The 2022 Kentucky Derby is scheduled for Saturday, May 7. Get free CBS Kentucky Derby picks and predictions for the Kentucky Derby below.
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CBS Kentucky Derby Picks: Bet on Epicenter (+500)
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Saturday’s race at Churchill Downs will be the 148th running of the Kentucky Derby. Twenty horses are competing in this historical race. BetOnline odds and free CBS Kentucky Derby Picks for 2022 are featured below.
- Epicenter (+500) at BetOnline
- Zandon (+500) at BetOnline
- Messier (+1000) at BetOnline
Coverage begins at 2:30 p.m. ET on May 7. The final race itself is set for 6:57 p.m. ET. The 2022 Kentucky Derby can be watched live via NBCSports.com, USA Network, Peacock, NBC and the NBC Sports app.
RELATED: Jeff Siegel Picks for Kentucky Derby 2022 | Kentucky Derby Expert Picks
The Best Horse Racing Betting Sites for Kentucky Derby 2022
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2022 Kentucky Derby Post Positions, Horses, Jockeys, and Trainers
The post position draw doesn’t always have a major effect on the race, but in 2022, it significantly altered the Kentucky Derby odds. Kentucky Derby favorite Epicenter received an unfavorable draw at post No. 3 while Mo Donegal was even further inside on the rail at post No. 1.
Over the last 44 years, only three horses have won the Kentucky Derby from the innermost three positions, so it’s no surprise that both horses have seen their odds get longer since the post position draw.
Emerging with post No. 10 was a major win for Zandon, along with jockey Flavien Prat and trainer Chad Brown. Post 10 has produced nine Kentucky Derby winners, the second-most all-time. As a result, Zandon’s odds to win the Run for the Roses shortened from +700 to +500 at the best horse racing betting sites.
Meanwhile, Taiba will also be near the middle of the pack in post No. 12. The most expensive horse in the Kentucky Derby, Taiba is inexperienced but has the speed and pedigree of a Derby winner.
Ethereal Road, trained by D. Wayne Lukas, was forced to drop out of the Kentucky Derby, drawing in Rich Strike, who will start in his place. Rich Strike, who is jockeyed by Sonny Leon and trained by Eric Reed, will try to burst out of the gate from post position 20.
Let’s go over the 2022 Kentucky Derby post positions, along with the horses, jockeys, and trainers that will be competing on Saturday.
|
Post |
Horse | Jockey |
Trainer |
|
1 |
Mo Donegal | Irad Ortiz Jr. | Todd Pletcher |
| 2 | Happy Jack | Rafael Bejarano |
Doug O’Neill |
|
3 |
Epicenter | Joel Rosario | Steve Asmussen |
| 4 | Summer Is Tomorrow | Mikael Barzalona |
Bhupat Seemar |
|
5 |
Smile Happy | Corey Lanerie | Kenny McPeek |
| 6 | Messier | John Velazquez |
Tim Yakteen |
|
7 |
Crown Pride | Christophe Lemaire | Koichi Shintani |
| 8 | Charge It | Luis Saez |
Todd Pletcher |
|
9 |
Tiz the Bomb | Brian Hernandez Jr. | Kenny McPeek |
| 10 | Zandon | Flavien Prat |
Chad Brown |
|
11 |
Pioneer of Medina | Joe Bravo | Todd Pletcher |
| 12 | Taiba | Mike Smith |
Tim Yakteen |
|
13 |
Simplification | Jose Ortiz | Antonio Sano |
| 14 | Barber Road | Reylu Gutierrez |
John Ortiz |
|
15 |
White Abarrio | Tyler Gaffalione | Saffie Joseph Jr. |
| 16 | Cyberknife | Florent Geroux |
Brad Cox |
|
17 |
Classic Causeway | Julien Leparoux | Brian Lynch |
| 18 | Tawny Port | Ricardo Santana Jr. |
Brad Cox |
|
19 |
Zozos | Manny Franco | Brad Cox |
| 20 | Rich Strike | Sonny Leon |
Eric Reed |
Updated Kentucky Derby Odds | The Best Kentucky Derby 2022 Odds
The stage is set for the 148th running of the Kentucky Derby today at Churchill Downs.
