2023 Kentucky Derby horses, futures, odds, date: Expert who nailed 10 Derby-Oaks Doubles says best picks
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Angel of Empire enters the 2023 Kentucky Derby on Saturday, May 6 at Churchill Downs off back-to-back victories. The three-year-old trained by Brad Cox won the Arkansas Derby despite entering the race outside the top three in the odds. Cox also trained Mandaloun, who was named the winner of the 2021 Kentucky Derby after Medina Spirit tested positive for an illegal substance. Angel of Empire has won three of his last four races and is 29-1 in the 2023 Kentucky Derby odds.
Forte is the 5-2 favorite among the 2023 Kentucky Derby horses, followed by Tapit Trice and Kingsbarn at 11-1. Derma Sotogake is next at 13-1, followed by Practical Move at 14-1 after the Tim Yakteen-trained horse won the Santa Anita Derby. Cox is training four horses in the 2023 Kentucky Derby field, with Angel of Empire owning the best odds of the group. 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, even though he’s the top 2023 Kentucky Derby favorite and has won five straight races. Forte has won five straight races, but finished fourth in the 2022 Sanford, proving he can be defeated.
Forte’s most recent win came in the Florida Derby, where he relied on a late sprint to take out the field after trailing the pack until reaching the final finish line. His results can’t be argued, but the value can. With a strong, open field, 5-2 Kentucky Derby odds 2023 may be too short for a horse being stretched out in a 10-furlong race. This will be the longest race Forte has run and the 2023 Kentucky Derby lineup is filled with speed. Demling thinks despite Forte’s winning ways, there are too many uncertainties. See which other 2023 Kentucky Derby horses to avoid at SportsLine.
Another stunner: Demling is high on Two Phil’s, even though he’s a long shot at 21-1. He’s a target for anyone looking for a huge payday. Two Phil’s has made a name for himself with four victories and six top-three finishes in his eight career races. But Two Phil’s also has a pedigree as the son of Hard Spun, who placed in the top four in all three Triple Crown races in 2007.
Two Phil’s had his most disappointing finish by coming in seventh at the Breeders Cup Futurity, which was won by Forte, the 2023 Kentucky Derby favorite. But the Colt won his next race three weeks later at the Street Sense at Churchill Downs, one of the few horses to already have a victory at the 2023 Kentucky Derby location. This began a streak of four straight top-three finishes for Two Phil’s. He’s coming off a victory in the Jeff Ruby Steaks in which he posted a 103 Beyer Speed Figure, the highest mark of any three-year-old this year. See which other horses to back at SportsLine.
How to make 2023 Kentucky Derby picks, bets
Demling is especially high on a big longshot who will give you “juicy odds” and a potentially hefty payday. 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.
Which horse wins the Kentucky Derby 2023? And which huge underdog is a must-back? Check out the latest 2023 Kentucky Derby odds below, then visit SportsLine to see Demling’s picks for the Kentucky Derby, all from the expert who nailed 10 Derby-Oaks doubles.
