Forbes Kentucky Derby 2023 Picks And Predictions: Derma Sotogake, Kingsbarns Provide Value

Kentucky Derby contender Lord Miles practices.

The 2023 Kentucky Derby will run its 149th edition on Saturday, May 5, at Churchill Downs in Kentucky. One bettor for Forbes, Jay “FairwayJay” Ginsbach, is siding with three horses to include on his tickets come race day. Let’s take a look at Forbes expert picks and analysis for the 2023 Kentucky Derby.


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Forbes Kentucky Derby 2023 Picks and Predictions

The betting favorite is Forte, who BetOnline has at +325 odds. As a winner of five-straight starts, Forte will look to cap off a dominant stretch with a win at “The Run for the Roses.” Behind Forte is Tapit Trice (+600), Angel of Empire (+800), Practical Move (+1000), and Verifying (+1200). However, FairwayJay is looking at three other horses to win the 2023 Kentucky Derby.

Derma Sotogake (+1200)

One of the horses that Ginsbach of Forbes has bet on is Derma Sotogake (+1200). One of two international horses in the field, Demra Sotogake will look to keep the momentum going after a key victory at the UAE Derby in Dubai. Derma Sotogake is trying to become the first international horse to win the Derby since Sunny’s Halo in 1983.

For that to happen, the colt will need to do what no horse has done before, win out of post position No. 17. In eight career starts, Derma Sotogake has four wins. What better accomplishment to add to the resume than having its first win on American soil at Churchill Downs?

Reincarnate (+3300)

One of Ginsbach’s longshot bets is Reincarnate (+3300), who will be starting of Gate No. 7. Reincarnate will have one of the best jockeys for the race in John Velazquez. The Hall of Famer has won Kentucky Derbys (2011, 2017, 2020) with his most recent win coming on Authentic in 2020.

Reincarnate was originally trained by Bob Baffert but transferred to Tim Yakteen as Baffert serves his two-year suspension. Reincarnate is not your typical 33-1 shot, as the horse comes from the bloodline of Good Magic, Scat Daddy, and Curlin, which resulted in a $775,000 auction price. With one win and two third-place finishes in its last three starts, Reincarnate has the speed (Equibase Speed Figure of 103) to race his way to victory.

Kingsbarns (+1400)

Ginsbach is backing Kingsbarns, one of the more fascinating horses outside of the three favorites. With an auction price of $800,000, Kingsbarns has almost made back that money thanks to three wins in 2023, totaling career earnings of $657,300.

Kingsbarns is trained by Todd Pletcher, one of the most prolific trainers in horse racing. Pletcher-trained horses have accumulated over $450 million in winnings, and two of his horses – Super Saver (2010) and Always Dreaming (2017) – won the Kentucky Derby. Plus, the experienced José Ortiz, who has won the Belmont Stakes and Preakness, will be riding Kingsbarns. Let’s see if Kingsbarns lives up to its steep auction price in Saturday’s race.


Kentucky Derby Betting Guides 2024


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