Mage was the winner of the 2023 Kentucky Derby, which took place on Saturday, May 6, at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky. This was the 149th running of the iconic race, which is often referred to as the “most exciting two minutes in sports,” as the best 3-year-old thoroughbreds on the planet battle it out over 1 1/4 miles. This page covers the details on the biggest horse race of the year, along with information about the latest Kentucky Derby odds.
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2023 Kentucky Derby odds
Here’s a look at the full field organized by favorite along with the final betting odds for the 2023 Kentucky Derby.
| Position | Horse | Final odds | Opening odds |
|---|---|---|---|
| 14 | Angel of Empire | 7-2 | 8-1 |
| 5 | Tapit Trice | 9-2 | 5-1 |
| 17 | Derma Sotogake | 8-1 | 10-1 |
| 3 | Two Phil’s | 9-1 | 12-1 |
| 6 | Kingsbarns | 11-1 | 12-1 |
| 7 | Reincarnate | 13-1 | 50-1 |
| 2 | Verifying | 15-1 | 15-1 |
| 8 | Mage | 15-1 | 15-1 |
| 4 | Confidence Game | 17-1 | 20-1 |
| 22 | Mandarin Hero | 20-1 | 20-1 |
| 11 | Disarm | 24-1 | 30-1 |
| 1 | Hit Show | 25-1 | 30-1 |
| 18 | Rocket Can | 27-1 | 15-1 |
| 13 | Sun Thunder | 29-1 | 50-1 |
| 16 | Raise Cain | 29-1 | 15-1 |
| 21 | Cyclone Mischief | 29-1 | 30-1 |
| 12 | Jace’s Road | 30-1 | 15-1 |
| 23 | King Russell | 30-1 | 50-1 |
| 15 | Forte | SCRATCHED | SCRATCHED |
| 9 | Skinner | SCRATCHED | SCRATCHED |
| 20 | Continuar | SCRATCHED | SCRATCHED |
| 10 | Practical Move | SCRATCHED | SCRATCHED |
| 19 | Lord Miles | SCRATCHED | SCRATCHED |
Horses for the 2023 Kentucky Derby
Here’s a look back at the final points standings for the Road to the Kentucky Derby in 2023.
| Horse | Trainer | Derby points |
| Forte | Todd Pletcher | 190 |
| Practical Move | Tim Yakteen | 160 |
| Angel of Empire | Brad Cox | 154 |
| Tapit Trice | Todd Pletcher | 150 |
| Two Phil’s | Larry Rivelli | 123 |
| Lord Miles | Saffie A. Joseph Jr. | 105 |
| Derma Sotogake (JPN) | Hidetaka Otonashi | 100 |
| Kingsbarns | Todd Pletcher | 100 |
| Raise Cain | Ben Colebrook | 64 |
| Hit Show | Brad Cox | 60 |
| Rocket Can | William Mott | 60 |
| Confidence Game | J. Keith Desormeaux | 57 |
| Sun Thunder | Kenneth McPeak | 54 |
| Verifying | Brad Cox | 54 |
| Mage | Gustavo Delgado | 50 |
| Disarm | Steven Asmussen | 46 |
| Reincarnate | Tim Yakteen | 45 |
| Skinner | John A. Shirreffs | 45 |
| Jace’s Road | Brad H. Cox | 45 |
| Continuar (JPN) | Yoshito Yahagi | Invite |
| AE – Cyclone Mischief | Dale L. Romans | 45 |
| AE – Mandarin Hero (JPN) | Terunobu Fujita | 40 |
| AE – King Russell | Ron Moquett | 40 |
2023 Kentucky Derby favorites
Morning line odds for the 2023 Kentucky Derby were released on Monday, May 1. Just three horses had odds of less than 10-1.
- Forte, 3-1 (SCRATCHED)
- Tapit Trice, 5-1
- Angel of Empire, 8-1
Forte was scratched on the morning of the race, leaving Tapit Trice and Angel of Empire as the presumptive favorites. Beyond the top three in betting odds, the remainder of the field fell into tiers on the odds board.
- 10-1: Practical Move (SCRATCHED), Derma Sotogake (JPN)
- 12-1: Two Phil’s, Kingsbarns
- 15-1: Verifying, Mage, Jace’s Road, Rocket Can
- 20-1: Confidence Game, Skinner (SCRATCHED), AE – Mandarin Hero (JPN)
- 30-1: Hit Show, Disarm, Lord Miles (SCRATCHED), AE – Cyclone Mischief
- 50-1: Reincarnate, Sun Thunder, Raise Cain, Continuar (SCRATCHED), AE – King Russell
A total of five horses were scratched in advance of the race, which left the field with 18 entrants.
