Pletcher's Forte, Tapit Trice are morning line favorites for Kentucky Derby 149

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- As expected, Todd Pletcher's Forte is the morning line favorite for Kentucky Derby 149.

Track oddsmaker Mike Battaglia put the Breeders' Cup Juvenile champ at 3-1 odds for Derby. He will break from post 15 in Saturday's race.

Pletcher's Tapit Trice from post 5 is second in the morning line at 5-1. The colt with has an impressive bloodline and is the most expensive horse in the Derby field. He sold for $1.3 million at Keeneland's September sale.

Arkansas Derby winner Angel of Empire, trained by Brad Cox, is the third favorite at 8-1 from post 14.

Wire to wire UAE Derby winner Derma Sotogake is at 10-1 from post 17, which has never produced a winner for the Kentucky Derby.

Trainer Tim Yakteen's Practical Move is 10-1 from the 10 post.

DERBY 2023 POST POSITIONS.jpg — Post Positions for Kentucky Derby 149 at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky. (Image courtesy Churchill Downs) May 1, 2023

It's the first Derby for all the connections of Two Phil's, including trainer Larry Rivelli. The colt breaks from the post 3 at 12-1.

Verifying, son of Triple Crown winner Justify, breaks from the 2 post with Tyler Gafflione on board. He has won six straight riding titles at Churchill Downs. The horse trained by Brad Cox is at 15-1.

Pletcher's Kingsbarns is the only undefeated horse in the field. He breaks from post 6 with Jose Ortiz in the mount at 12-1.

Raise Cain, trained by Ben Colebrook, is at 15-1 from the 16 post. Bill Mott is adding blinkers for Rocket Can on Saturday, who breaks from the 18 post at 15-1. Jace's Road is also 15-1 from post 12.

Mage, which means wizard or magician, was sired by Good Magic, the 2018 Kentucky Derby runner-up to Justify. He is at 15-1 from post 8. He will run against his brother in the race. Good Magic also sired Reincarnate, a freckled grey breaking from post 7 at 15-1.

Skinner, trained by John Shirreffs, is at 20-1 from the 9 post. The Santa Anita third-place finisher is known as a closer with late speed. He got into the race after Wild on Ice was injured and euthanized last week.

Confidence Game comes off a 70-day layoff, but he has won at Churchill Downs. Trained by Keith Desormeaux, he is in post 4 at 20-1.

Four horses are set at 30-1, including Brad Cox's Hit Show from post 1, Steve Asmussen's Disarm from the 11, Kenny McPeek's Sun Thunder from the 13 and Saffie Joseph Jr.'s Lord Mile from the 19.

Japanese horse Continuar is the long-shot at 50-1 from post 20.

Three horses are also eligible for the Derby, if any of the field of 20 defects by Friday morning. Those horses include Dale Romans' Cyclone Mischief, Hiroaki Arai's Mandarin Hero and Ron Moquett's King Russell

OAKS 2023 POST POSITIONS.jpg — Post Positions for the Kentucky Oaks 149 at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky. (Image courtesy Churchill Downs) May 1, 2023

Kentucky Oaks

Wet Paint will lead Friday’s $1.25 million Kentucky Oaks from the No. 7 post at 5-2 odds. One of three fillies trained by Louisville-born Cox among 14 entrants for the 1 1/8th mile race, she has won all three starts this year and enters with consecutive Grade 3 stakes wins in the Fantasy and Honeybee respectively at Oaklawn Park.

Stablemate Botanical is the 4-1 second choice from the No. 6 post with trainer Norm Casse's Southlawn the 8-1 third choice from the No. 4 post.

Post time for the Kentucky Derby is 6:57 p.m. ET Saturday. The Kentucky Oaks goes off Friday at 5:51 p.m. ET.

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