2023 Kentucky Derby morning-line odds, picks: Horse racing writer has best bets for Triple Crown race

Horse racing's Super Bowl will take place on Saturday when 20 three-year-old horses leave the starting gate in the 2023 Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs. Two-time Derby-winning trainer Todd Pletcher will send out the top two choices in the 2023 Kentucky Derby odds: Florida Derby winner Forte (3-1) and Blue Grass Stakes winner Tapit Trice (5-1). Trainer Brad Cox has the 8-1 third choice in the 2023 Kentucky Derby field, Arkansas Derby winner Angel of Empire. Post time for the first leg of the Triple Crown is 6:57 p.m. ET.

With very little separating the top choices in this wide-open Kentucky Derby field, you'll want to see what SportsLine writer Gene Menez has to say before making any Kentucky Derby picks considering his mastery of this year's prep races.

A former reporter and editor at Sports Illustrated, Menez covered an array of sports, including horse racing, for the magazine and its website for almost 14 years. Between 2010 and 2012, he served as SI's handicapper for the Triple Crown races and correctly predicted Super Saver to win the Kentucky Derby in 2010. In 2015, while writing for Sports on Earth, Menez accurately gave out the Kentucky Derby superfecta (American Pharoah, Firing Line, Dortmund and Frosted), which paid $1,268.20 for $2. Then in 2017, he tweeted out his Kentucky Derby picks, including Always Dreaming to win, and hit the Pick 4, which paid almost $6,900 on a $1 bet. Join SportsLine right here to see his shocking 2023 Kentucky Derby picks!

On Dec. 26, Menez hit the Pick 5 at Santa Anita Park for $798.70. In his last seven races for SportsLine, he has cashed the winner of the Lecomte Stakes, the exacta in the Southwest Stakes, the winner of the Holy Bull Stakes, the winner of the Sam F. Davis Stakes, the place horse of the Rebel Stakes, and the trifecta in the Jenny Wiley Stakes. Anyone who has followed him is WAY UP!

Now, Menez has handicapped the 2023 Kentucky Derby field, made his picks and formulated his bets. Join SportsLine here to see them!

We can tell you that Menez is fading Forte, even though he is the reigning two-year-old champion and the top favorite!Another surprise: Menez is high on Two Phil's, even though he is a 12-1 longshot. "He is improving at the right time, and he has looked like a million bucks in the morning, turning in back-to-back bullet workouts in preparation for the Derby," Menez told SportsLine.

Menez's top pick is a horse who's "getting better at the right time." He also is high on a MASSIVE double digit longshot who "always passes horses late." He is including these horses in his wagers, and so should you. You ABSOLUTELY NEED to see which horses they are before making any 2023 Kentucky Derby picks of your own.

So whowins the 2023 Kentucky Derby? What MASSIVE double-digit longshot is a must-back? And how has Menez constructed his wagers? ... Join SportsLine now to get the top 2023 Kentucky Derby picks and bets, all from the expert who has nailed six of his last seven races!