In addition to the prep races, Kentucky Derby future wager pools also offer a look ahead at the betting interest in the horses that are expected to be in the field. There were six pools in total for this season. The first concluded on Nov. 3, 2022, while the last ran from March 30 through April 1. Here were the top six options at the time of closing.
- 1 – Forte, 5-2
- 2 – Tapit Trice, 11-1
- 3 – Kingsbarns, 11-1
- 4 – Derma Sotogake, 13-1
- 5 – Practical Move, 14-1
- 6 – All other 3-year-olds, 17-1
Kentucky Derby favorites last updated: May 6, 2023
What do the Kentucky Derby odds mean?
The oddsmaker will consider a number of factors when setting the morning line. Any odds that come out for the Derby in advance of the draw are speculative, but they can serve as a ballpark guide of what to expect. These odds are not indicative of the oddsmakers’ opinions on each horse. Rather, their purpose is to act as a guess of how the public will wager prior to the race. Additionally, the morning line odds are not final. You can expect to see shifts in the numbers right up to post time. The more money people wager on a horse, the lower its odds, and vice versa.
What goes into the lines for the Kentucky Derby?
Once the field is set for the Derby, there will be a draw to determine post position for all participants in the race. The morning line odds for all entrants will come out several days in advance. The oddsmakers will consider a number of factors when setting the lines, such as the following:
- Performance in qualifying races.
- Public interest and expected wagering action.
- Pedigree, jockey, trainer, stable and other ancillary factors.
Any odds that come out for the Derby in advance of the draw are speculative, but they can serve as a ballpark guide of what to expect. After the lines are out, it’s time for bettors to digest and make their guesses. You can expect to see shifts in the numbers right up to post time.
Prep races leading up to the Kentucky Derby
Each prep race on the road to the Kentucky Derby awards points to the top four finishers. The top 20 horses clinch spots in the Kentucky Derby starting gate. Here are the details on these races, which started in September when these horses were 2-year-olds.
| Date | Race | Track | Winner | Jockey/Trainer | Odds |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sept. 17, 2022 | Iroquois | Churchill Downs | Curly Jack | Morales/Amoss | 10-1 |
| Sept. 24, 2022 | Juddmonte Royal Lodge | Newmarket | The Foxes | Probert/Balding | 17-2 |
| Sept. 24, 2022 | Alan Smurfit Memorial Beresford | Curragh | Crypto Force | Keane/O’Callaghan | 15-2 |
| Oct. 1, 2022 | Champagne | Belmont At The Big A | Blazing Sevens | Prat/Brown | 8-1 |
| Oct. 2, 2022 | Qatar Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere | Longchamp | Belbek | Barzalona/Fabre | 16-1 |
| Oct. 8, 2022 | American Pharoah | Santa Anita Park | Cave Rock | Hernandez/Baffert | 2-5 |
| Oct. 8, 2022 | Breeders’ Futurity | Keeneland | Forte | Ortiz Jr./Pletcher | 4-1 |
| Oct. 22, 2022 | Vertem Futurity Trophy | Doncaster | Auguste Rodin | Moore/O’Brien | 9-4 |
| Nov. 4, 2022 | Breeders’ Cup Juvenile | Keeneland | Forte | Ortiz Jr./Pletcher | 5-1 |
| Nov. 26, 2022 | Kentucky Jockey Club | Churchill Downs | Instant Coffee | Saez/Cox | 3-2 |
| Nov. 26, 2022 | Cattleya | Tokyo Racecourse | Continuar | Lane/Yahagi | 3.9-1 |
| Dec. 3, 2022 | Remsen | Aqueduct | Dubyuhnell | Ortiz/Gargan | 4-1 |
| Dec. 14, 2022 | Zen-Nippon Nisai Yushun | Kawasaki | Derma Sotogake | Matsuwaka/Otonashi | 11-2 |
| Dec. 17, 2022 | Los Alamitos Futurity | Los Alamitos Race Course | Practical Move | Vazquez/Yakteen | 8-1 |
| Dec. 17, 2022 | Springboard Mile | Remington Park | Wildatlanticstorm | Goncalves/Ashford Jr. | 6-1 |
| Dec. 26, 2022 | Gun Runner | Fair Grounds | Jace’s Road | Geroux/Cox | 2-1 |
| Jan. 1, 2023 | Smarty Jones | Oaklawn Park | Victory Formation | Prat/Cox | 3-5 |
