Lacking points preps last week, the top of the Las Vegas futures market did not change much for Kentucky Derby 2023. But the odds were changed for 69 of 96 horses, and the draw for Saturday’s Grade 2 Louisiana Derby already had an influence.
The two bookmakers who have been booking bets all winter went opposite directions with the entries for the $1 million race at Fair Grounds. Circa Sports took the odds longer for nine of them, and Caesars Sportsbook shortened six.
Instant Coffee, the Lecomte (G3) winner who was made the 2-1 morning-line favorite for the Louisiana Derby, was bumped from 15-1 to 16-1 at Circa. The Bolt d’Oro colt trained by Brad Cox held firm at 14-1 at Caesars.
Sun Thunder, the runner-up in last month’s Risen Star (G2) who was made the 5-1 second choice for Saturday’s feature, was taken from 60-1 to 75-1 at Circa. Trained by Kenny McPeek, the Into Mischief colt was shortened from 65-1 to 55-1 at Caesars.
Kingsbarns, the 2-for-2 Uncle Mo colt who is graduating to stakes company for trainer Todd Pletcher, had his odds cut at both books. Caesars trimmed him from 50-1 to 35-1, Circa from 40-1 to 35-1.
The opposite moves by the two casino groups reflect both the longer time that Caesars has been exposed with its futures book and the aggressive stance often taken by Circa to generate steam.
Fountain of Youth (G2) winner Forte, also trained by Pletcher, held firm as the 3-1 favorite at both Caesars and Circa.
Since last Monday, Caesars added one horse and dropped five to leave it with 67 choices. The odds were shortened for 15 and made longer for two.
Circa introduced three new horses and removed three to bring its list to 86. Prices were cut for 19 and drifted for 46.
Between the two books, these horses were left Sunday in the Nevada futures for Kentucky Derby 2023, shown in order of best prices in bold type:
| Kentucky Derby 2023 | Caesars | Circa | Trainer | Last race |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Forte | 3-1 | 3-1 | Todd Pletcher | 1st Fountain of Youth (G2) |
| Tapit Trice | 8-1 | 6-1 | Todd Pletcher | 1st Tampa Bay Derby (G3) |
| Practical Move | 12-1 | 14-1 | Tim Yakteen | 1st San Felipe (G2) |
| Instant Coffee | 14-1 | 16-1 | Brad Cox | 1st Lecomte (G3) |
| Reincarnate | 18-1 | 25-1 | Tim Yakteen | 3rd Rebel (G2) |
| Confidence Game | 24-1 | 30-1 | Keith Desormeaux | 1st Rebel (G2) |
| Geaux Rocket Ride | 28-1 | 30-1 | Richard Mandella | 2nd San Felipe (G2) |
| National Treasure | 15-1 | 30-1 | Tim Yakteen | 3rd Sham (G3) |
| Red Route One | 20-1 | 30-1 | Steve Asmussen | 2nd Rebel (G2) |
| Verifying | 22-1 | 30-1 | Brad Cox | 4th Rebel (G2) |
| Hit Show | 32-1 | 30-1 | Brad Cox | 1st Withers (G3) |
| Kingsbarns | 35-1 | 35-1 | Todd Pletcher | 1st alw OC at TAM |
