I’m a big horse racing guy. By that I mean, I follow along from a distance all year and really excited for the three big races. For years, I went to the Preakness. Once I got married, that stopped, but it was some of the most fun I ever had. That being said, while I’m partial to “The People’s Race” in Baltimore the Derby is the king of all horse races. The path to the Triple Crown starts at the Kentucky Derby, so any self respecting fan of horse racing must pay attention to the May race. The Kentucky Derby is an American institution, whether you casually play the ponies or you follow bloodlines, it’s exciting. If you’re a gambler, the 2017 Kentucky Derby should have you especially excited!
Last year, Nyquist, who was a 2-1 favorite won the Derby and was followed by the #2 horse. This produced the lowest trifecta payout in the history of the Kentucky Derby. The general thought among those of us who “play the ponies,” is that hitting a trifecta will lead to a big payday. If you hit on a straight trifecta, you’re generally looking at a $500, $5,000 or even a $60,000+ payout like in 2005, when Giacomo pulled out the upset.
Listen to this week’s podcast for insight into the Kentucky Derby. Where I outright prove, I’m THE horse racing guy.
Not in 2016. In 2016, a trifecta only paid $86.
That’s disgusting, but it’s 100% true. Even though everyone on the podcast thought I was wrong. It could be worse though, two years ago, I put in my bets at an OTB and I hit the trifecta for the tune for $780. When I went to cash in my tickets, it turns out that the girl had assigned my bets to the wrong race. I was graciously escorted from betting area and asked to leave.
This year, it’s back! This year, we could see a 5 figure trifecta again. Because there’s no favorite in the pack, the betting volume and odds should remain in place to make this a reality. That makes the 2017 Kentucky Derby a gambler’s race!
Who I want to win: Irish War Cry
Irish War Cry got me to take a look because of his name. He had be stay around because he’s an underdog. He’s owned by race car people, he’s trained by an aging legend and he’s got a Jamaican jockey that’s returning from an injury. It’s like the Bad News Bears of horse racing. Except the fact that this horse has got what it takes to actually win the Derby.
Irish War Cry absolutely dominated the field at both the Bull Stakes and the Wood Memorial. Why? Because, even though he was bred in Jersey, he has excellent blood lines. His mom is Irish Sovereign and two-time Horse of the Year, Curlin.
I like this horse and I never bet against anything Irish. So, I’m putting $10 on Irish War Cry to win and I’ll include him in some trifecta bets.
Who I think will win: Always Dreaming
Johnny Velazquez is an awesome jockey. He also won the Florida Derby, which often translates to a win at the Derby. The big knock on Always dreaming is his stamina and pedigree. While pedigree is important, it’s not everything. Classic Empire is the safe bet in this race. But, he had a foot abcess recently, that I’m thinking lends the advantage to Always Dreaming.
Long Shot: McCracken
All the reports form Churchill Downs (McCracken’s home track) have people getting really hot on McCracken. It might be worthwhile to throw a few bucks on him.
Long Shot Trifecta Bet: McCracken, Fast and Accurate and Patch
Why, Patch? Because, I needed a reason to talk about Patch. He’s a one eyed horse who wears a patch over his eye. How bad ass is that? I don’t bet against pirates.
Why, Fast and Accurate? Because, he’s the horse that would move this trifecta into a 5 figure win. He’s never ran against horses of this caliber before, so they really don’t know what he’s capable of.
At the end of the day, just enjoy the 2017 Kentucky Derby.
Get your wife a fancy hat and drink mint juleps.