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Wed 04/05/2022 - 04:44 EDT

Kentucky Derby 2022: Improving Cyberknife Provides Value

The 2022 Kentucky Derby will be run on Saturday, May 7, 2022. The 1 1/4-mile horse race is one of the most important races in the world: 20 of the best three-year-old horses in the world will compete for a $3 million purse, the garland of roses, and a place in horse racing history! With such a big field of classy horses, it is one of the greatest betting races all year long!

2022 Kentucky Derby Betting Online

It is important to have the right Kentucky Derby picks, but it is just as important to choose the right place to bet the Kentucky Derby online. After all, you need a site with trusted money management features, a smooth interface, and the best odds.

Our experts can help you find the best online sportsbook for you. They can help you make sense of the bonus offerings like sign-up and deposit bonuses, referral incentives, and horse racing rebates. Our reviews can help you make a confident choice about which online sportsbook can help you make the most profit!

RankBonusReviewLink to site

Kentucky Derby Horses

This is the official field for the 2022 Kentucky Derby including post positions, trainers, and jockeys:

  1. Mo Donegal (Todd Pletcher/Irad Ortiz, Jr.) - 10-1

  2. Happy Jack (Doug O’Neill/Rafael Bejarano) - 30-1

  3. Epicenter (Steve Asmussen/Joel Rosario) - 7-2

  4. Summer Is Tomorrow (Bhupat Seemar/Mickael Barzalona) - 30-1

  5. Smile Happy (Ken McPeek/Corey Lanerie) - 20-1

  6. Messier (John Velazquez/Tim Yakteen) - 8-1

  7. Crown Pride (Koichi Shintani/Christophe Lemaire) - 20-1

  8. Charge It (Todd Pletcher/Luis Saez) - 20-1

  9. Tiz the Bomb (Ken McPeek/Brian Hernandez, Jr.) - 30-1

  10. Zandon (Chad Brown/Flavien Prat) - 3-1

  11. Pioneer of Medina (Todd Plecher/Joe Bravo) - 30-1

  12. Taiba (Tim Yakteen/Mike Smith) - 12-1

  13. Simplification (Antonio Sano/Jose Ortiz) - 20-1

  14. Barber Road (John Ortiz/Reylu Gutierrez) - 30-1

  15. White Abarrio (Saffie Joseph, Jr./Tyler Gaffalione) - 10-1

  16. Cyberknife (Brad Cox/Florent Geroux) - 20-1

  17. Classic Causeway (Brian Lynch/Julien Leparoux) - 30-1

  18. Tawny Port (Brad Cox/Ricardo Santana, Jr.) - 30-1

  19. Zozos (Brad Cox/Manuel Franco) - 20-1

  20. Ethereal Road (D. Wayne Lukas/Luis Contreras) - 30-1

  21. Rich Strike (Eric Reed/Sonny Leon) - 30-1 - ALSO ELIGIBLE

  22. Rattle N Roll (Ken McPeek/James Graham) - 30-1 - ALSO ELIGIBLE

Both Rich Strike and Rattle N Roll entered as also-eligible horses. They get into the Kentucky Derby if one or two horses above them, respectively, scratch before 9:00 a.m. on Friday morning. If a horse scratches after that but before the Derby, they will not draw into the races, since local betting at American racetracks will have already opened.

Though Zandon was named as the morning line favorite, the morning line is only the track’s estimate. In fact, based on most of the Vegas markets, Epicenter is the most likely Kentucky Derby favorite. These are the Kentucky Derby odds at the best online sportsbooks:

Horses bovada betonline gt-bets

Epicenter

+400 +450 TBA

Zandon

+400 +500 TBA

Messier

+800 +800 TBA

Taiba

+800 +800 TBA

Mo Donegal

+1000 +1000 TBA

Charge It

+1200 +1600 TBA

White Abarrio

+1200 +1000 TBA 

Kentucky Derby Handicapping

When handicapping the Kentucky Derby, it is important to know the Kentucky Derby contenders. These are the most interesting contenders, the ones with the best chance to run well, including some live longshots.

