The 2022 Kentucky Derby could be set up perfectly for bettors who like to take long shots, as there is no runaway favorite in the 2022 Kentucky Derby field. Zandon is the morning-line favorite after drawing the No. 10 post in Monday’s 2022 Kentucky Derby draw. He is the 3-1 favorite in the latest 2022 Kentucky Derby odds, while Epicenter is second at 7-2. Messier, who is 8-1, is the only other horse with single-digit Kentucky Derby odds 2022 after the draw. All of the 2022 Kentucky Derby horses are priced inside 30-1, which means there are plenty of viable 2022 Kentucky Derby contenders on Saturday. The 2022 Kentucky Derby post time is 6:57 p.m. ET. With so much to consider, you’ll want to see what SportsLine’s Jody Demling has to say before entering any 2022 Kentucky Derby picks or horse racing predictions of your own.
A fixture in the horse racing world who has been writing about, talking about and betting on races for years, Demling has been on-point with his horse racing bets. He hit the exacta in the Wood Memorial in April. Last year, he hit the exacta, trifecta and superfecta in the Belmont Stakes. This is the same handicapper who hit the Derby-Oaks double at Churchill Downs nine times in the last 13 years. That means he held a ticket with the winners of both the Kentucky Oaks and Kentucky Derby all but four times in his last 13 tries.
In addition, at one point in 2020, he picked the winners of six straight races: the Saudi Cup, Gotham Stakes, Rebel Stakes, Louisiana Derby, Florida Derby, and Belmont Stakes. Anyone who has followed him on these races is way up.
Now, with the 2022 Kentucky Derby lineup locked in, Demling is sharing his picks and predictions over at SportsLine. Go here to see them.
Top 2022 Kentucky Derby predictions
One of Demling’s surprising 2022 Kentucky Derby picks: He is fading Epicenter, saying one of the top favorites barely even cracks the top three. Epicenter has been one of the 2022 Kentucky Derby favorites because he won four of his last five races. However, the three-year-old colt hasn’t raced since the Louisiana Derby on March 26. He is also starting out of the No. 3 post, which hasn’t produced a Kentucky Derby winner since Real Quiet in 1998.
“I really hoped he would be the favorite so I could get a better price on my top two,” Demling told SportsLine. “Epicenter’s only race he didn’t finish first or second was at Churchill in his first game. He’s won on the lead and stalking and has really good speed numbers. I can see him capturing the roses, but I’m going elsewhere.”
Another stunner: Demling is high on Mo Donegal, even though he’s a double-digit long shot and will race from the inside post. Mo Donegal has started to make noise heading into Saturday’s race, especially after he won the Wood Memorial and posted his top Equibase Speed Figure of 103. He is one of the emerging horses in the 2022 Kentucky Derby field and has a pedigreed background as a son of Uncle Mo. Mo Donegal’s BRIS Speed Rating (111) in the Wood Memorial is the highest figure earned by any of the Kentucky Derby contenders this year.
While his post position might not be ideal for some horses, he clearly has the speed to break from the rail in post No. 1. In fact, 18 of the last 22 Kentucky Derby winners had a BRIS Speed Rating of at least 100 prior to the race. Demling believes Mo Donegal’s speed will shine brightest in Saturday’s race.
How to make 2022 Kentucky Derby picks, bets
Demling is especially high on an evening bigger double-digit long shot who has “been training great at Churchill Downs,” and is set to hit the board hard. Demling is sharing which horse it is, along with his entire projected leaderboard, over at SportsLine.
Which horse wins the Kentucky Derby 2022? And which huge underdog is a must-back? Check out the latest 2022 Kentucky Derby odds below, then visit SportsLine to see Demling’s picks for the Kentucky Derby, all from the expert who nailed nine Derby-Oaks doubles and six straight races.
