Kentucky Derby 2023 LIVE RESULTS: Confirmed horses running, tips, betting odds for Churchill Downs showpiece
THE KENTUCKY Derby is here and over 150,000 spectators are flocking to Churchill Downs.
20 thoroughbred horses are competing for the top prize in what will be a thriller of a race!
And will we see another shock? Last year's spectacle saw 80-1 outsider Rich Strike take home the top reward.
- Kentucky Derby start time:6.57pm ET, Saturday
- Racing underway from Oaks Day on Friday
- TV channel / live stream: NBC
Follow ALL of the updates below...
Bob Baffert's suspension
Churchill Downs Inc. banned Baffert from entering horses at any of their six racetracks.
This comes after one of his horses Medina Sprint failed a post-race drug test after winning the 2021 Kentucky Derby.
The horse's victory in the 147th edition of the race was later disqualified.
Medina Sprint tested positive for betamethasone, an anti-inflammatory steroid.
Due to his suspension, at last year's Kentucky Derby Baffert transferred his horses Messier and Taiba to former assistant Tin Yakteen.
Messier finished in 15th, while Taiba finished slightly higher in 12th.
Belmont Stakes, explained
The Belmont Stakes is the last race out of the prestigious Triple Crown.
The race is usually held sometime in June at Belmont Park in Elmont, New York.
Usually, the Belmont Stakes hosts a field of fewer horses compared to the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness Stakes.
Past Triple Crown winners
There have been thirteen horses to win the coveted Triple Crown, below are the horses to have accomplished this feat:
- Sir Barton (1919)
- Gallant Fox (1930)
- Omaha (1935)
- War Admiral (1937)
- Whirlaway (1941)
- Count Fleet (1943)
- Assault (1946)
- Citation (1948)
- Secretariat (1973)
- Seattle Slew (1977)
- Affirmed (1978)
- American Pharoah (2015)
- Justify (2018)
Triple Crown, explained
The highest pinnacle in US horse racing is when a horse completes the Triple Crown.
To achieve this the thoroughbred must win the Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes, and Belmont Stakes.
There have been thirteen horses to win the coveted Triple Crown and multiple that have come up just short.
History of the gray horse at the Derby
In total, there have been eight grays to win the Kentucky Derby, they include:
- Giacomo (2005)
- Monarchos (2001)
- Silver Charm (1997)
- Winning Colors (1988)
- Gato Del Sol (1982)
- Spectacular Bid (1979)
- Decidedly (1962)
- Determine (1954)
Gray for the win?
This year the Kentucky Derby features four gray horses including Tapit Trice (5-1), Reincarnate (50-1), Hit Show (30-1), and Rocket Can (30-1).
The last gray horse to win the Kentucky Derby was Giacomo in 2005.
Tune in Saturday at 6.57pm on NBC or live stream the race on Peacock, NBCSports.com, and the NBC sports app to see if another gray horse can pull off a victory!
Where you can watch the Kentucky Derby
The 149th Kentucky Derby will be shown live on NBC.
Coverage will be on NBC from 12pm - 7.30pm ET.
The Derby will be available for live streaming on Peacock, NBCSports.com, and the NBC sports app.
Inside Jockey's winning purse
The jockeys who finish in the top five positions in the Kentucky Derby will get paid out.
Here is a breakdown of the cut that Jockeys take from the overall prize pot:
- 1st place - $186k
- 2nd place - $30k
- 3rd place - $15k
- 4th place - $4.5k
- 5th place - $2.5k
Bob Baffert, 70, is Kentucky Derby winner Medina Spirit's trainer. An Arizona native, Baffert graduated from the University of Arizona Race Track Industry Program.
In the 1990's, he became one of the most successful Thoroughbred racing trainers.
In 2015, he was the first trainer in 37 years to condition a Triple Crown.
The horse American Pharoah won the Kentucky Derby, Preakness, and Belmont Stakes.
Meet some of the favorites
As we approach the biggest weekend of the year for horse racing fans, a number of thoroughbreds have been tipped to excel.
The clear favorite is Forte who was priced at 5/2 in the most recent advance pools.
Forte most recently won the Florida Derby and was trained by Todd Pletcher, who has two Derby winners to his name already.
In fact, Pletcher’s horses are all over the list of favorites this year. He also trained Tapit Trice and Kingsbarn, who are joined second in the list at 11/1.
The full list of favorites is below:
- Forte 5/2
- Tapit Trice 11/1
- Kingsbarn 11/1
- Derma Sotogake 13/1
- Practical Move 14/1
- Two Phil’s 21/1
- Reincarnate 24/1
Betting on the Kentucky Derby – Superfecta
The most difficult wager one can bet on is the Superfecta bet which means you would have to predict each horse to finish first, second, third, and fourth in the Kentucky Derby.
Although it has an unlikely chance of hitting some may say the payout is worth the risk.
Betting on the Kentucky Derby – Trifecta
If you are feeling risky then you would likely bet a Trifecta, which means you need to correctly predict the first, second, and third horses in the Kentucky Derby.
