Secretariat remains the grandest name in the history of Triple Crown horse racing. In 1973 Secretariat clinched the Triple Crown with a blowout win at the Belmont Stakes that remains the standard to which all other horses are judged. For 2021 there is a new horse that is starting to draw comparisons to Secretariat. Undefeated Essential Quality is dominating in a way that has made him the 2021 Kentucky Derby Odds betting favorite. Also meriting considerations are Concert Tour, Hot Rod Charlie, Bourbonic, Median Spirit, and Dynamic One. The gambling handle will be at an all-time high the 2021 Run for the Roses and its standard return on the calendar. Last year the pandemic forced the Kentucky Derby to be staged at the awkward time of September and without fans. For 2021, the most elite class of horses in the world will be running for the blanket of roses. And with that, a shot at immortality. No other race is more prestigious than the Kentucky Derby.
147th Kentucky Derby
Scheduled Time and Date: Saturday, May 1, 2021, 5:50 p.m. ET
Venue: Churchill Downs, Louisville, Kentucky
Television Coverage: NBC
Updated Betting Odds for the 2021 Kentucky Derby
Essential Quality 4/1
Concert Tour 5/1
Hot Rod Charlie 12/1
Bourbonic 12/1
Medina Spirit 13/1
Dynamic One 16/1
Like the King 20/1
Soup and Sandwich 20/1
Sainthood 20/1
Highly Motivated 25/1
Midnight Bourbon 27/1
Helium 28/1
Rock Your World 31/1
Weyburn 35/1
Mandaloun 36/1
Crowded Trade 38/1
Hozier 44/1
Rombauer 50/1
Proxy 51/1
2021 Kentucky Derby Bookmaker Wagering Odds Overview
Because of his record and quality of wins, Essential Quality will generate a significant portion of the wagering handle. Horses that win Breeders' Cup events and graded races draw media attention. Following that hype comes a lot of casual gamblers that don't know any better. In the same way as the Super Bowl and March Madness, the Kentucky Derby draws many squares. The Kentucky Derby is the only horse race they will wager on for millions of gamblers for the entire year. As a result, such amateurs rely too much on the media for guidance. This factor has the effect of skewing the betting odds and the relation to actual merited value.
Undefeated Essential Quality Opens as 4/1 Chalk
Essential Quality is the biggest name on the board for the 2021 Kentucky Derby. He has five wins in five career starts. Further, all four of those wins were in graded races. At the onset, Essential Quality won the Grade 1 Breeders' Futurity on October 3, 2020. Next was a Grade 1 win in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile on November 6, 2020. And then Essential Quality took the Grade 3 Southwest Stakes on February 27, 2021. Following that was a Grade 2 victory in the Blue Grass Stakes on April 3, 2021.
Bob Baffert Trained Concert Tour an Appealing 5/1 Alternative
Most recently, Concert Tour ran on April 10, 2021, but failed to win the Grade 1 Arkansas Derby. Instead, he finished third. The failure ended a three-race winning streak. Concert Tour has two graded wins beginning on February 6, 2021, with a win in the Grade 2 San Vicente. Following that was a March 13, 2021 win in the Grade 2 Rebel Stakes. Most important of all for Concert Tour is that Bob Baffert is the trainer. Baffert has produced the last two Triple Crown-winning horses and is the most respected trainer in the sport.
Here Comes Hot Rod Charlie at 12/1
Hot Rod Charlie has emerged to the top of the board after a March 20, 2021 win in the Grade 2 Louisiana Derby. It was his first win after two consecutive losses. Hot Rod Charlie finished 3rd in the January 30, 2021 Grade 3 Robert B Lewis. Also, he was second in the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Juvenile. Hot Rod Charlie's win in the Louisiana Derby shows how Kentucky Derby prices can jump high and fast based on recent results.
2021 Kentucky Derby Bookmaker Odds Free Picks
Essential Quality is understandably irresistible with the 2021 Kentucky Derby Odds. But his price brings little value. Instead, Concert Tour brings a Baffert trained horse capable of winning another Triple Crown.
2021 Kentucky Derby Bookmaker Best Bets: Concert Tour
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