2023 Kentucky Derby Post Position and Odds

The 149th "Run for the Roses" is Saturday from the famous Churchill Downs racetrack in Kentucky and Forte is this year's favorite to win.

The first leg of the Triple Crown of horse racing takes place Saturday with the 149th Kentucky Derby. The post positions were drawn on Monday and now the oddsmakers have released the initial odds for the “Run for the Roses.” Of the 20 horses that will race in the one-and-a-quarter-mile event, only three have odds of less than 10-to-1, seven have odds between 10-to-1 and 19-to-1, and 10 have odds of 20-to-1 or more.

Forte, running out of the No. 15 position, is a strong favorite at 3-to-1. Tapit Trice, in the No. 5 spot, checks in a 5-to-1 and Angel of Empire, in the No. 14 pole, has the third-best odds at 8-to-1. Forte led all horses in Derby Points, the point system used to qualify horses for the race at Churchill Downs. Practical Move was second in Derby Points but has longer odds than Angel of Empire (who was third in Derby Points) and Tapit Trice (fourth). There are four long shots at 50-to-1 odds with Continuar, Raise Cain, Sun Thunder, and Reincarnate all listed as dark horses.

How much does the post position matter for the Kentuck Derby?

Let’s hit the rewind button to last year, when Rich Strike -- who wasn’t even in the original Kentucky Derby field -- was the first to cross the finish line at 80-to-1, becoming one of the biggest underdogs to win the Derby. Rich Strike was just the second horse to win the race from the No. 20 post position. Only one horse has won from the No. 19 spot and no horse has won from the 17th pole (bad news for Derma Sotogake).

The No. 5 post has yielded the most wins, with 10 winners coming from that position. The No. 10 spot has produced nine winners and eight winners have come from the first, seventh and eighth poles.

2023 Kentucky Derby Odds and Pole Positions

Post Position 1: Hit Show 30-to-1 

Post Position 2: Verifying 15-to-1 

Post Position 3: Two Phil’s 12-to-1

Post Position 4: Confidence Game 20-to-1 

Post Position 5: Tapit Trice 5-to-1 

Post Position 6: Kingsbarns 12-to-1 

Post Position 7: Reincarnate 50-to-1 

Post Position 8: Mage 15-to-1 

Post Position 9: Skinner 20-to-1 

Post Position 10: Practical Move 10-1 

Post Position 11: Disarm 30-to-1 

Post Position 12: Jace's Road 15-to-1 

Post Position 13: Sun Thunder 50-to-11 

Post Position 14: Angel of Empire 8-to-1 

Post Position 15: Forte 3-to-1

Post Position 16: Raise Cain 50-to-1 

Post Position 17: Derma Sotogake 10-to-1 

Post Position 18: Rocket Can 30-to-1 

Post Position 19: Lord Miles 30-to-1 

Post Position 20: Continuar 50-to-1 

The total prize purse for this year’s Derby is $3 million with $1.86 million going to the winning horse, $600,000 for second place, and $300,000 for third place.

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