The 2022 Kentucky Derby will be moving forward without longtime horse trainer Bob Baffert, who is in the midst of serving a 90-day suspension handed down by the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission. A six-time Kentucky Derby winning trainer, Baffert initially had been training two of the betting favorites in the Run for the Roses.
Instead, horses Taiba and Messier will be trained and tended to by former assistant Tim Yakteen. Taiba will try to become the first horse since 1883 to win the Kentucky Derby with two or fewer starts.
Among the 10 horses with as little horse racing experience as Taiba (+700), none have come close to winning the Kentucky Derby. The average margin of defeat has been 25 lengths.
While Taiba and Messier are among the best horses in the Kentucky Derby field, Steve Asmussen-trained Epicenter (+500) enters Kentucky Derby 2022 as the odds-on betting favorite. After securing post 10 in the post position draw, Zandon has seen his Kentucky Derby odds shorten to as low as +500 and has become the co-favorite over the last few days.
White Abarrio, Charge It, and Smile Happy have also seen their Kentucky Derby odds move since the post position draw.
Charge It appears to be one of the longshots with a legitimate chance to win on derby day. Breaking from post No. 8, his odds have moved down significantly since the morning line odds were set. While his inexperience cost him in a loss to White Abarrio in the Florida Derby, Charge has the makings of a horse that has yet to reach its peak potential and will be a popular bet, especially on exotic Kentucky Derby wagers.
Check out the table below for the best Kentucky Derby odds from BetOnline, one of the best horse racing betting sites.
| Kentucky Derby Odds |  |
 |
 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Epicenter | +500 | +500 | +450 |
| Zandon | +500 | +550 | +500 |
| Taiba | +700 | +550 | +750 |
| Messier | +800 | +600 | +900 |
| White Abarrio | +1000 | +1025 | +1150 |
| Mo Donegal | +1200 | +1230 | +900 |
| Charge It | +1600 | +1415 | +1350 |
| Smile Happy | +1600 | +1635 | +1700 |
| Cyberknife | +2200 | +1840 | +2000 |
| Crown Pride | +2500 | +1500 | +2800 |
| Simplification | +2500 | +2600 | +2100 |
| Zozos | +2500 | +3120 | +2200 |
| Tiz The Bomb | +3300 | +3120 | +2700 |
| Classic Causeway | +3300 | +3300 | +3300 |
| Tawny Port | +3300 | +5500 | +3500 |
| Barber Road | +3300 | +3700 | +3600 |
| Pioneer of Medina | +4000 | +4050 | +3100 |
| Summer Is Tomorrow | +6600 | +9000 | +6500 |
| Rich Strike | +6600 | +5500 | +6100 |
| Happy Jack | +6600 | +7500 | +6000 |
*all Kentucky Derby Odds as of May 06, 2022
Kentucky Derby Prop Bets | Kentucky Derby 2022 Props
At the best offshore betting sites, horse players can bet on more than just the Kentucky Derby 2022 winner. In fact, the best horse racing betting sites offer Kentucky Derby prop bets for every in the field at Churchill Downs. Horse racing fans can bet on the finishing position of select horses, whether there will be a Triple Crown winner in 2022, and which horse will finish in last place in the 2022 Kentucky Derby, among many other selections.
Below, we’ll break down some of the best and most exotic Kentucky Derby prop bets available at BetOnline, one of the top horse racing betting sites.
Steve Asmussen Derby Double | Kentucky Derby Prop Bet
With a horse in the Kentucky Oaks and legendary trainer Steve Asmussen has a chance to complete the rare Derby double this year. Echo Zulu will have a chance to start things off on Friday with a win in the Kentucky Oaks while Kentucky Derby favorite Epicenter will try to give Asmussen his first ever Kentucky Derby win.
