Fred Faour Kentucky Derby 2023 Expert Picks & Predictions: Bet Forte, Angel of Empire

Horse Racing: Breeders Cup

The 149th running of the Kentucky Derby is set for 6:57 p.m. on Saturday, May 6. Which horses should you back on your betting slips? Fred Faour of Gallery Sports shared his expert picks and predictions for the 2023 Kentucky Derby.


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Fred Faour Kentucky Derby 2023 Picks and Predictions

The favorite is Forte (+330), who Faour will have first on his ticket. Tapit Trice (+550), Angel of Empire (+550), and Derma Sotogake (+1000) expect to be Forte’s top challengers. Faour believes this race will come down to Forte, Angel of Empire, Tapit Trice, and Kingsbarns (+1200)

Forte (+330)

Winning six of seven starts is why oddsmakers have Forte as the favorite. Forte will have a championship pedigree in its stable in trainer Todd Pletcher and jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. Pletcher has won two Kentucky Derbys (2010 and 2017). Although Ortiz has never won the Kentucky Derby, he won the Breeders Cup Classic in 2019 and the Belmont Stakes in 2022.

Because Forte is a closer, Faour expects the colt to run down whoever is in the lead coming down the final stretch. It could be Kingsbarns, who Faour has fourth on his ticket.

Angel of Empire (+700)

Angel of Empire enters the Kentucky Derby off a dominating win at the Arkansas Derby (Gr. 1) on April 1, winning by 4 ¼ lengths. Trained by Brad Cox, the colt has won over $1 million in earnings despite only going for an auction price of $70,000.

Flavien Prat, the 2019 Kentucky Derby, will be on Angel of Empire. The horse will be running next to Forte (No. 11) in Gate No. 14, so a good start with be crucial. With a top Equibase Speed Figure of 106, don’t be surprised if Angel of Empire is chasing down the leader on the final stretch.

Tapit Trice (+550)

Tapit Trice is a “serious threat” to win the Kentucky Derby, according to Faour. In five starts, the colt is 4-0-1, with its most recent win coming at the Toyota Blue Grass Stakes (Gr. 1). Tapit Trice is also trained by Todd Pletcher, who will have three horses running the Derby.

Jockey Luis Saez will be looking for his first Kentucky Derby win. However, Saez has won many big races, including the Saudi Cup, the Breeders’ Cup, the American Classic, Belmont Stakes, and Kentucky Oaks. Tapit Trice will look to add to its four-race winning streak with a victory in “The Run for the Roses.”


Kentucky Derby Betting Guides 2024


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