| Awesome Strong | 40-1 | Jorge Delgado | 1st Florida Sire In Reality | |
| Dreamlike | 40-1 | Todd Pletcher | 2nd MSW at GP | |
| Cairo | 45-1 | Aidan O'Brien | 1st Patton (AW) | |
| Henry Q | 25-1 | 45-1 | Todd Fincher | 1st Mine That Bird Derby |
| Rocket Can | 40-1 | 45-1 | Bill Mott | 2nd Fountain of Youth (G2) |
| Tapit's Conquest | 50-1 | 45-1 | Brad Cox | 4th Risen Star (G2) |
| Two Phil's | 50-1 | 50-1 | Larry Rivelli | 3rd Risen Star (G2) |
| Blazing Sevens | 35-1 | 55-1 | Chad Brown | 8th Fountain of Youth (G2) |
| Disarm | 45-1 | 60-1 | Steve Asmussen | 2nd alw OC at OP |
| Angel of Empire | 45-1 | 65-1 | Brad Cox | 1st Risen Star (G2) |
| Skinner | 45-1 | 65-1 | John Shirreffs | 3rd San Felipe (G2) |
| Echo Again | 75-1 | Steve Asmussen | DNF Lecomte (G3) | |
| Raise Cain | 45-1 | 75-1 | Ben Colebrook | 1st Gotham (G3) |
| Sun Thunder | 55-1 | 75-1 | Kenny McPeek | 2nd Risen Star (G2) |
| Classic Legacy | 60-1 | 80-1 | Bill Mott | 3rd Tampa Bay Derby (G3) |
| Victory Formation | 50-1 | 80-1 | Brad Cox | 9th Risen Star (G2) |
| Curly Jack | 45-1 | 85-1 | Tom Amoss | 8th Risen Star (G2) |
| Cyclone Mischief | 60-1 | 85-1 | Dale Romans | 3rd Fountain of Youth (G2) |
| Slip Mahoney | 60-1 | 85-1 | Brad Cox | 2nd Gotham (G3) |
| Classic Car Wash | 85-1 | 90-1 | Mark Casse | 2nd Tampa Bay Derby (G3) |
| Congruent | 60-1 | 95-1 | Antonio Sano | 1st Battaglia Mem. (AW) |
| Bishops Bay | 100-1 | 60-1 | Brad Cox | 1st alw OC at FG |
| Corona Bolt | 100-1 | Brad Cox | 1st alw at OP | |
| Gulfport | 100-1 | Steve Asmussen | 3rd Champagne (G1) | |
| Mage | 100-1 | 90-1 | Gustavo Delgado | 4th Fountain of Youth (G2) |
| Mo Strike | 100-1 | Brad Cox | 4th Hopeful (G1) | |
| Perrière | 100-1 | Yoichi Kuroiwa | 1st Hyacinth | |
| Scoobie Quando | 100-1 | Ben Colebrook | 2nd Battaglia Mem. (AW) | |
| Cagliostro | 110-1 | Cherie DeVaux | 2nd alw OC at FG | |
| Fort Bragg | 110-1 | 100-1 | Tim Yakteen | 5th San Felipe (G2) |
| Jace's Road | 65-1 | 110-1 | Brad Cox | 5th Southwest (G3) |
| Shopper's Revenge | 100-1 | 110-1 | Steve Asmussen | 2nd alw OC at OP |
| Dubyuhnell | 100-1 | 125-1 | Danny Gargan | 8th Sam F. Davis (G3) |
| Harlocap | 125-1 | Steve Asmussen | 6th Risen Star (G2) | |
| Lugan Knight | 150-1 | Michael McCarthy | 7th Gotham (G3) | |
| Wildatlanticstorm | 150-1 | Ray Ashford | 1st Springboard Mile | |
| Bourbon Bash | 175-1 | D. Wayne Lukas | 5th Rebel (G2) | |
| Classic Catch | 125-1 | 175-1 | Todd Pletcher | 1st alw OC at GP |
| Crupi | 100-1 | 175-1 | Todd Pletcher | 7th Risen Star (G2) |
| Demolition Duke | 175-1 | Brad Cox | 2nd alw OC at FG | |
| Funtastic Again | 175-1 | Wesley Ward | 1st Leonatus (AW) at TP | |
| Giant Mischief | 60-1 | 175-1 | Brad Cox | 6th Rebel (G2) |
