Some say, “The Kentucky Derby is just another race,” but that couldn’t be further from the truth.
The combination of 20 horses and at least $110-million in handle makes the Kentucky Derby a unique wagering opportunity not only for horseplayers but also casual gamblers who enjoy the rush of chasing a big payoff.
The Derby offers 380 exacta combinations, 6,840 trifecta combos, 116,280 supefecta combinations, and 1,860,480 super high 5 combos. By comparison, the typical race—which features an average of nine starters—has 55% fewer win options, 81% less exacta options, 92.6% fewer trifecta options, 97.4% less superfecta combinations, and 99.2% fewer Super High 5 combinations.
The simpler math is that all adds up to big payoffs. The $1 superfecta has paid six figures in three of the past seven years (and may have hit that level in another year if not for a dead heat for fourth in 2006), but you don’t need longshots like Giacomo or Mine That Bird to key big payoffs.
When Big Brown won the Derby in 2008 he did so as the heavy 11-to-5 favorite—paying just $6.80 to win—but the $1 superfecta paid $29,368.90. Super Saver was the 8-to-1 second choice when he won the 2010 Derby, but the superfecta paid $101,234.60.
There is plenty of money to be made in the other pools as well, and regardless of where you decide to invest your money, the Kentucky Derby offers opportunities unlike any other race, and whether you’re a gambler or a horseplayer, one of the keys to success of betting on the Derby is to be prepared.
Gathering information is not the hard part, though. There is never any shortage of opinions available, so the important thing becomes to know who you can trust, and Brisnet.com has been the handicapper’s edge online for more than 25 years.
The popular horse racing information web site has everything you need for a day at the race, and that information is especially robust for the Kentucky Derby, including the popular Ultimate Oaks-Derby Handicapping Package, which includes several special reports all for $25:
- A Derby primer with information on this year’s contenders and historical trends in the race;
- Ultimate Past Performances for both May 4 & 5 at Churchill Downs—all races on Oaks and Derby days;
- A workout report from Jude Feld, a horsemen and radio personality with a keen eye to observe a horse’s fitness;
- Conformation and pedigree report from Pete Denk, the former sales editor at Thoroughbred Times who will help identify which horses are best suited for the Derby’s unique challenges; and
- Spotlight Selections from National Handicapper of the Year Ron Rippey.
Plenty of other great reports, including analysis from Bill Finley, the Kentucky Handicapper’s Sheet, and Brisnet.com’s own Daily Selections full-card analysis, are also available for Oaks and Derby days at Churchill Downs.
Log on to Brisnet.com today to sign up, study up, and start on the path to a big Derby score!