| Jan. 7, 2023 | Jerome | Aqueduct | Lugan Knight | Davis/McCarthy | 7-2 |
| Jan. 8, 2023 | Sham | Santa Anita Park | Reincarnate | Hernandez/Baffert | 16-1 |
| Jan. 21, 2023 | Lecomte | Fair Grounds | Instant Coffee | Saez/Cox | 6-5 |
| Jan. 28, 2023 | Southwest | Oaklawn Park | Arabian Knight | Velazquez/Baffert | 2-5 |
| Feb. 4, 2023 | Holy Bull | Gulfstream Park | Rocket Can | Alvarado/Mott | 5-2 |
| Feb. 4, 2023 | Robert B. Lewis | Santa Anita Park | Newgate | Dettori/Baffert | 1-1 |
| Feb. 11, 2023 | Withers | Aqueduct | Hit Show | Franco/Cox | 6-5 |
| Feb. 11, 2023 | Sam F. Davis | Tampa Bay Downs | Litigate | Saez/Pletcher | 5-2 |
| Feb. 11, 2023 | El Camino Real Derby | Golden Gate Fields | Chase the Chaos | Ayuso/Moger Jr. | 4-1 |
| Feb. 18, 2023 | Risen Star | Fair Grounds | Angel of Empire | Saez/Cox | 13-1 |
| Feb. 19, 2023 | Hyacinth | Tokyo Racecourse | Perriere | Fukunaga/Kuroiwa | 10-11 |
| Feb. 25, 2023 | Rebel | Oaklawn Park | Confidence Game | Graham/Desormeaux | 18-1 |
| March 3, 2023 | Patton | Dundalk | Cairo | Moore/O’Brien | 2-5 |
| March 4, 2023 | Fountain of Youth | Gulfstream Park | Forte | Ortiz Jr./Pletcher | 1-2 |
| March 4, 2023 | Gotham | Aqueduct | Raise Cain | Lezcano/Colebrook | 23-1 |
| March 4, 2023 | San Felipe | Santa Anita | Practical Move | Vazquez/Yakteen | 4-1 |
| March 4, 2023 | John Battaglia Memorial | Turfway Park | Congruent | Leon/Sano | 16-1 |
| March 11, 2023 | Tampa Bay Derby | Tampa Bay Downs | Tapit Trice | Saez/Pletcher | 1-2 |
| March 15, 2023 | Road to the Kentucky Derby Condition Stakes | Kempton Park | Brave Emperor | Morris/Watson | 9-5 |
| March 25, 2023 | UAE Derby | Meydan Racecourse | Derma Sotogake | Lemaire/Otonashi | 10-1 |
| March 25, 2023 | Louisiana Derby | Fair Grounds | Kingsbarns | Prat/Pletcher | 9-2 |
| March 25, 2023 | Jeff Ruby Steaks | Turfway Park | Two Phil’s | Loveberry/Rivelli | 5-2 |
| March 25, 2023 | Fukuryu | Nakayama | Mitono O | Kowata/Maki | 3-2 |
| March 26, 2023 | Sunland Derby | Sunland Park | Wild on Ice | Tohill/Marr | 35-1 |
The most prominent prep races award 100 points to winners and 40 points to runners-up. Both of these totals ensure Derby spots for the top two finishers of these races:
- March 25 — UAE Derby at Meydan Racecourse
- March 25 — Louisiana Derby at Fair Grounds
- March 25 – Jeff Ruby Steaks at Turfway Park
- April 1 — Florida Derby at Gulfstream Park
- April 1 — Arkansas Derby at Oaklawn Park
- April 8 — Wood Memorial at Aqueduct
- April 8 — Blue Grass at Keeneland
- April 8 — Santa Anita Derby at Santa Anita Park
Kentucky Derby history
The Kentucky Derby first took place in 1875 and has been an annual event since. Aristides was the inaugural winner, clocking in at 2:37.75 over 1½ miles. The race evolved in the years that followed, with the length changing to 1¼ miles in 1896, where it remains to this day.
The race typically takes place on the first Saturday in May and serves as the first leg of horse racing’s Triple Crown. Derby winners tend to become favorites for the next two legs — the Preakness Stakes and Belmont Stakes — but turning the trick of winning all three races has proven to be a difficult achievement.
To date, it has happened just 13 times, most recently by Justify in 2018. Secretariat holds the all-time speed record for the mile-and-a-quarter race at Churchill with a blistering time of 1:59.4 in 1973. Bob Baffert and Ben A. Jones are tied for the most Derby wins for a trainer with six, while Eddie Arcaro and Bill Hartack share the lead for jockeys with five wins apiece.
2022 Kentucky Derby recap
History happened at the 2022 Kentucky Derby, as the second-largest long shot in the history of the event, behind only 91-1 Donerail in 1913, went on to win. Rich Strike stormed to the lead down the stretch to claim victory at odds of 80-1. Even more amazingly, the horse was only in the field due to the scratch of Ethereal Road the previous day.
