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AAANNNNND.......DOWN THE STRETCH THEY COME!!!
Kentucky Derby 2023 odds, picks, post positions: Tapit Trice, Angel of Empire predictions after Forte scatch
By CBS Sports Staff
1 hr ago
If history has shown us anything, post position matters at the Kentucky Derby. Post 17 has never won a Kentucky Derby. Post No. 5 has produced the most winners with 10, most recently Always Dreaming in 2017. What's the post going through the longest losing stretch? That would be No. 14, which last produced a winner in 1961 via Carry Back. Forte was the 3-1 favorite after winning six of seven career races, but was scratched on Saturday morning. Tapit Trice (5-1) now has the best 2023 Kentucky Derby odds, followed by Angel of Empire at 8-1 among the 2023 Kentucky Derby contenders. Derma Sotogake is 10-1, followed by Kingsbarn and Two Phil's at 12-1 odds to win the Kentucky Derby 2023.
The 2023 Kentucky Derby post time is 6:57 p.m. ET. Before you make any Kentucky Derby 2023 predictions, you'll want to see elite horse racing handicapper Jody Demling's 2023 Kentucky Derby picks and analysis.
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 five 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, Demling has handicapped the 2023 Kentucky Derby field, made his picks and constructed his bets. Click here to see them.
2023 Kentucky Derby predictions for Tapit Trice, Angel of Empire
One surprise: Demling is fading Tapit Trice, even though he's one of the favorites at 5-1. One of three horses trained by Todd Pletcher in the 2023 Kentucky Derby, this son of Tapit by Danzatrice has won his last four starts. After finishing third in his debut at Aqueduct last November, Tapit Trice returned to the same track six weeks later and managed to break his maiden.
He followed that up with a win in an allocation race at Gulfstream Park and then collected 150 qualifying points with wins at the Tampa Bay Derby and the Blue Grass Stakes. Distance may not be an issue given his pedigree, but the legendary sire Tapit has never produced a Kentucky Derby winner. Plus, for all Pletcher's considerable successes, he's only managed a 3.2% win rate and a 12.9% cash rate in 62 previous Derby starts. See who else to fade here.
Demling also has a strong read on Angel of Empire, the third favorite in the latest Kentucky Derby odds 2023 at 8-1. He got off to a mediocre start at the Arkansas Derby, but used a late push to pull away in a convincing victory to punch his ticket to Churchill Downs. Angel of Empire showed the acceleration needed to win the Kentucky Derby and has trained well over the past month.
However, his running style could become an issue if the Kentucky Derby 2023 is run at a slower pace, and the competition in the Arkansas Derby was lackluster. The second-place finisher was a 58-1 longshot, potentially making it tough to gauge how Angel of Empire will fare on Saturday. He has produced four victories and one second-place finish in six career starts, though, giving him the form needed to be considered a contender in the biggest race of the year. See where Angel of Empire finishes here.
How to make 2023 Kentucky Derby picks, bets
Demling is especially high on a big longshot who "has looked outstanding training at Churchill Downs and will be there with a shot in the end." Anyone who backs this horse could hit it big. He's sharing which horses to back only at SportsLine.
Where do Forte, Tapit Trice, Angel of Empire, and every other horse finish in the 2023 Kentucky Derby? And which enormous long shot is a must-back? Check out the Kentucky Derby odds 2023 below, then visit SportsLine to see Demling's picks for the Kentucky Derby, all from the expert who has nailed 10 Derby-Oaks doubles in the last 14 years.
2023 Kentucky Derby odds, horses, post draw
HORSE ODDS PROGRAM # PROJECTION
Forte SCR SCR
Tapit Trice 5-1 5 SEE PICKS
Angel of Empire 8-1 14 SEE PICKS
Derma Sotogake 10-1 20 SEE PICKS
Practical Move SCR SCR
Kingsbarn 12-1 6 SEE PICKS
Two Phil's 12-1 3 SEE PICKS
Mage 15-1 8 SEE PICKS
Verifying 15-1 2 SEE PICKS
Confidence Game 20-1 4 SEE PICKS
Mandarin Hero 20-1 22 SEE PICKS
Skinner SCR SCR
Cyclone Mischief 30-1 21 SEE PICKS
Disarm 30-1 11 SEE PICKS
Hit Show 30-1 1 SEE PICKS
Lord Miles SCR SCR
Rocket Can 30-1 18 SEE PICKS
Continuar SCR SCR
Jace's Road 50-1 12 SEE PICKS
King Russell 50-1 23 SEE PICKS
Raise Cain 50-1 16 SEE PICKS
Sun Thunder 50-1 13 SEE PICKS
Reincarnate 50-1 7 SEE PICKS
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