Saturday will be fighting for parts of the $3 million purse, with $1.86 million going to the champion. 

Kentucky Derby Odds

2. Max Player (16-1)

3. Enforceable (23-1)

4. Storm the Court (22-1)

5. Major Fed (29-1)

7. Money Moves (15-1)

8. South Bend (33-1)

9. Mr. Big News (42-1)

10. Thousand Words (9-1)

11. Necker Island (40-1)

12. Sole Volante (24-1)

13. Attachment Rate (40-1)

14. Winning Impression (39-1)

15. Ny Traffic (16-1)

16. Honor A. P. (8-1)

17. Tiz the Law (even)

18. Authentic (9-1)

Tiz the Law is the favorite to finish first, but he is not expected to lead the pack for the bulk of the race. 

Trainer Barclay Tagg outlined the plan for the Belmont Stakes winner coming out of an outside starting spot, per KentuckyDerby.com.

"I'd like for us to be laying third all the way around until we get down for business," Tagg said. "I'm very confident in our horse. He's a very nice colt. I hope he wins it. He’s a good horse, good horses do good things."

Saturday's field will pose the biggest threat to Tiz the Law in his racing career. He faced nine horses and no top Triple Crown contenders at the Belmont. 

Honor A. P. and Authentic could flank Tiz the Law during the first few lengths of the race as the jockeys get a feel for where their horses are at physically and what the game plans of the other favorites are. 

The experienced jockeys mounting both horses could make the difference in navigating through the congestion at Churchill Downs. 

Two-time Kentucky Derby winner Mike E. Smith, who last won in 2018, saddles Honor A. P., who has finished in the top three in each of his last three starts. 

John Velazquez mounts Authentic, who has three victories in the last four races. Authentic's most recent triumph occurred at the Haskell Stakes in July. 

Legendary trained Bob Baffert broke down how Velazquez has to approach steering Authentic toward first place, per KentuckyDerby.com:

"In the Haskell it looked like it he was going to be coming up short but a lot of it was he just shut it down early. But he's training really well, he's coming up to the race in great shape. He's the kind of horse where he looks around like in the stretch, I told (jockey) Johnny (Velazquez) if we're lucky and we turn for home and he's right there you have to keep him busy because he does check things out."

While most of the attention will be on the outside starters, a few horses beginning the race on the inside could contend for the win.

Max Player appears to be the best contender of that group. He has the advantage of clean air from post No. 2 with Finnick the Fierce out of the race. He is also one of the few horses with Triple Crown experience from his third-place mark at the Belmont Stakes. 

Max Player has finished third in two straight races against Tiz the Law and may be strong enough to challenge the favored horse down the stretch.

Follow Joe on Twitter, @JTansey90.

Statistics obtained from KentuckyDerby.com.