At post time, Epicenter and Taiba were the co-favorites at 5-1, followed by Messier at 7-1. Summer is Tomorrow took the early lead, while Messier and Epicenter battled for control at the 3/4-mile mark. Down the stretch, Rich Strike pulled off an improbable rally from 15th place to snatch the victory. Epicenter finished in second, followed by Zandon in third.
| Finish | Horse | Jockey/Trainer | Post | ML Odds | Final Odds | Time | Winnings |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rich Strike | Leon/Reed | 21 | 30-1 | 80-1 | 2:02.61 | $1,860,000 |
| 2 | Epicenter | Rosario/Asmussen | 3 | 7-2 | 5-1 | 3/4 length | $600,000 |
| 3 | Zandon | Prat/Brown | 10 | 3-1 | 8-1 | 1 1/2 lengths | $300,000 |
| 4 | Simplification | Ortiz/Sano | 13 | 20-1 | 40-1 | 3 1/2 lengths | $150,000 |
| 5 | Mo Donegal | Ortiz Jr./Pletcher | 1 | 10-1 | 8-1 | 3 3/4 lengths | $90,000 |
| 6 | Barber Road | Gutierrez/Ortiz | 14 | 30-1 | 40-1 | 4 3/4 lengths | – |
| 7 | Tawny Port | Santana Jr./Cox | 18 | 30-1 | 67-1 | 4 3/4 lengths | – |
| 8 | Smile Happy | Lanerie/McPeek | 5 | 20-1 | 14-1 | 10 lengths | – |
| 9 | Tiz the Bomb | Hernandez Jr./McPeek | 9 | 30-1 | 25-1 | 12 1/2 lengths | – |
| 10 | Zozos | Franco/Cox | 19 | 20-1 | 39-1 | 15 3/4 lengths | – |
| 11 | Classic Causeway | Leparoux/Lynch | 17 | 30-1 | 67-1 | 17 lengths | – |
| 12 | Taiba | Smith/Yakteen | 12 | 12-1 | 5-1 | 17 3/4 lengths | – |
| 13 | Crown Pride | Lemaire/Shintani | 7 | 20-1 | 17-1 | 18 1/4 lengths | – |
| 14 | Happy Jack | Bejarano/O’Neill | 2 | 30-1 | 21-1 | 19 lengths | – |
| 15 | Messier | Velazquez/Yakteen | 6 | 8-1 | 7-1 | 19 lengths | – |
| 16 | White Abarrio | Gaffalione/Joseph Jr. | 15 | 10-1 | 11-1 | 19 3/4 lengths | – |
| 17 | Charge It | Saez/Pletcher | 8 | 20-1 | 13-1 | 27 3/4 lengths | – |
| 18 | Cyberknife | Geroux/Cox | 16 | 20-1 | 14-1 | 42 1/2 lengths | – |
| 19 | Pioneer of Medina | Bravo/Pletcher | 11 | 30-1 | 47-1 | 56 3/4 lengths | – |
| 20 | Summer is Tomorrow | Barzalona/Seemar | 4 | 30-1 | 42-1 | 64 1/4 lengths | – |
The surprise at the top of the board led to some hefty payouts for winning bettors. Here’s how it all shook out.
- Rich Strike: W – $163.60, P – $74.20, S – $29.40
- Epicenter: P – $7.40, S – $5.20
- Zandon: S – $5.60
- $2 exacta: $4,101.20
- $0.50 trifecta: $7,435.35
- $1 superfecta: $321,500.10
- $1 super high five: $741,018.90
Kentucky Derby FAQ
When is the Kentucky Derby?
The next Kentucky Derby takes place on May 4, 2024, at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky. The race traditionally happens on the first Saturday in May.
How many horses run in the race?
Recently, the race has set the maximum at 20. The first race saw 15 horses, and the number has varied over the race’s history.
How much does the winner of the Kentucky Derby receive?
The overall purse for the Kentucky Derby is $3 million, with the winner landing the first prize of $1,860,000. The inaugural winner in 1875 received $2,850.
When is post time?
The 2023 Kentucky Derby went off at 6:57 p.m. ET, the 12th of 14 races at Churchill Downs that day. The doors open at 8 a.m. ET, allowing fans to take in the all-day experience.
How much are Kentucky Derby tickets?
General admission tickets for the Kentucky Derby go on sale online in November, starting at $60. As the date for the race nears, the tickets increase in price to $75 to $80, while purchasing a ticket on the day of the race itself will cost $85.
How long does the Kentucky Derby last?
Historically, the Kentucky Derby has lasted just a little more than two minutes, ever since the move to 1.25 miles in 1896, which is where the phrase “the most exciting two minutes in sports” comes from.
Who was the fastest horse to win the Kentucky Derby?
Secretariat set the record for the fastest time in Kentucky Derby history in 1973 with a finish of 1:59.40. Monarchos is second with a time of 1:59.97 in 2001.
Which jockeys/trainers have the most wins?
Eddie Arcaro and Bill Hartack are tied for the most wins as jockeys, each crossing the line first on five occasions. Bob Baffert and Ben A. Jones share the lead for trainers with six victories.