Kentucky Derby 2023: Prize Money Purse, Latest Vegas Odds Payouts and More
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2023 Derby entrant KingsbarnsAP Photo/Charlie Riedel
It’s almost that time, thoroughbred-racing fans! The 149th running of the Kentucky Derby is scheduled for Saturday evening, and with it, the chase for the fabled Triple Crown will be underway.
We haven’t seen a Triple Crown winner since Justify in 2018, and we’ve had only one other—American Pharoah in 2015—since Affirmed won all three jewels in 1978.
The next two races will come soon enough, as the Preakness Stakes is set for May 20 and the Belmont Stakes will follow on June 10. However, it all starts Saturday with the Greatest Two Minutes in Sports.
Here’s everything you need to know about the 2023 Kentucky Derby.
The 149th Kentucky Derby
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Jace’s RoadMichael Reaves/Getty Images
When: Saturday, May 6
Where: Churchill Downs in Louisville
Post Time: 6:57 p.m. ET
TV Coverage: Noon to 7:30 p.m. ET
TV and Live Stream: NBC, NBCSports.com, NBC Sports app and Peacock
Prize Purse Breakdown
1st Place: $1.86 million
2nd Place: $600,000
3rd Place: $300,000
4th Place: $150,000
5th Place: $90,000
Odds to Win
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Angel of EmpireAndy Lyons/Getty Images
The Field
No. 1: Hit Show 35-1
No. 2: Verifying 18-1
No. 3: Two Phil’s 8-1
No. 4: Confidence Game 20-1
No. 5: Tapit Trice 6-1
No. 6: Kingsbarns 11-1
No. 7: Reincarnate 15-1
No. 8: Mage 20-1
No. 9: Skinner – scratched
No. 10: Practical Move – scratched
No. 11: Disarm 25-1
No. 12: Jace’s Road 42-1
No. 13: Sun Thunder 36-1
No. 14: Angel of Empire 6-1
No. 15: Forte 7-2
No. 16: Raise Cain 39-1
No. 17: Derma Sotogake 8-1
No. 18: Rocket Can 38-1
No. 19: Lord Miles – scratched
No. 20: Continuar – scratched
No. 21: Cyclone Mischief 44-1
No. 22: Mandarin Hero 27-1
No. 23: King Russell 44-1
Odds via KentuckyDerby.com.
Preview and Latest Buzz
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Tapit TriceAndy Lyons/Getty Images
We’ve seen some big developments over the last 24 hours. Practical Move, Continuar and Lord Miles were scratched on Thursday, while Skinner was scratched Friday morning.
According to John Cherwa of the Los Angeles Times, trainer John Shirreffs notified racing officials Friday that Skinner would be pulled because of an elevated temperature.
This left 19 horses in the field and means that all three alternates—Cyclone Mischief, Mandarin Hero and King Russell—are slated to run. Why is this notable? Rich Strike won the Derby as a last-minute alternate addition last year.
However, it doesn’t feel like this will be a race won by an alternate. Three horses have established themselves as early favorites and for good reasons. Trainers Brad H. Cox and Todd A. Pletcher have both seen their horses win the Derby before, and they have trained seven horses combined in this year’s field.
Pletcher has two of the top horses in Forte and Tapit Trice. Forte has remained the favorite after winning five straight races leading up to the Kentucky Derby. Tapit Trice is carrying a four-race winning streak and isn’t far behind Forte in the odds.
Cox’s favorite, Angel of Empire, hasn’t been as dominant as Forte and Tapit Trice but is coming off wins at the Arkansas Derby and the Risen Star 5 and a second-place finish at the Smarty Jones Stakes.
Angel of Empire’s jockey, Flavien Pratt, won the 2019 Derby riding Country House.
There are a couple of longer shots to consider. Reincarnate will be guided by jockey John R. Velazquez, who has three Derby wins.
Derma Sotogake, one of two Japanese horses in the updated field, is another to consider. He won the UAE Derby in convincing wire-to-wire fashion, which was a change in strategy for a horse that was previously considered a closer.
Jockey Christophe Lemaire will find some flexibility with Derma Sotogake on Saturday, giving the horse a solid chance to be the first UAE Derby winner to finish in the money at Churchill Downs.
Bettors chasing a true long-shot payout might want to consider the Steven M. Asmussen-trained Disarm. The Kentucky-bred Colt is coming off a third-place finish at the Lexington Stakes but will be guided by jockey Joel Rosario—who can boast one win at the Kentucky Derby and two at the Belmont Stakes.
Asmussen believes that a great start could allow Disarm to pull off the upset.
“He’s plenty big enough body to hold his position, and [jockey] Joel knows what to do with it,” Asmussen told reporters.
Seeing one of the favorites win feels likely, and the intrigue will ramp up after Kansas City Chiefs star quarterback Patrick Mahomes gives the “Riders Up” command just before 7 p.m. ET.
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