For the latest odds on Steve Asmussen to complete the Kentucky Oaks/Derby double, check out the betting lines from BetOnline below.
| S M Asmussen Oaks/Derby Double | Kentucky Derby Odds | Play |
|---|---|---|
| No | -4000 |  |
| Yes | +2000 | |
Brad Cox to Train the Kentucky Derby Winner | Kentucky Derby Prop Bet
Brad Cox has three horses in the Kentucky Derby but none of them enter the Kentucky Derby as contenders to win the race. Cyberknife is the Cox-trained horse with the best Kentucky Derby odds, followed by Zozos and Tawny Port.
BetOnline is offering a Kentucky Derby prop bet for any of Cox’s horses to win the 148th Run for the Roses at +800 odds. For a complete breakdown of this exclusive Kentucky Derby prop bet, check out the odds below.
| B H Cox to Train the Winner | Kentucky Derby Odds | Play |
|---|---|---|
| No | -1200 | |
| Yes | +800 | |
Best Finishing Position | Kentucky Derby 2022 Prop Bet
Betting on the finishing position is one of the best Kentucky Derby props available for Saturday’s race. Bettors can minimize their risk by narrowing down the field and selecting which horse will have the best finishing position among the group.
BetOnline is offering odds for the best finishing position between Epicenter, Taiba, and Zandon. Epicenter (+150) and Zandon (+170) are closely priced while Taiba (+200) offers some added value for this particular Kentucky Derby prop bet.
For a complete breakdown of the Kentucky Derby odds, scroll down below.
| Best Finishing Position | Kentucky Derby Odds | Play |
|---|---|---|
| Epicenter | +150 | |
| Zandon | +170 | |
| Taiba | +200 | |
Best Finishing Position | Kentucky Derby 2022 Prop Bet
BetOnline allows horse players to bet on more than just the top Kentucky Derby contenders.
For this next group, bettors can select the horse that will have the best finishing position between Messier (+150), White Abarrio (+170), and Mo Donegal (+200).
Mo Donegal could have a tough time getting out of the gates cleanly from post 1 while Messier has not proven to be a great finisher, which could leave some added value on Florida Derby-winner White Abarrio in this group.
Before you make your Kentucky Derby picks, check out the horse racing odds from BetOnline below.
| Best Finishing Position | Kentucky Derby Odds | Play |
|---|---|---|
| Messier | +150 | |
| White Abarrio | +170 | |
| Mo Donegal | +200 | |
Best Finishing Position | Kentucky Derby 2022 Prop Bet
In addition to betting on the best Kentucky Derby horses, BetOnline also offers odds for the best finishing position among some of the longshots and sleeper picks too.
A few horses have emerged as potential sleeper picks in the 2022 Kentucky Derby.
Horse racing experts have been all over Charge It, Crown Pride, and Simplification heading into the 148th Run for the Roses on Saturday. At +145, Charge It has the best odds to finish first in the group while Japanese horse Crown Pride is priced competitively at +185 and Simplification has the longest odds at +215.
For a complete breakdown of the finishing position odds from BetOnline, check out the chart below.
| Best Finishing Position | Kentucky Derby Odds | Play |
|---|---|---|
| Charge It | +145 | |
| Crown Pride | +185 | |
| Simplification | +215 | |
Number of Words in Winner’s Name | Kentucky Derby 2022 Prop Bet
Every year, the Kentucky Derby attracts new bettors to the sport of kings and the top racebooks have adapted by offering exotic prop bets for Triple Crown races.
One of the most exotic Kentucky Derby prop bets available this year is a wager on the number of words in the winning horse’s name.
The four horses with the best odds to win Kentucky Derby 2022 have just one word in their name, so naturally, BetOnline has one word favored at -240 odds. Meanwhile, the 2022 Kentucky Derby winner to have a name with two words is priced at +165 odds and three words is priced at a whopping +1400 odds.
Among the horses with two words in their name, White Abarrio (+1000) has the best odds to win the Kentucky Derby. Meanwhile, that Tiz the Bomb has the best Kentucky Derby odds among horses with three words in their name.
For the latest Kentucky Derby odds, check out the horse racing prop bets from BetOnline below.
| Number of Words in Winner’s Name | Kentucky Derby Odds | Play |
|---|---|---|
| 1 Word | -240 | |
| 2 Words | +165 | |
| 3 Words | +1400 | |
To Finish Last | Kentucky Derby 2022 Prop Bet
In addition to picking the Kentucky Derby 2022 winner, the best online horse racing sites allow horse players to pick which horse will finish last in the race.
