2023 Kentucky Derby horses, futures, odds, date: Expert who nailed 10 Derby-Oaks Doubles makes top picks
The 2023 Louisiana Derby features several horses looking for a shot in the 2023 Kentucky Derby field. Louisiana Derby entries like Disarm (60-1), Sun Thunder (85-1), Tapit's Conquest (90-1), and Cagliostro (189-1) are all still on the board as longshots in the 2023 Kentucky Derby odds. However, the horse that could stand to benefit most from a win in Louisiana could be Instant Coffee, who is 19-1 for the Kentucky Derby 2023 and a favorite to win at Fair Grounds on March 25.
Instant Coffee has won his last two races, the most recent of which was also at Fair Grounds. Although the rest of the Louisiana Derby lineup is filled primarily with hopefuls, a win for Instant Coffee could make him one of the top 2023 Kentucky Derby contenders when the race goes to post on Saturday, May 6. Before making any 2023 Kentucky Derby picks, be sure to see the horse racing predictions and futures bets from SportsLine's elite horse racing expert Jody Demling.
A fixture in the horse racing world who has been writing about, talking about and betting on races for years, Demling enters the 2023 Kentucky Derby having nailed the winner of the Belmont Stakes four of the last fives years, including an exacta in 2022 with Mo Donegal and Nest. He also nailed Flightline's win at the Breeders' Cup Classic last November.
Demling is at his best in the biggest horse races in the world like the Kentucky Derby 2023. In fact, he has hit 10 of the last 14 Derby-Oaks doubles at Churchill Downs. That means he held a ticket with the winners of both races all but four times in the last 14 years. He's also called nine of the last 18 Preakness winners, keenly understanding when the Kentucky Derby winner was poised for victory or a massive upset, and nailed the 2022 Preakness trifecta. Anyone who has followed him is up huge.
Now, with the 2023 Kentucky Derby futures already on the board, Demling is sharing his picks and predictions over at SportsLine. Go here to see them.
Top 2023 Kentucky Derby predictions
One of Demling's surprising 2023 Kentucky Derby picks: He is fading Forte, saying the favorite doesn't even crack the top five. Forte has held his spot as the favorite in the Kentucky Derby odds since November and his odds have only gotten shorter. At this point, it's tough to say that anybody taking him at 3-1 is still getting value, but that speaks more to the perception that other horses aren't making a strong enough case to challenge him.
That could also be the case against Forte, as he has been in the top spot for so long that many simply aren't entertaining the possibility that another horse could win. Forte has continued to improve upon his speed figures even though he had a long layoff between the Breeders' Cup Juvenile in November and the Fountain of Youth Stakes in March. Still, the tipping point may have passed where Forte's best races have now come and gone, and he'll be on the backside of his bell curve once the Triple Crown season begins. See which other 2023 Kentucky Derby horses to avoid at SportsLine.
Another stunner: Demling is high on Blazing Sevens, even though he's a 66-1 longshot. He's a target for anyone looking for a huge payday. Those that subscribe to the notion that a horse is not truly as good as its best race, and not as bad as its worst, will find value here. Blazing Sevens appeared to be the victim of a tough break out of the gates at the Fountain of Youth Stakes on March 4 and finished eighth of 10 entries.
On the flip side, Blazing Sevens posted an Equibase speed figure of 98 in his lone graded stakes victory and a 97 in his following race in the FanDuel Breeders' Cup Juvenile. Although Fountain of Youth was not a good look, Blazing Sevens has run closer to this ceiling than his floor. He should have a much better chance to win at Churchill Downs with a cleaner break to start. See which other horses to back at SportsLine.
How to make 2023 Kentucky Derby picks, bets
Demling is especially high on an even bigger longshot who has "a lot of room to improve," and could make a serious charge at Churchill Downs. Anyone who backs this horse could hit it big. Demling is sharing which horse it is, along with his entire projected leaderboard, over at SportsLine.
