2023 Kentucky Derby odds, time, horses, date, prediction: Top Churchill Downs picks from champion handicapper
There have been nine horses since 1915 to enter and exit the Kentucky Derby undefeated. Kingsbarn will try to become the 10th horse to lay claim to that at the 2023 Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs on Saturday. The colt is tied for the sixth lowest 2023 Kentucky Derby odds to win at 12-1. Kingsbarn is 3-0, with his most impressive victory coming in the Louisiana Derby on March 25. He led that race wire-to-wire for his third career win ahead of the Kentucky Derby 2023. Forte is the 3-1 Kentucky Derby favorite, with Tapit Trice (5-1) and Angel of Empire (8-1) next among the top 2023 Kentucky Derby horses.
Post time for the Kentucky Derby 2023 is 6:57 p.m. ET. With an accomplished and wide-open 20-horse field set to enter the starting gate on Saturday, you'll want to see what racing insider and Beyer Speed Figure maker Bob Weir has to say before making any 2023 Kentucky Derby picks.
A member of the Beyer Speed Figure-making team who is based in Saratoga Springs, N.Y., Weir is a two-time qualifier for the prestigious National Horseplayers Championship in Las Vegas. He has produced multiple five-figure days at the track over the years, including a $60,000 Pick 6 at Del Mar in 2014.
Last year, he was red-hot in the Triple Crown prep races, hitting the superfecta in the Blue Grass Stakes for $1,678 and exactas in the Fountain of Youth Stakes and Tampa Bay Derby. He also hit the 19-1 winner of the Man o' War Stakes, the trifecta in the Pegasus World Cup, the superfecta in the Met Mile and multiple Pick 4s, including May 14's at Belmont for $1,851.
Five weeks ago, he hit the late Pick 4 at Gulfstream Park for $641 and the exacta in the Florida Derby. Three weeks ago, he nailed the Pick 5 at Keeneland and the exacta in the Lexington Stakes.
Now, he has handicapped the 2023 Kentucky Derby lineup, made his picks and constructed his bets. You can only see them at SportsLine.
Top 2023 Kentucky Derby betting strategy
One surprise: Weir is down on the chances of Tapit Trice, even though he is one of the top favorites at 5-1. The Blue Grass Stakes winner is piloted by jockey Luis Saez, who despite crossing the finish line first with Maximum Security in 2019, is still looking for his first Kentucky Derby victory. The $1.3 million purchase has won four of his five career starts, but his style of racing may not fit his post position.
In his victories thus far, Tapit Trice has gone to the outside to pass horses, but starting from post five, the horse is likely to lose too much ground by immediately shifting outward. Weir noted, "He still looks like a grind-it-down horse who may prove to be better suited for the [longer distance of the] Belmont than the Derby," and warns bettors to be careful when wagering on Tapit Trice's chances. See which other horses to avoid here.
Another curveball: Weir is high on Verifying, even though he is a 15-1 longshot. He's a target for anyone looking for a huge payday. Verifying is one of four horses trained by Brad Cox in the 2023 Kentucky Derby field. Verifying is coming off an impressive showing in the 2023 Blue Grass Stakes, where he finished second just barely behind Tapit Trice on April 8. Tapit Trice (5-1) has the second lowest odds to win the Kentucky Derby 2023 and has won twice and finished second twice in six career races.
The bay color colt has one of the best pedigrees a horse could ask for. He was sired from Justify, the 2018 Triple Crown winner. Verifying is the first horse sired by Justify to start in the Kentucky Derby, and pedigree can go a long way in manifesting a Kentucky Derby winner. Cox trained Mandaloun, the 2021 Kentucky Derby winner, and Essential Quality, who finished third in 2021. He has the experience to help Verifying continue Justify's legacy. Weir sees value in Verifying and Cox possibly training another Kentucky Derby winner. See which other horses to use here.
How to evaluate 2023 Kentucky Derby horses
Moreover, Weir's top pick is a double-digit horse who "could end up with a perfect stalking trip." He also is high on a big double-digit longshot who's "capable of getting the dream trip." Weir is including these horses in his 2023 Kentucky Derby bets, and so should you. He's sharing which horses to back only at SportsLine.
So who wins the Kentucky Derby? What double-digit longshot is a must-back? And how has Weir constructed his wagers? Check out the latest Kentucky Derby odds below, then visit SportsLine to see Weir's picks for the Kentucky Derby, all from a top horse racing champion and insider.
