Written by Thomas | Friday, April 15th, 2011

Many people feel the Kentucky Derby is the most prestigious horse race in the world. The first Kentucky Derby took place in 1875 at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky, where to this day the race is still held.  This first race in the coveted Triple Crown of horse racing attracts plenty of attention. Since 2005, the purse has grown from $1 million to now $2 million, making it the biggest prize of all the Stakes races – and making it one of the biggest events of the year to bet on.

The 2011 Kentucky Derby event will be held on May 7th for the 137th time. Post positions are expected to be announced at 12PM ET on Wednesday, May 4, 2011, from Churchill Downs and this sometimes can make a horse become a favorite.  Last year the race was won by Super Saver with jockey Calvin Borel with a time of 2:04.45, making it  the slowest winning time since 1989.

However, those who bet on the Kentucky Derby last year made a lot of money, as racebooks online and tracks around the nation had a ton of action coming in on Borel, who is widely regarded as one of the Derby’s greatest jockeys.

Today, we’ll be previewing some of the favorites (and maybe a few longshots) and guide you on the best books to wager on the Kentucky Derby this year, including the betting odds on all the participants.

2011 Kentucky Derby Horses and Odds

People are buzzing about the depth in the Kentucky Derby for 2011. Uncle Mo is the favorite to win this years’ Derby with 10/1 odds. Todd Pletcher is the trainer of Uncle Mo and has Derby history as he oversaw the 2010 winner Super Saver. The jockey will be John Valasquez who is a veteran of the races and has a knack for getting the most out of his race horses.

Dialed In comes off an impressive win at the Florida Derby and has second best odds at 35/1. This is a Nick Zito-trained horse that finished well at the Gulfstream Park for its second win of the year. One advantage this horse has over Uncle Mo is that it has proven it can run the 1 1/8 mile race to prepare for Churchill Downs. Zito has also trained Derby winners and with a favorable post position can take it all.

To Honor and Serve comes in at 40/1 odds. At the Florida Derby it manages to show and is preparing for the 1 ¼ mile race. The horse is trained by Bill Mott and he is no stranger to preparing for the Derby. He has trained seven horses for this event. Again, a favorable post position can allow this horse a good showing.

Some other horses that can make a splash are Toby’s Corner who easily defeated Uncle Mo in an earlier prep race and The Factor who dashed to the finish line at the Rebel Stakes to win the Arkansas Derby.  Below is a list of many of the horses racing in the 2011 Kentucky Derby along with their betting odds.

• Astrology 45/2
• Biondetti 20/1
• Boys at Tosconova 8/1
• Curlinello 17/1
• J B Thunder 30/1
• J P Gusto 35/1
• Jaycito 15/1
• Mucho Macho Man 20/1
• Murjan 22/1
• Pathfork 15/1
• Pluck 15/1
• Rogue Romance 25/1
• Sherriff Cogburn 20/1
• Smash 25/1
• Sovereign Default 23/1
• Stay Away 50/1
• Stay Thirsty 20/1
• Sway Away 25/1
• Zaidan 30/1

Our early picks to win the Kentucky Derby is Uncle Mo at 10/1 or Pathfork at 15/1.

Where to Bet the Kentucky Derby

So now that you have some picks – are you ready to start betting on the 2011 Kentucky Derby?  We have two sportsbooks that you must have an account at if you are serious about horse racing betting – and did I mention they have some of the best sportsbook deposit options for your racing bankroll?

BetOnline is a great Sportsbook to bet on the Derby. They offer up to $900 in bonuses which is unheard of these days.  They also offer up to 7% rebates when betting on horse racing.

Sportsbook.com is the second book you will want to deposit money into.  They offer a smaller bonus amount of just 10% on your initial deposit but will give you 8% rebate on horse racing bets.  Both BetOnline and Sportsbook.com are easy to get money into.  You can use echeck or credit card – or choose from the several other options on each site.

Good luck betting on the 2011 Kentucky Derby – it’s always an exciting race to watch – especially when you pick the winning horse!

 

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