2022 Kentucky Derby horses, contenders, odds, date
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The posts have been drawn and the 2022 Kentucky Derby field is set, with 20 horses scheduled to load into the starting gate when the 148th Run for the Roses goes to post at 6:57 p.m. ET on Saturday. The Kentucky Derby weather forecast at Churchill Downs throughout the week could be a major factor for the Kentucky Derby 2022, with rain likely for Thursday and Friday and possible on Saturday as well.
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Epicenter won on a wet Churchill Downs track last November to break his maiden, while his sire, Not This Time, also had a win on a muddy track at Churchill Downs during his career. Zandon won in the slop at the Blue Grass Stakes and is the 2022 Kentucky Derby favorite at 3-1. Epicenter is right behind at 7-2 in the 2022 Kentucky Derby odds. With so much to consider, you'll want to see what SportsLine's Jody Demling has to say before entering any 2022 Kentucky Derby picks or horse racing predictions of your own.
A fixture in the horse racing world who has been writing about, talking about and betting on races for years, Demling has been on-point with his horse racing bets. He hit the exacta in the Wood Memorial in April. Last year, he hit the exacta, trifecta and superfecta in the Belmont Stakes. This is the same handicapper who hit the Derby-Oaks double at Churchill Downs nine times in the last 13 years. That means he held a ticket with the winners of both the Kentucky Oaks and Kentucky Derby all but four times in his last 13 tries.
In addition, at one point in 2020, he picked the winners of six straight races: the Saudi Cup, Gotham Stakes, Rebel Stakes, Louisiana Derby, Florida Derby, and Belmont Stakes. Anyone who has followed him on these races is way up.
Now, with the 2022 Kentucky Derby lineup locked in, Demling is sharing his picks and predictions over at SportsLine. Go here to see them.
Top 2022 Kentucky Derby predictions
One of Demling's surprising 2022 Kentucky Derby picks: He is fading Epicenter, saying one of the top favorites barely even cracks the top three. Epicenter's trainer, Steve Asmussen, is the winningest trainer in the history of North American horse racing, but there is a glaring absence on his resume. Asmussen is 0-for-23 at the Kentucky Derby in his career, and while he's already in the Hall of Fame, he'd still love to get a win in the crown jewel of the American Triple Crown to cement his legacy.
Epicenter looks like one of his best chances, but he'll have to get a clean break and a perfect trip around to become the first horse to win the Kentucky Derby from the No. 3 post since Real Quiet in 1998. Epicenter shouldn't have any issue with 1 1/4-mile Kentucky Derby distance after winning the Louisiana Derby but he hasn't been tested by many Kentucky Derby contenders before.
Another stunner: Demling is high on Mo Donegal, even though he's a double-digit long shot and will race from the inside post. Sired by Uncle Mo, who looked like one of the legitimate Kentucky Derby contenders in 2011 before an illness took him out of the race, Mo Donegal broke his maiden at Belmont Park as a two-year-old, won the 2021 Remsen Stakes over race-favorite Zandon and looked strong in a win in the Wood Memorial to clinch his spot in the 2022 Kentucky Derby lineup.
He's one of three Todd Pletcher-trained horses who will be in the Kentucky Derby 2022 field and while most trainers hope to avoid the No. 1 post draw, Pletcher has reason for optimism with Mo Donegal riding the rail. In fact, he's won twice from the No. 1 stall already in his career. While a 20-horse field will be a new challenge altogether, Pletcher likes the fact that he wasn't thrown by the kickback from that post in wins at the Remsen and Wood Memorial.
How to make 2022 Kentucky Derby picks, bets
Demling is especially high on an evening bigger double-digit long shot who has "been training great at Churchill Downs," and is set to hit the board hard. Demling is sharing which horse it is, along with his entire projected leaderboard, over at SportsLine.
Which horse wins the Kentucky Derby 2022? And which huge underdog is a must-back? Check out the latest 2022 Kentucky Derby odds below, then visit SportsLine to see Demling's picks for the Kentucky Derby, all from the expert who nailed nine Derby-Oaks doubles and six straight races.
2022 Kentucky Derby horses, odds
HORSE ODDS PROJECTION
Zandon 3-1 SEE PICKS
Epicenter 7-2 SEE PICKS
Messier 8-1 SEE PICKS
White Abarrio 10-1 SEE PICKS
Mo Donegal 10-1 SEE PICKS
Taiba 12-1 SEE PICKS
Smile Happy 20-1 SEE PICKS
Crown Pride 20-1 SEE PICKS
Charge It 20-1 SEE PICKS
Simplification 20-1 SEE PICKS
Cyberknife 20-1 SEE PICKS
Zozos 20-1 SEE PICKS
Happy Jack 30-1 SEE PICKS
Summer Is Tomorrow 30-1 SEE PICKS
Tiz the Bomb 30-1 SEE PICKS
Pioneer of Medina 30-1 SEE PICKS
Barber Road 30-1 SEE PICKS
Classic Causeway 30-1 SEE PICKS
Tawny Port 30-1 SEE PICKS
Ethereal Road 30-1 SEE PICKS