| Hayes Strike | 175-1 | Kenny McPeek | 1st Private Terms | |
| Kangaroo Court (g) | 125-1 | 175-1 | Tim Yakteen | 1st alw OC at SA |
| Major Dude | 150-1 | 175-1 | Todd Pletcher | 1st Kitten's Joy (G3, turf) |
| Point Proven | 100-1 | 175-1 | Todd Pletcher | 3rd alw OC at GP |
| Powerful | 175-1 | Steve Asmussen | 9th Rebel (G2) | |
| Protégé | 175-1 | Ron Moquett | 3rd alw OC at OP | |
| Airtime | 200-1 | Robertino Diodoro | 1st alw OC at OP | |
| Arabian Lion | 110-1 | 200-1 | Tim Yakteen | 4th Robert B. Lewis (G3) |
| Arctic Arrogance | 150-1 | 200-1 | Linda Rice | 2nd Withers (G3) |
| Banishing | 50-1 | 200-1 | Brendan Walsh | 5th alw OC at FG |
| Bo Cruz | 200-1 | Al Stall Jr. | 1st MSW at FG | |
| Continuar | 200-1 | Yoshito Yahagi | 5th Saudi Derby (G3) | |
| Derma Sotogake | 200-1 | Hidetaka Otonashi | 3rd Saudi Derby (G3) | |
| General Jim | 135-1 | 200-1 | Shug McGaughey | 1st Swale (G3) |
| Gun Pilot | 125-1 | 200-1 | Steve Asmussen | 7th Rebel (G2) |
| Mandarin Hero | 200-1 | Terunobu Fujita | 2nd Kumotori | |
| Tapit Shoes | 125-1 | 200-1 | Brad Cox | 3rd alw OC at FG |
| Two Eagles River | 150-1 | 200-1 | Chris Hartman | 1st alw OC at OP |
| Denington | 225-1 | Kenny McPeek | 1st alw OC at FG | |
| Eyeing Clover | 225-1 | Brad Cox | 4th Gotham (G3) | |
| Fort Warren | 125-1 | 225-1 | Brittany Russell | 3rd San Vicente (G2) |
| Mendelssohns March | 225-1 | Kenny McPeek | 1st alw OC at OP | |
| Mr. Ripple | 110-1 | 225-1 | Saffie Joseph Jr. | 2nd alw OC at GP |
| Uncle Jake | 225-1 | Brittany Russell | 1st MSW at LRL | |
| Arthur's Ride | 125-1 | 250-1 | Bill Mott | 1st MSW at GP |
| Bromley | 150-1 | 250-1 | Paulo Lobo | 3rd Battaglia Mem. (AW) |
| Carmel Road | 250-1 | Tim Yakteen | 8th Gotham (G3) | |
| First Defender | 175-1 | 250-1 | Steve Asmussen | 3rd alw OC at FG |
| General Banker | 150-1 | 250-1 | Jimmy Ferraro | 3rd Gotham (G3) |
| Giroovin | 250-1 | Genaro García | 5th Riley Allison Derby | |
| Invulnerable | 250-1 | Joe Sharp | 1st alw at FG | |
| Prairie Hawk | 250-1 | Saffie Joseph Jr. | 4th Tampa Bay Derby (G3) | |
| Shadow Dragon | 250-1 | Bill Mott | 5th Fountain of Youth (G2) | |
| Jungfrau | 150-1 | 275-1 | Bill Mott | 6th Withers (G3) |
| Neural Network | 275-1 | Chad Brown | 1st Gander | |
| Recruiter | 275-1 | Cathal Lynch | 11th Gotham (G3) | |
| Event Detail | 300-1 | Paulo Lobo | 10th Rebel (G2) | |
| Genius Jimmy | 300-1 | Michael McCarthy | 8th San Felipe (G2) | |
| Lord Miles | 150-1 | 300-1 | Saffie Joseph Jr. | 5th Tampa Bay Derby (G3) |
| Single Ruler | 300-1 | Keith Desormeaux | 5th Risen Star (G2) | |
| Uncorrelated | 300-1 | Chad Brown | 12th Gotham (G3) | |
| Wadsworth (g) | 300-1 | Brad Cox | 1st alw OC (AW) at TP | |
| (g) gelding |
