This US-Classic is one of the most famous horse races in the world and takes place at Churchill Downs on Saturday afternoon
Belmont Stakes and Travers Stakes winner, Tiz The Law is the overwhelming favourite
We bring you the latest odds, the draw and look through the form before coming up with some tips
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Kentucky Derby. (Getty)
We take a look through the 2020 Kentucky Derby odds, the full draw and the form, before coming up with our Kentucky Derby tips.
On Saturday afternoon, at 12:02pm GMT, 18 of the finest colts in the United States will battle it out in the Kentucky Derby. The Derby, which was first run in 1875, usually takes place at Churchill Downs at the start of May. However, the Covid-19 pandemic has caused this fabled Classic to be pushed right back to September, and viewers can look forward to another thrilling renewal this weekend.
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Tiz The Law will be the first horse to be sent off at odds-on to win the Kentucky Derby since 1989. Barclay Tagg’s colt has been the star of the season in the US, winning the first of the Triple Crown races, the Belmont Stakes without breaking a sweat.
Manny Franco’s mount was just as imperious in the Travers Stakes last month, surging clear to win by over five lengths. Victory on Saturday will set Tiz The Law up for a crack at the Triple Crown, with the final leg, the Preakness Stakes taking place on October 3rd. Tagg’s star landed a wide stall when the draw was revealed on Tuesday, but that won’t be enough to stop bettors pilling on the 4/7 favourite.
Tiz The Law bolts up in the Belmont Stakes. (Getty)
2020 Kentucky Derby Draw
Stall
Runners
1
Empty
2
FINNICK THE FIERCE
3
MAX PLAYER
4
ENFORCEABLE
5
STORM THE COURT
6
MAJOR FED
7
KING GUILLERMO
8
MONEY MOVES
9
SOUTH BEND
10
MY BIG NEWS
11
THOUSAND WORDS
12
NECKER ISLAND
13
SOLE VOLANTE
14
ATTACHMENT RATE
15
WINNING IMPRESSION
16
NY TRAFFIC
17
HONOR A. P.
18
TIZ THE LAW
19
AUTHENTIC
20
Empty
2020 Kentucky Derby Form Guide
There are six major trials for the Kentucky Derby run during the regular season in the US. Tiz The Law has won three of those, collecting the Florida Derby before those victories in the Belmont and Travers Stakes.
Art Collector won the most recent trial, the Blue Grass Stakes, but he will sadly miss Saturday’s Derby after picking up a foot injury. Fellow Trials winner, Basin failed to build on his win in the Arkansas Derby, and hasn’t made the trip to Churchill Downs.
The other Derby Trial, the Santa Anita Derby went the way of Honor A. P., and he sits closets to the favourite in the current betting. John Shirreff's colt flew around the outside of the field that day and held off Authentic to win. Honor A. P.’s prep for the Derby didn’t go as planned, though, as the 1/5 favourite was beaten by half-a-length in the Listed Shared Belief Stakes.
Authentic bounced back from that defeat at Santa Anita with a hard-fought victory in the Haskell Stakes in July. Mike Smith's mount made the running that day, and narrowly clung on to deny NY Traffic. Bob Baffert’s charge currently sits third in the betting, and the top three have been drawn in the three highest stalls of all, with Authentic coming out of the widest gate, stall 18.
Thousand Words upset Honor A. P. to claim the Shared Belief Stakes, staying on gamely from the front to see the race out. Bob Baffert’s second-string was backed for the Kentucky Derby on the back of that, but I think that victory was more down to the favourite’s poor performance, more than the quality of the winner.
Max Player has twice finished third behind Tiz The Law, and hasn’t a hope of reversing the form. King Guillermo looked a good prospect when thrashing Sole Volante in the South Tampa Derby, but was then beaten three-lengths in the second division of the Arkansas Derby, and the winner that day, Nadal won’t be running this weekend.
Money Moves is unbeaten in two career starts and has come in for a little bit of support in recent days. I’d have liked to see him tested at a higher level, though, and the form of the claimer he won isn’t looking too pretty.
There are several other runners sitting at longer prices, but I can't see a reason why any of them deserve backing.
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Tiz The Law, quite frankly, looks unopposable at the top of the market. Favourite’s have an excellent recent record in the Kentucky Derby and, although a wide draw isn’t a positive, it’s much more advantageous than being drawn on the rail.
I would be amazed if the odds-on favourite was to be turned over on Saturday. However, I’m not one to back horses at such short prices, so I’m going to take an each-way gamble on NY TRAFFIC.
Saffie Joseph’s colt has finished second to short-priced favourites on all three of his most recent runs. NY Traffic went down to Wells Bayou in the Louisiana Derby, and Maxfield in the Matt Win Stakes here at Churchill Downs. On both occasions, NY Traffic hung right under pressure down the home straight, before rallying again towards the finish.
Again, Paco Lopez had to work hard to keep NY Traffic on the straight and narrow as they tracked Authentic into the home straight in the Haskell Stakes. Just when it seemed the favourite had seen off his rival, Joseph’s three-year-old powered back into contention, eventually going down by just a neck.
On the back of the Matt Winn, Maxfield was favourite for the Kentucky Derby, before injury ruled the Godolphin runner out earlier in the summer. So, for NY Traffic to finish as close to the winner as he did, while still looking green and novicey, was a great achievement.
Had the Haskell Stakes (which you can watch in the video supplied by Global Horse Racing above) been run over the Derby trip, Paco Lopez’s mount would have passed and beaten Authentic – a result which would have been enough to see Joseph’s colt carry a single-figure price into Saturday’s Classic.
As it is, NY Traffic can still be found at 22/1 in some places. Although his record of one win in six starts is troubling, I still think that’s a fantastic price for a hardy young colt, who's gathered plenty of big-race experience, and still seems to be on the upgrade. I’m expecting Tiz The Law to win, but NY Traffic is a massive each-way player.
2020 Kentucky Derby Live Stream
If you want to watch the 2020 Kentucky Derby via your mobile or tablet, then check out our Kentucky Derby Live Streaming page.
Kentucky Derby FAQs
When is the Kentucky Derby?
The Kentucky Derby is usually run at Churchill Downs on the first Saturday of May. In 2020, due to Covid-19, the Kentucky Derby will be run on Saturday 5th September.
What is the Kentucky Derby?
The Kentucky Derby is one of the most famous flat races in US horse racing. First run in 1875, the Kentucky Derby forms part of the US Triple Crown, which also consists of the Belmont Stakes and the Preakness Stakes.
Who won the Kentucky Derby?
The 2019 Kentucky Derby was won by Country House. Maximum Security crossed the line first, but was disqualified after the stewards deemed he had caused significant interferrence down the home straight, handing the race to 43/1 outsider Country House.
Who's the favourite for the Kentucky Derby?
Tiz The Law is the odds-on favourite to win the 2020 Kentucky Derby, having won the Belmont Stakes and Travers Stakes earlier in the season.
Where can I watch the Kentucky Derby?
If you want to watch the 2020 Kentucky Derby via your mobile or tablet, then check out our Kentucky Derby Live Streaming page.
Verdict
It would be the shock of all shocks if Tiz The Law was to lose. However, from a betting standpoint, the each-way play here is NY TRAFFIC, who boasts some solid seasonal form and still has plenty of scope for improvement.
2020 Kentucky Derby Tips: NY Traffic Each-Way @22/1 at bet365 - 10 Units
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Tiz The Law2020 Kentucky Derby FavouriteGET 4/7 HERE