Kentucky Derby Best Bet

The best bet in the 2022 Kentucky Derby is Arkansas Derby (G1) winner Cyberknife. Though it took him longer than some other Derby contenders to find his best, he has put it all together in his last two starts before the Derby. He has the tactical speed to put together a great trip, and his pedigree is excellent for the stretch out to a mile and a quarter.

Cyberknife To win the Kentucky Derby
+2000
Bovada

His connections, trainer Brad Cox and jockey Florent Geroux, have been excellent in big races in recent years. They have a good chance to add the Kentucky Derby to their achievements with this versatile, improving colt.

Deserving Kentucky Derby Market Leaders

Epicenter, the likely favorite, was the leader through an otherwise chaotic Kentucky Derby prep season.  He ran very well in all four points races at Fair Grounds and proved in the Louisiana Derby (G2) that he has true tactical speed. That is the kind of running style that often wins the Kentucky Derby, meaning he may run to the public’s faith.

Zandon was named the morning line favorite, though he is the second choice in many Vegas markets. He impressed when winning the Blue Grass (G1) and his workouts leading into the Kentucky Derby have been excellent. However, the Blue Grass has been a less-than-fruitful Kentucky Derby prep in recent years and Zandon’s closing style makes it a possibility that he will not get all the way there.

Taiba lacks the experience of many of his foes, with only two starts underneath him. However, both of those starts have come back extremely fast no matter what speed figures you choose to use. It also matters that he won the Santa Anita Derby (G1), since that race has been one of the most important preps in modern times. Expect him to get a good stalk-and-pounce trip under Derby veteran Mike Smith.

Kentucky Derby Longshots

Japanese horses have brought their best to the top race meets around the world over the last year, and Crown Pride may carry that trend to Louisville. He already proved he can ship well when he won the UAE Derby (G2). He relished in the 1 3/16-mile distance of that prep, and his pedigree suggests that he may like Saturday’s mile and a quarter even more.

Barber Road has been one of the most consistent horses on the Derby trail. He has not yet won a stakes race but he has hit the board in five in a row, including all four Oaklawn points preps. He has been able to get shares from close to the pace or well off of it, giving him many options for carving out a trip. A win would be a surprise, but Barber Road could be the underneath longshot who makes deeper exotics pay.

Free Kentucky Derby Expert Picks

Here are your free Kentucky Derby expert plays:

  • $30 Win: #16 Cyberknife

  • $5 Win/Place/Show: #7 Crown Pride

  • $1 Exacta Key: #16 Cyberknife with #3 Epicenter, #7 Crown Pride, #10 Zandon

  • $1 Trifecta Key: #16 Cyberknife with #3 Epicenter, #7 Crown Pride, #10 Zandon, #12 Taiba

  • $1 Superfecta Key: #16 Cyberknife with #3 Epicenter, #7 Crown Pride, #10 Zandon, #12 Taiba, #14 Barber Road

Kentucky Derby Undercard Picks

There are seven other major stakes races on the Kentucky Derby undercard. Make sure to use these horses when you are building out your tickets in the all-stakes Pick 6 and other rich multi-race wagers:

  • $500,000 Churchill Distaff Turf Mile (G2): #8 Speak of the Devil

  • $160,000 Knicks Go Overnight Stakes: #8 Injunction, #11 Necker Island

  • $500,000 Pat Day Mile (G2): #1 Major General, #5 Jack Christopher

  • $500,000 Derby City Distaff (G1): #5 Obligatory, #6 Bell’s the One

  • $500,000 American Turf (G2): #2 Main Event, #7 Sy Dog, #11 Dowagiac Chief

  • $500,000 Churchill Downs Stakes (G1): #1 Aloha West, #3 Jackie’s Warrior

  • $1 million Turf Classic (G1): #7 Cavalry Charge, #8 Adhamo