Since winning in his Maiden debut last June, Nyquist is undefeated through the first seven races of his career. The only undefeated horse in the race drew the 13 post for Saturday’s 142nd running of the Kentucky Derby.
Kentucky Derby 2016: Nyquist atop odds heading into Saturday’s Run for the Roses
Nyquist, Exaggerator and Mohaymen remain among the betting favorites on the odds to win the Kentucky Derby heading into the race on Saturday.
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Nyquist is a +300 betting favorite on the odds to win the Kentucky Derby at sportsbooks monitored by OddsShark.com. The horse is trained by Doug O’Neill and will be ridden by Mario Gutierrez, who has been the jockey for all seven of Nyquist’s races.
This jockey and trainer tandem won the Kentucky Derby back in 2012 with I’ll Have Another. Only four past winners of the Kentucky Derby have started in the No. 13 post position.
The two horses given the best odds to defeat Nyquist and win the Kentucky Derby are Exaggerator (+750) in the 11 post and Mohaymen (+800) in the 14 post.
Speed handicappers should like Exaggerator’s consistency as the horse has recorded Beyer speeds of 101 or higher in each of his last four races. Jockey Kent Desormeaux has three Kentucky Derby wins under his belt, most recently riding Big Brown to victory back in 2008.
Exaggerator has been beaten by Nyquist three times thus far, coming closest to an upset in a runner-up finish in the San Vicente G2 race in February.
Mohaymen had an uncharacteristically bad performance in a fourth-place finish in the G1 Florida Derby, finishing behind Nyquist and Majesto (+3300) in that race. In his previous five career races, Mohaymen was a perfect 5-0-0, picking up four wins in G2 races and notching a Beyer speed of 102 in two of those wins.
In the last 117 Kentucky Derby races since 1900, only 25 horses starting in post positions of 11 or higher have gone on to win the race. Bettors wary of the starting positions of the three favorites could find value closer to the rail in Creator (+1200) in post 3, Gun Runner (+900) in post 5 or Destin (+1400) in post 9.
Other potential contenders include Mor Spirit (+1400), Brody’s Cause (+1400), Outwork (+1600), and Whitmore (+1800). Whitmore will be ridden by Victor Espinoza, who has been the winning jockey of each of the last two Kentucky Derbys.
