THE 145th running of The Kentucky Derby takes place tomorrow (Saturday, May 4, 2019) in Louisville, Kentucky. This first jewel of the prestigious Triple Crown was inaugurated in 1875 and is the only one of the three races to have been continuously run from its inception. It is open to three-year-old thoroughbreds who have qualified based on a points system, established in 2013, to replace the previous graded stakes race earnings system.

Trainer Bob Baffert, who boasts five career Derby wins that include Triple Crown champions American Pharoah and Justify, saddles three of the leading challengers: two-year-old champion Game Winner, Santa Anita Derby winner Roadster and Improbable. Baffert can tie the record for most career Derby wins by a trainer (he is one shy of the record set by Ben Jones) and, based on the fact that the early JustBet favourite Omaha Beach was scratched on Wednesday night due to a reported respiratory issue, the odds for this achievement has been significantly increased. Omaha Beach would have been ridden by Hall of Fame jockey Mike Smith, who passed on the opportunity to ride Roadster in this event.

With Omaha Beach out, Bodexpress, being the only other eligible three-year-old this year, will enter the line-up with jockey Chris Landeros picking up the mount. Omaha Beach would have occupied a very central starting position (No 12) but, with the scratch, horses in posts 13-20 will move over one place, and Bodexpress takes the No. 20 post, previously occupied by Country House. However, horses 13-20 will retain their programme number despite moving one place in the starting gate, and Bodexpress will wear No 21.

Additionally, with the exclusion of Omaha Beach, Bob Baffert’s most probable winner, Improbable, is elevated as the JustBet favourite. As a two-year-old, Improbable was undefeated, winning the Los Alamitos Futurity at 1 1/16 miles and making a name for himself as one of this year’s top contenders. His experience on a sloppy track at Oaklawn Park could be a major advantage at Churchill Downs as Saturday’s weather forecast is predicting showers. Improbable prefers to stalk the pace and try to make up ground late, however, jockey Irad Ortiz, Jr could employ a different strategy after second-place finishes on wet tracks at the Arkansas Derby and at the Rebel Stakes. Incidentally, Baffert’s other charges ( Roadster and Game Winner) start as JustBet second and third favourites, respectively.

Favourites aside, longshots Code of Honor and Win Win Win are very good outsider options being offered by JustBet at $15.00 (14/1) and $20.00 (19/1) respectively. Code of Honor trainer Claude McGaughey III won the Kentucky Derby six years ago with Orb and took the Belmont Stakes in 1989. Code of Honor won the Fountain of Youth Stakes in March, defeating both Bourbon War and Vekoma in that event. He then finishedf third in the Florida Derby, and the middle of the pack (No. 13) post draw will benefit him.

The Michael Trombetta trained Win Win Win set a track record while winning the seven-furlong Pasco Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs on January 19 and, even though he has not won in two starts since, he rallied well in both, suggesting that Saturday’s 2019 Kentucky Derby distance of 1 1/4 miles plays to his strengths since he favours coming off the pace. Additionally, jockey Julian Pimentel, who rode the horse in the Pasco Stakes before being replaced in the last two races, will be astride tomorrow. Pimentel was aboard the horse over the weekend when he effortlessly ran by two other 2019 Kentucky Derby contenders during training. Win Win Win has all the tools needed to create an upset and should attract punters looking for an outsider.

Assuming no additional injuries occur before the race, the full 20-horse field for the Kentucky Derby is listed (including the associated trainers and jockeys). Additionally, the JustBet offering is provided so visit one of the over 100 locations (or visit www.justbetja.com) and place your bets on the prediction of your choice for maximum winnings…… Get in the GAME!

JUSTBET KENTUCKY DERBY ODDS

DECIMAL FRACTIONAL100 OMAHA BEACH N/O N/O

CODE HORSE ODDS ODDS

101 GAME WINNER 6.00 5/1

102 ROADSTER 5.50 9/2

103 IMPROBABLE 5.00 4/1

104 MAXIMUM SECURITY 9.00 8/1

105 TACITUS 9.50 17/2

106 VEKOMA 12.00 11/1

107 CODE OF HONOR 14.00 13/1

108 CUTTING HUMOR 25.00 24/1

109 WIN WIN WIN 18.00 17/1

110 WAR OF WILL 15.00 14/1

111 HAIKAL 18.00 17/1

112 PLUS QUE PARFAIT 18.00 17/1

113 BOURBON WAR N/O N/O

114 BY MY STANDARDS 15.00 14/1

115 TAX 20.00 19/1

116 ANY OTHER 3.50 5/2

*ANY OTHER refers to all other competitors not listed in the odds table

POST

Position Horse Trainer Jockey1 War of Will Mark Casse Tyler Gaffalione

2 Tax Danny Gargan Junior Alvarado

3 By My Standards Bret Calhoun Gabriel Saez

4 Gray Magician Peter Miller Drayden Van Dyke

5 Improbable Bob Baffert Irad Ortiz Jr.

6 Vekoma George Weaver Javier Castellano

7 Maximum Security Jason Servis Luis Saez

8 Tacitus William I. Mott Jose Ortiz

9 Plus Que Parfait Brendan Walsh Ricardo Santana Jr.

10 Cutting Humor Todd Pletcher Corey Lanerie

11 Haikal Kiaran McLaughlin Rajiv Maragh

12 Omaha Beach Richard E. Mandella Mike E. Smith (scratched)

13 Code of Honor Claude R. McGaughey John Velazquez

14 Win Win Win Michael Trombetta Julien Pimental

15 Master Fencer Koichi Tsunoda Julien Leparoux

16 Game Winner Bob Baffert Joel Rosario

17 Roadster Bob Baffert Florent Geroux

18 Long Range Toddy Steve Asmussen Jon Court

19 Spinoff Todd Pletcher Manny Franco

20 Country House William I. Mott Flavien Prat

21 Bodexpress Gustavo Delgado Chris Landeros