It is time for the 151st Kentucky Derby
The wait is over. All the workouts, prep races, and early season form cycles have led to this Saturday at Churchill Downs — the 151st running of the Kentucky Derby, and a monster card packed with world-class stakes races, culminating in the biggest race of the year.
Join us for our Let ‘em Run Special Coverage — live from The Ancient Order of Hibernians with Sean “The Genius” Miller and myself as we break down the action from Races 7 through 12, which make up the new “Derby City-6” wager, a 20-cent mandatory payout bet similar to Gulfstream Park’s Rainbow 6.
This is one of the best betting opportunities of the year — and while we know last weekend’s results didn’t cut it (we’ll own that), we’re locked in and ready to fire on Derby Day. Let’s run through the picks.
💥 Race 7 – 5½ Furlongs (Turf) – Twin Spires Turf Sprint (G2) – $600,000
📍 Post: 2:38 PM EST
- #6 Run Carson (6-1) – Rough trip last out; Johnny V stays aboard. That 101 Beyer 3-back says he fits here.
- #7 Think Big (4-1) – Turf sprinter specialist, 3-for-3 at the distance. Strong win chance with Ben Curtis.
- #8 Rogue Lightning (7-2) – Irish import with big talent. If he breaks clean, Flavien Prat could walk the dog here.
💥 Race 8 – 7 Furlongs (Dirt) – Churchill Downs Stakes (G1) – $1,000,000
📍 Post: 3:23 PM EST
- #10 Nysos (4-1) – Monster talent. Undefeated. If he’s ready off the layoff, he’ll win impressively.
- #11 Mullikin (7-2) – 2-for-2 at Churchill, ultra consistent. Big chance with Saez.
- #3 Book’em Dano (8-1) – Paco Lopez ships in for just this ride. Intriguing wild card.
- #2 Banishing (5-1) – Reliable with triple-digit Beyers. Jose Ortiz gets the call.
💥 Race 9 – 1 1/16 Miles (Turf) – American Turf Stakes (G1) – $1,000,000
📍 Post: 4:06 PM EST
- #4 Mi Bago (10-1) – Speed of the speed with Jose Ortiz. Lone F threat at a big number.
- #10 Iron Man Cal (9-2) – West Coast shipper from a key Breeders’ Cup race. Contender.
- #3 New Century (GB) (3-1) – Irad and Brendan Walsh team up at 43%. Should bounce back after Newmarket trip.
💥 Race 10 – 7 Furlongs (Dirt) – Derby City Distaff Stakes (G1) – $1,000,000
📍 Post: 4:50 PM EST
🧨 Most Wide-Open Race on the Card – Use 3+ Horses Here
- #7 Vahva (6-1) – Churchill specialist, 4-for-4 locally. BC class and top w/o’s = major play.
- #8 Ways and Means (3-1) – Chad Brown/Prat combo. Bounce back candidate with huge upside.
- #5 Haulin Ice (15-1) – Underrated filly with excellent stats. Can steal it if loose early.
💥 Race 11 – 1 1/8 Miles (Turf) – Old Forester Bourbon Turf Classic (G1) – $1,000,000
📍 Post: 5:39 PM EST
- #9 Mercante (10-1) – Longshot play. Knippenberg trainee is better than he looks on paper.
- #10 Spirit of St. Louis (9-2) – Manny Franco knows this horse well. Tactical speed could be key.
- #6 Taking Candy (8-1) – Always shows up. Ortiz could work a trip and surprise here.
🏇 THE 151st KENTUCKY DERBY – Race 12 🏇
📍 Post: 6:57 PM EST
🌧️ Weather could play a major role — tune in for last-minute updates Saturday.
- #3 Final Gambit (30-1) – Dirt debut? Don’t be fooled. Looks sharp on Churchill dirt, highest Tomlinson for the distance. Brad Cox + Luan Machado = sneaky.
- #17 Sandman (6-1) – The buzz horse. Derby shape fits perfectly for his off-the-pace style.
- #8 Journalism (3-1) – Favorite deserves respect. Curlin colt is legit, but Derby chaos lurks.
- #12 East Avenue (20-1) – Speedy. If others get tangled, he could go gate to wire with Franco aboard.
🎙️ Tune In: Let ‘em Run Kentucky Derby Podcast Special
📍 Saturday, 12:30 PM EST – Live from The Hibos Club
🎧 Capital Sports Network
Join Sean “The Genius” Miller and myself for full Derby Day analysis, weather updates, and last-second pivots before the gates open at Churchill Downs.
It’s Derby Day.
It’s Let ‘em Run.
Let’s cash some tickets. 🏇💰