It’s a very difficult bet to win, but potentially very lucrative. If the horses don't place exactly where you bet them then you would lose.
Betting on the Kentucky Derby – Exacta
Exotic bets are where things start to get a little more complicated since you need to make multiple selections.
The most popular is the Exacta bet which means an individual needs to select two horses to finish first and second in the Kentucky Derby, in the correct order.
It’s harder to win than any of the basic bets but has a much more attractive payout.
Betting on the Kentucky Derby – Show
A Show bet is a bet on a single horse finishing first, second, or third. It’s the easiest bet to win but has the lowest payouts.
If you're a beginner who is betting on the Kentucky Derby for the first time and aren't too worried about hitting a big profit, a Show bet is perfect.
Betting on the Kentucky Derby – Place
A Place bet is a bet on a single horse finishing either first or second in a race.
As you can probably tell, this makes it easier to score a victory rather than on a Win bet.
However, as you can probably also tell, the payout will be lower since you need to share the prize pool with more people - everyone who had a Place bet on the two horses that finished first and second.
Betting on the Kentucky Derby - Win
As you can probably guess, a Win bet is a prediction on which horse will win the race.
If your horse wins the Kentucky Derby, you win your bet. Any other outcome, you lose.
Win bets also have the clearest odds which makes them especially beginner friendly for users who are betting on the race for the first time.
Different types of bets for the Kentucky Derby
The Kentucky Derby is one of the most popular betting events in the US.
It transcends horse racing: tens of thousands of people who barely watch a race for the rest of the year still like to bet a few dollars on the Kentucky Derby, and we’re going to explain how you can join them.
Make sure to place your bet before 6.57pm ET time as that is when this year's 149th edition is slated to begin.
No bathroom breaks allowed
The official start time of the Kentucky Derby is set for 6.57pm ET as that is the time Churchill Downs attempts to have the horses leave the gates.
However, the race rarely does begin at that exact time and it varies between how long it takes the horses to walk from the barn to the Paddock.
It is all scheduled to take place this Saturday, May 6, and fans shouldn't blink or take a bathroom break as the race last just two minutes on average.
Three minutes to seven heaven
You may well have noticed the slightly unusual start time.
The Kentucky Derby goes off at 6.57pm ET on Saturday.
But why not just at 7pm?
Well, 6.57pm is the time Churchill Downs attempts to have the horses leave the gates.
However, the race rarely does begin at that exact time and it varies between how long it takes the horses to walk from the barn to the Paddock.
It is all scheduled to take place on Saturday, May 6 and fans shouldn't blink as the Kentucky Derby last just two minutes on average.
Cashing in big time
The purse at this year's Kentucky Derby is slated to be a whopping $3million, the most out of any Triple Crown race.
The Belmont Stakes is second of the three with $1.5million overall prize money available.
Coming in with the lowest purse is the Preakness Stakes which pays out $990k.
This year marks the 149th annual race between three-year-old Thoroughbreds.
On Saturday, 20 horses will vie for a chance to begin their triple crown journey.
The Kentucky Derby is the shortest track of the big three (Preakness and Belmont) with a length of one and one-quarter miles.
Stay posted
We hear a lot about post positions when it comes to the Kentucky Derby.
But what are they and what do they mean, I hear you ask!
Well, I'm glad you asked.
Post position at the Kentucky Derby is the location of a horse in the starting gate.
This is where the horses start the big derby depending on which numbered stall a horse is drawn for a race.
An example of this is in a ten-horse race, the entries are numbered 1-10 with #1 being the closest to the inside rail and #10 being the furthest out.
There is no best post position for the Kentucky Derby as each numbered stall has its different advantages and disadvantages.
Lower post numbers mean that horses have a shorter path to finish the race, but there is less room to maneuvre over fences and other horses on the inside.
Why is Baffert banned?
The suspension comes after one of his horses Medina Sprint failed a post-race drug test following victort in the 2021 Kentucky Derby.
The horse's victory in the 147th edition of the race was later disqualified.
Medina Sprint tested positive for betamethasone, an anti-inflammatory steroid.
Due to his ban, at last year's Kentucky Derby Baffert transferred his horses Messier and Taiba to former assistant Tin Yakteen.
Messier finished in 15th, while Taiba finished slightly higher in 12th.
No Bob
Bob Baffert will be missing for a second consecutive Kentucky Derby as he serves the second year of his two-year suspension.
Back in the 1990s, he became one of the most successful Thoroughbred racing trainers and was inducted into Racing’s Hall of Fame in 2009.
In 2015, he was the first trainer in 37 years to condition a Triple Crown when his horse American Pharoah won the Kentucky Derby, Preakness, and Belmont Stakes.
But Churchill Downs Inc. has banned Baffert from entering horses at any of their six racetracks.
What about the jockeys?
The winning jockey lands $186,000 for themselves.
Seconds gets $30k, $15k for third, $4.5k for fourth and $2.5k for fifth.