As one might expect, the horses with the longest odds to win the Kentucky Derby also have the shortest odds to finish last in the race. Happy Jack offers strong value at +900 to finish last while pacesetter Summer Is Tomorrow also has +900 odds to fall behind the pace.
Below, we’ll break down the odds to finish last in the Kentucky Derby for every horse at Churchill Downs on Saturday.
| Kentucky Derby Horses | Kentucky Derby Odds | Play |
|---|---|---|
| Happy Jack | +900 | |
| Summer Is Tomorrow | +900 | |
| Tiz The Bomb | +1000 | |
| Pioneer of Medina | +1000 | |
| Barber Road | +1000 | |
| Classic Causeway | +1000 | |
| Tawny Port | +1000 | |
| Rich Strike | +1000 | |
| Simplification | +1200 | |
| Zozos | +1200 | |
| Cyberknife | +1400 | |
| Crown Pride | +1800 | |
| Charge It | +2500 | |
| Mo Donegal | +2800 | |
| Messier | +3300 | |
| White Abarrio | +3300 | |
| Taiba | +4000 | |
| Epicenter | +6600 | |
| Zandon | +6600 | |
Will There Be a US Triple Crown Winner in 2022? | Kentucky Derby Prop Bet
No horse can win the Triple Crown without trotting in the winner’s circle at Churchill Downs.
There have been 13 Triple Crown winners in US horse racing history. Justify was the last horse to accomplish the feat after breaking the Curse of Apollo at the Kentucky Derby in 2018. American Pharoah also won the Triple Crown in 2015, but prior to that, there had been no Triple Crown winners since 1978.
This year, BetOnline pegs the chances of a Triple Crown winner at +800 odds.
To get the latest Triple Crown odds, check out the chart below.
| Will There Be A Triple Crown Winner? | Triple Crown Odds | Play |
|---|---|---|
| No | -2000 | |
| Yes | +800 | |
Will There Be An Enquiry? | Kentucky Derby Prop Bet
An enquiry is an investigation held at the racecourse on a race day after any given race. The review system ensures that a race has been fairly run and that there has not been a potential breach of the rules of horse racing.
In 2021, an enquiry found that Medina Spirit and Bob Baffert violated the horse racing rules, leading to runner-up Mandaloun being crowned the eventual winner.
While Baffert will not be attending the 2022 Kentucky Derby due to suspension, could another enquiry be looming after the race at Churchill Downs on Saturday?
Get the latest enquiry odds and Kentucky Derby props from BetOnline below
| Will There Be An Enquiry? | Kentucky Derby Odds | Play |
|---|---|---|
| No | -4000 | |
| Yes | +2000 | |
Kentucky Derby Winning Distance | Kentucky Derby 2022 Prop Bets
The best horse racing sites also offer odds on the winning distance at the Kentucky Derby. Horse players can bet on whether the Kentucky Derby will be won by more, less, or exactly one length.
Despite the fact that the 2022 Kentucky Derby has no clear favorite, BetOnline is offering -105 odds for a winning distance of over one length. Under one length has longer odds at +100 while exactly one length has +1000 odds.
For the latest Kentucky Derby winning distance odds, check out the chart below.
| Kentucky Derby Winning Distance | Kentucky Derby Odds | Play |
|---|---|---|
| Over 1 Length | -105 | |
| Under 1 Length | +100 | |
| Exactly 1 Length | +1000 | |
Kentucky Derby Winning Time | Kentucky Derby Prop Bets
The Kentucky Derby winning time has been speeding up in recent years.
BetOnline, one of the best online racebooks, has the Kentucky Derby 2022 winning time set at 2:02:30, which would be a tick slower than each of the last two years. Last year, official Kentucky Derby 2021 winner Mandaloun ran the 1 ¼ mile race in 2:01:02 while Authentic finished in 2:00:61 in 2020.
Since 2012, the Kentucky Derby winning time has been under 2:02:30 just four times (2021, 2020, 2016, and 2012).
