Kentucky Derby odds 2017: Best bets at Churchill Downs

Published 11:06 am Wednesday, May 3, 2017

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — Classic Empire has been made the early 5-1 favorite for the Kentucky Derby, with just four of the 20 horses listed at single digits.

The colt will break from the No. 14 post on Saturday. Just two horses have won the Derby out of there. The last was Carry Back in 1961.

Trained by Mark Casse, Classic Empire won the Arkansas Derby and was last year’s champion 2-year-old.

Email newsletter signup

Always Dreaming and McCraken are the co-second choices at 5-1. Trained by Todd Pletcher, Always Dreaming drew the No. 5 post, which has produced nine Derby winners, most recently California Chrome in 2014. Blue Grass Stakes winner McCraken will break from the No. 15 hole.

Irish War Cry is listed at 6-1 odds and drew the No. 17 post. No horse has ever won from that post.

Field for Saturday’s 143rd Kentucky Derby:

  Opening
PP Horse Trainer Jockey Odds
1. Lookin At Lee Steve Asmussen Corey Lanerie 20-1
2. Thunder Snow Saeed bin Suroor Christophe Soumillon 20-1
3. Fast and Accurate Michael Maker Channing Hill 50-1
4. Untrapped Steve Asmussen Ricardo Santana, Jr. 30-1
5. Always Dreaming Todd Pletcher John Velazquez 5-1
6. State of Honor Mark Casse Jose Lezcano 30-1
7. Girvin Joe Sharp Mike Smith 15-1
8. Hence Steve Asmussen Florent Geroux 15-1
9. Irap Doug O’Neill Mario Gutierrez 20-1
10. Gunnevera Antonio Sano Javier Castellano 15-1
11. Battle of Midway Jerry Hollander Flavien Prat 30-1
12. Sonneteer Keith Desormeaux Kent Desormeaux 50-1
13. J Boys Echo Dale Romans Luis Saez 20-1
14. Classic Empire Mark Casse Julien Leparoux 4-1
15. McCraken Ian Wilkes Brian Hernandez Jr. 5-1
16. Tapwrit Todd Pletcher Jose Ortiz 20-1
17. Irish War Cry Graham Motion Rajiv Maragh 6-1
18. Gormley John Shirreffs Victor Espinoza 15-1
19. Practical Joke Chad Brown Joel Rosario 20-1
20. Patch Todd Pletcher Tyler Gaffalione 30-1
AE. Royal Mo John Shirreffs Gary Stevens 20-1
AE. Master Plan Todd Pletcher John Velasquez 50-1

Weights: 126 pounds. Distance: 1 1-4 miles. Purse: $2,000,000. First place: $1,240,000. Second place: $400,000. Third place: $200,000. Fourth place: $100,000. Fifth place: $60,000. Post time: 6:34 p.m. EDT