Betting on the Kentucky Derby is the biggest wagering day of the year right behind Super Bowl Sunday, so it’s small wonder that racebooks offer so many types of horse racing odds on the First Saturday in May.
There are bigger horse racing events, such as the Breeders Cup world championship, but no single event attracts more mainstream wagering interest than the Run for the Roses. [ Update: Union Rags odds hold steady after loss ]
And the Kentucky Derby odds go up well before May as there are tons of Derby futures offered by most top racebooks. So in early January, there will be a list of 40 three-year-old horses who are considered favorites to win the Derby.
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During February, March, and April the horse racing calendar is filled with key races, known as ‘Derby preps’, where the top horses compete and try to earn a spot in the field of 20. In 2012, oddsmakers set the early favorite Union Rags at 11/1 odds, with no other horse better than 20/1 odds.
That includes Breeders Cup Juvenile winner Hansen. The juvenile race features the best two-year-old horses and helps generate the prospect list for the Derby and other Triple Crown races.
Union Rags finished a close second back in October and is clearly considered the early front runner. Can he become the first Triple Crown winner since 1978? There are odds on that too at .
Odds to win the 2011 Kentucky Derby (by post position): May 4, 2012
1. Daddy Long Legs 30/1
2. Optimizer 50/1
3. Take Charge Indy 15/1
4. Union Rags 9/2
5. Dullahan 15/2
6. Bodemeister 4/1
7. Rousing Sermon 55/1
8. Creative Cause 11/1
9. Trinniberg 50/1
10. Daddy Nose Best 15/1
11. Alpha 15/1
12. Prospective 30/1
13. Went The Day Well 20/1
14. Hansen 10/1
15. Gemologist 6/1
16. El Padrino 22/1
17. Done Talking 50/1
18. Sabercat 35/1
19. I'll Have Another 12/1
20. Liaison 50/1
Odds Updated April 18, 2012:
UNION RAGS 9-2
BODEMEISTER 5-1
GEMOLOGIST 7-1
DULLAHAN 10-1
ALPHA 12-1
CREATIVE CAUSE 12-1
HANSEN 14-1
EL PADRINO 15-1
I'LL HAVE ANOTHER 16-1
SECRET CIRCLE 18-1
TAKE CHARGE INDY 18-1
DADDY NOSE BEST 20/1
WENT THE DAY WELL 20/1
MARK VALESKI 25/1
DONE TALKING 30/1
DADDY LONG LEGS 35/1
LIAISON 35/1
SABERCAT 35/1
ROUSING SERMON 60/1
REVERON 65/1
OPTIMIZER 85/1
PROSPECTIVE 85/1
ISNT HE CLEVER 100/1
CASTAWAY 125/1
GOLDEN TICKET 125/1
MORGAN'S GUERILLA 150/1
STIRRED UP 150/1
Earlier Kentucky Derby odds:
Odds Updated March 15, 2012:
UNION RAGS 4/1
CREATIVE CAUSE 5/1
EL PADRINO 8/1
HANSEN 12/1
FED BIZ 15/1
ALPHA 18/1
DULLAHAN 20/1
GEMOLOGIST 20/1
HOWE GREAT 20/1
I'LL HAVE ANOTHER 20/1
SABERCAT 20/1
BODEMEISTER 25/1
MARK VALESKI 25/1
CASTAWAY 30/1
DISCREET DANCER 30/1
EMPIRE WAY 30/1
MY ADONIS 30/1
PROSPECTIVE 30/1
BATTLE HARDENED 35/1
EVER SO LUCKY 35/1
LIAISON 35/1
NEWS PENDING 35/1
SECRET CIRCLE 35/1
TAKE CHARGE INDY 35/1
BLINGO 40/1
OUR ENTOURAGE 40/1
DADDY NOSE BEST 50/1
EXOTHERMIC 50/1
FLY LEXIS FLY 50/1
MIDNIGHT TRANSFER 50/1
Earlier Derby odds:
Will any horse win the 2012 Triple Crown?
Yes +550
No -900
Odds to Win the 2012 Kentucky Derby
UNION RAGS 11/1
EVER SO LUCKY 20/1
LIAISON 20/1
CREATIVE CAUSE 22/1
HANSEN 22/1
ALGORITHMS 25/1
GEMOLOGIST 25/1
SABERCAT 25/1
ALPHA 30/1
DULLAHAN 35/1
O'PRADO AGAIN 35/1
OUT OF BOUNDS 35/1
SECRET CIRCLE 35/1
CONSORTIUM 40/1
CURRENCY SWAP 40/1
DISCREET DANCER 40/1
EL PADRINO 40/1
HIERRO 40/1
ROUSING SERMON 40/1
BLINGO 50/1
FED BIZ 50/1
SKY KINGDOM 50/1
SO BRILLIANT 60/1
STEPHANOATSEE 60/1
MOTOR CITY 75/1
OPTIMIZER 75/1
TIMELY TALLY 75/1
CASUAL TRICK 85/1
LONGVIEW DRIVE 85/1
BIG BLUE NATION 100/1
BROTHER FRANCIS 100/1
EMPIRE WAY 100/1
EXFACTOR 100/1
FLY LEXIS FLY 100/1
MARGANO 100/1
MY ADONIS 100/1
REVERON 100/1
STATE OF PLAY 100/1
SUMMER FRONT 100/1
TAKE CHARGE INDY 100/1