Below, we’ll go over the over/under odds for the Kentucky Derby 2022 winning time.
| Kentucky Derby Winning Time | Kentucky Derby Odds | Play |
|---|---|---|
| Over 2:02:30 | -750 | |
| Under 2:02:30 | +450 | |
CBS Kentucky Derby Picks | CBS Picks for Kentucky Derby 2022
On Saturday, May 7, horse racing enthusiasts and bettors alike will be gathered around their technological devices to watch another great race. As of today, horses Zandon (3-1), Epicenter (7-2) and Messier (8-1) are the favorites to win the 2022 Kentucky Derby. However, gamblers are keeping their focus on White Abarrio (10-1) and Taiba (12-1) as well.
To complete a Kentucky Derby Exacta, the bettor must select the first and second-place finishers in the correct order. This is no easy task. That should go without saying. Likewise, a Kentucky Derby Trifecta would involve picking the correct order of the top 3 finishing horses.
Below, we’ll go over the best bets and Kentucky Derby predictions from the CBS Sports staff.
Epicenter (+500) at BetOnline(+500) at BetOnline | CBS Kentucky Derby Predictions
The CBS Sports staff are convinced that Epicenter is the best bet to win the race.
The horse won the Louisiana Derby in March. Epicenter is starting at the No. 3 position. Before placing a bet, it can help to study the trainer, breeder and even the owner. Any information available can give a gambler the best shot of making bank. The trainer of Epicenter is Steven M. Asmussen.
Equally important, while still one of the best trainers in North America, he is up against a lot of competition in this race. As the winner of the Gun Runner, scouts were blown away by Epicenter’s stamina and agility. The owner of the horse is Winchell Thoroughbreds, LLC.
Moreover, the jockey is also Joel Rosario. He won the triple crown back in the 2013 Kentucky Derby. And he won the triple crown at the Belmont Stakes in 2014 and 2019. The 37-year-old made the number one spot on the national earnings list for jockeys in 2021. Other Kentucky Derby picks are on the main page.
Zandon (+500) at BetOnline | Kentucky Derby Predictions 2022
Zandon has the second-best odds of a top 3 finish at BetOnline and is now a co-favorite with Epicenter (+500) to win the Kentucky Derby.
On Monday, the horse opened as a 3-1 favorite to win the race at Churchill Downs. In four racing starts, Zandon has two wins, one second-place finish and a third. The horse is starting at the No. 10 position on Saturday. Zandon trails Epicenter in Derby points, but the horse gained enough momentum to win Blue Grass in April.
Chad Brown is the trainer of Zandon. His major graded stakes wins include the Cigar Mile (2016, 2018), Breeders’ Cup Turf (2019), Shoemaker Mile Stakes (2020), Maker’s Mark Mile Stakes (2021) and other ones. Not to mention, the jockey is Flavien Prat. He won the 2019 Kentucky Derby and is the winner of three Breeders’ cups (2016-17, 2019).
Messier (+500) at BetOnline(+100) at BetOnline | Kentucky Derby Expert Picks
Lastly, Messier possesses +160 odds of a top 3 finish at the Kentucky Derby and +1000 odds to win the Run for the Roses.
The CBS Sports staff had to rank this horse somewhere on their list. After all, Messier is starting at post No. 6. This is one of the most underrated competitors. Considering the competition, this spot on the list is correct. Messier is a three-year-old colt bred by Sam-Son Farm. Plus, the trainer is Tim Yakteen. Messier finished in second place at the Santa Anita Derby in April. Taiba came in with a faster time.
Additionally, Messier won the Robert B. Lewis Stakes in February. Messier’s jockey is John Velazquez, the winner of two Belmont Stakes (2007, 2012) and three Kentucky Derby races (2011, 2017, 2020).
Needless to say, BetOnline oddsmakers are expecting the winner’s starting gate number to fall somewhere between one and 10. A horse with a number in that range has (-300) odds of winning the Kentucky Derby.
RELATED: Andy Serling Kentucky Derby 2022 Picks | Kentucky Derby Expert Predictions
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