Who Are the Favorites to Win for the 2023 Kentucky Derby?
The Kentucky Derby is one of the three events that complete the Triple Crown of American Thoroughbred racing for three-year-old horses and Preakness Stakes and Belmont Stakes. This series of horse races takes place annually, starting with the Kentucky Derby, which usually occurs in May.
This year, the Kentucky Derby will start on May 6, 2023. So, horse racing fans are in a buzz with their favorite horses and are looking forward to who will become the new Triple Crown winner since the last champion, Justify, in 2018.
If you’re also concerned about who will win like the rest of the fans, here’s brief information on the top favorites to win this year’s Kentucky Derby.
Forte
Forte easily became the early favorite of all the runners because of his flawless record since he started participating in competitive races.
He’s currently in the top favorites of the TVG Kentucky Derby list for a good reason, particularly because he was the leading juvenile last year and made a strong impression of winning his remaining preps in colors.
A few of his astounding wins include the 2023 Florida Derby (G1) and 2023 Fountain of Youth (G2) this year and the 2022 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1) last year. In fact, he has already participated in seven starts in total since 2022 and won six of them.
Tapit Trice
This three-year-old colt started most of his career so far, only in 2023, with three stars and with only two races last year. Still, he also quickly became most people’s one of the top favorite horses to win the 2023 Kentucky Derby.
In summary, out of his five starts, he has won four of these races, including his stakes win in the 2023 Blue Grass Stakes (G1) and the 2023 Tampa Bay Derby (G3). With the rising significance of the Blue Grass Stakes, Tapit Trice’s win has been attracting fans’ interest.
Moreover, Tapit Trice’s ability to steer from a rail draw with such a short field and chase right behind other runners is just one of his skills that fans should look closer to, especially in the upcoming event.
Derma Sotogake
UAE Derby winners don’t usually participate in the Kentucky Derby, but Derma Sotogake, a Japanese runner, will take his chance in the Kentucky field. He’s been described as a horse with a different air around him that’s unusual to former UAE Derby contestants that also participated in the Kentucky Derby before.
Many look forward to how this colt will perform this May 6. In addition, Derma Sotogake is one of the horses who has participated in most horse races, with eight records under his name in this list. He has won four of them and placed third twice.
Angel of Empire
Sired by Classic Empire mare Armony’s Angel in 2020, Angel of Empire seems to follow his sire’s legacy by winning every race he participated in. Out of all six races he has participated in since 2022, Angel of Empire has placed first in four and once in second place.
His significant stake wins include the 2023 Arkansas Derby (G1) and the 2023 Risen Star (G2), earning him roughly a million. With being only in the first quarter of 2023, his performance so far has attracted a lot of bettors. Not to mention his three-digit highest Equibase speed figure of 106, you can look forward to how he will devour the field and outrun his rivals.
Two Phil’s
Aside from Derma Sotogake, Two Phil’s has also participated in eight races. Three of these races took place this year, where he placed first, second, and third in every event. Nonetheless, he has accumulated four wins as the top finisher so far. His honorable wins include the Shakopee Juvenile Stakes (LS), 2022 Street Sense (G3), and 2023 Jeff Ruby Steaks (G3).
Also, Two Phil has met Angel of Empire and Forte in different races, so he’ll face them again in the Kentucky Derby as top favorites. It’s been a while since they last met in the same field, and Two Phil’s has already improved so much. So, seeing what he will do this time will be interesting.
Practical Move
Next on the list is Practical Move, who has welcomed his 2023 with two races, which he has won with no surprise. Moreover, these are not just any races but his prep for the Kentucky Derby, which serves as his entryway to the event. Also, he didn’t just win it but made an impression on the fans, especially with his back-to-back win.
These particular races are the 2023 Santa Anita Derby (G1) last April and the 2023 San Felipe (G2) last March. Overall, Practical Move has run for seven starts already, which he places each time, mainly four times as first place, once in second, and twice in third.
Final Thoughts
There are several strong favorites to win this time around. It will be more challenging to predict who will win the 2023 Kentucky Derby because of the astonishing records of its contenders. The favorites to win, particularly the list of horses above, have already proven their worth based only on their records. Moreover, records and performance don’t lie. So, you better watch out and look at every horse closely at the upcoming event.
Image Source –
https://www.pexels.com/photo/jockeys-riding-their-horses-11341149/