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Kentucky Derby Horses

Given that they have to change every year, the list of Kentucky Derby horses when it is revealed is always intriguing. In 2021, Medina Spirit, trained by Bob Baffert and ridden by John Velazquez, took first place and winnings of $1,860,000.

It’s the first race of the American Triple Crown, followed by the Preakness Stakes and the Belmont Stakes. After the Kentucky Derby winner is determined, many punters start speculating about outcomes of the upcoming races and a potential Triple Crown winner.

Kentucky Derby Horses 2022

If you want to bet on Kentucky Derby horses, it’s mandatory to get to know them. Above all, you need to pay attention to their past performance. Also, don’t neglect their jockeys’ and trainers’ histories. For more information about who to bet on, do not hesitate have a look at our Kentucky Derby betting tips.

It’s early days right now and in the spring we will have a clearer idea of which horses will be running in the 2022 Kentucky Derby.

This big US horse racing event is also known as the run for the roses because the Kentucky Derby winner gets a wreath of roses when the race is finished.

It remains to see which Kentucky Derby racehorses will compete for the title. Could the best from the last year Kentucky Derby horses win again? Should we maybe put our hope into some other Kentucky Derby contenders?

Like we have already said, when choosing Kentucky Derby favourites, we mustn’t forget about previous results. The past performance of Kentucky Derby horses can tell us a lot. Therefore, let’s take a look at some of the Kentucky Derby horse names that entered the Kentucky Derby horses history books.

kentucky derby horses
Photo Credit: Flickr / CC BY-ND 2.0

Kentucky Derby Favourites

Like we have already mentioned, Kentucky Derby, alongside the Preakness Stakes and the Belmont Stakes, form Triple Crown. It’s pretty rare to see the Kentucky Derby winner winning the other two races in the same year.

The Kentucky Derby is the traditional first leg of the coveted Triple Crown, followed in the series by the Preakness Stakes and the Belmont Stakes which are all run over slightly different distances.

All three races are run within five weeks of each other making it very tough to win them all regardless of talent, so tough in fact that in American horse racing history, only 13 horses have managed the feat.

We have been lucky enough to witness two of them in recent times, American Pharoah in 2015 and Justify in 2018, both trained by Bob Baffert. The great California trainer will undoubtedly hold a strong hand once more in 2022.

Three Bob Baffert Favourites 2022

The six-time Kentucky Derby winning trainer had two notable absentees in 2020 when both Nadal and Charlatan were forced out of the game due to injury. Despite this, Baffert still managed to aim both Thousand Words and eventual winner Authentic at the race and he will have an embarrassment of riches once again we’re sure.

As of now, his only major contender from a tougher than usual juvenile season is Classier, a colt by 2003 Belmont Stakes winner Empire Maker.

Classier won his maiden special weight in typically easy fashion in October before being aimed at the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile, though he was little more than an also-ran at Keeneland and will need to improve heavily in the spring.

It is worth noting however that Baffert has gone for a more modern approach in recent years including with the great Justify, in as much as his best Kentucky Derby contenders may not even make their race track debuts until a couple of months before the Derby, so watch this space on that one!

More Kentucky Derby Runners to Keep an Eye on

Continuing the current trend, Baffert’s Authentic didn’t hit the racecourse until January of 2020 but by the end of the year, he had won the San Felipe Stakes, the Kentucky Derby, the Breeders’ Cup Classic and had finished runner-up in the Santa Anita Derby and the Preakness Stakes.

Early 2021 will tell us plenty, but at this early stage, it will pay to keep tabs on Breeders’ Cup Juvenile winner Essential Quality of the Brad Cox yard, as well as those who have finished close behind him including Keepmeinmind, Hot Rod Charlie and Jackie’s Warrior.

It will be really interesting to see which horses will make it to the high-class event and then which horses to bet on Kentucky Derby. Make sure to revisit this page anytime soon. Once more details about Kentucky Derby horses and odds are known, we’ll update our review with all the latest information.

Kentucky Derby Online Betting

When it comes to one of the most prestigious horse racing events in the USA, it’s no surprise to see so many bettors from all over the world. Most of the online sportsbooks offer Kentucky Derby odds and multiple horse racing betting markets.

There are many great online betting websites offering various things. You just have to be patient and look for it. Read some reviews about the bookmakers’ quality of services. See if there’s more positive or negative feedback, visit the site and go through it before deciding to register.

All the good betting websites include some additional information that can help you decide who to bet on Kentucky Derby. Besides odds, you should also be able to see some key details such as the horse’s weight, age, etc. What’s more, most of these websites offer Kentucky Derby live stream so you won’t miss all the action. For more information about the Live stream services of the race, check our page dedicated to Kentucky Derby Live (where to watch the race).

Best Horse Race Betting Websites

When it comes to Kentucky Derby online betting website, there are various brands that you can try including the following operators:

  • bet365
  • Ladbrokes
  • Unibet
  • Betfair, etc.

You always have bettors who usually just pick one of the popular Kentucky Derby entries and place their bet according to the most popular tips.

On the other hand, you always have that type of bettors who prefer to analyze all the statistics so they can make their own predictions.
Also, some punters bet on underdogs, hoping for the best and bigger payouts.

Everyone has their own style, but before placing a bet on any of the Kentucky Derby horses, it’s very important to choose the right online betting operator.

Make sure to come back to our page. As soon as more information is revealed about Kentucky Derby horses, we’ll update our article and discuss further current odds.

18+ | Please play responsibly | Chances are you’re about to lose. | Terms and Conditions apply | Commercial content