Cairo Prince Favored On Latest Kentucky Derby Odds

Four months is an eternity in thoroughbred racing. For proof of that look at the rise of Cairo Prince, the current Kentucky Derby betting favorite for May’s 140th Run for the Roses at storied Churchill Downs.

The Pool 1 Kentucky Derby online horse odds were released in late November 2013 and Cairo Prince was a 26-1 shot when they closed. The Kiaran McLaughlin-trained Cairo Prince scored his maiden win in early October at Belmont Park. He followed with a decisive victory in the Grade 2 Nashua Stakes and then finished second by a nose to Honor Code in the Grade 2 Remsen on November 30, both at Aqueduct.

Cairo Prince’s 3-year-old debut was a smashing success as he won the Grade 2 Holy Bull Stakes at Gulfstream. The son of Pioneerof the Nile beat a strong field by 5 ¾ lengths. Not surprisingly, Cairo Prince jumped to 13-1 on the Pool 2 Kentucky Derby horse racing odds in early February. Honor Code was the 12-1 betting favorite. The Pool 3 odds ran from February 27-March 1 and Cairo Prince jumped into the favored role at 9-1.

Honor Code is now 11-1 for those who bet on the Kentucky Derby. The Shug McGaughey-trained colt and son of AP Indy has yet to run in 2014, with McGaughey targeting the mid-March Rebel Stakes for his 3-year-old debut. Honor Code missed some training time with hind ankle bruising, so he wasn’t able to run in the February 22 Fountain of Youth Stakes as planned. Top Billing is also 11-1.

First Derby for Sadler?

Candy Boy is 12-1 on the Pool 3 Derby odds. Candy Boy, trained by John W. Sadler, debuted as a 3-year-old with a victory in the Grade 2 Robert B. Lewis Stakes at Santa Anita in early February. That win helped rocket Candy Boy from 32-1 in the Pool 2 Derby odds. Shared Belief, a gelding, was 14-1 in Pool 2 and is now 15-1. The horse is unbeaten in three career starts, including beating out Candy Boy in the Grade 1 CashCall Futurity in December.

One horse who has come out of nowhere – not listed on Pool 1 or 2 – is Bob Baffert’s Bayern. The colt has two wins in 2014. On February 13 in his first race at mile, Bayern dominated the Taurus Purse, an allowance for 3-year-olds, winning by 15 lengths. Bayern is 17-1.

High-Five

Only five horses have been separately listed in all three pools toward the 2014 Derby: Cairo Prince, Honor Code, Noble Moon, Shared Belief and Strong Mandate. The latter colt was 18-1 on the Pool 3 Kentucky Derby betting odds, a slight rise from Pool 2. Strong Mandate debuted as a 3-year-old by finishing second to Tapiture in the Grade 2 Southwest Stakes. That win helped jump Tapiture from 38-1 in Pool 2 to 17-1 in Pool 3. Tapiture and Strong Mandate are both likely to run next in the Rebel Stakes.

The overall favorite in the Pool 3 odds was the “all others” option at 3-1. It was the favorite in Pools 1 and 2 as well. The final Pool 4 odds will be released from March 27-29 in the Kentucky Derby betting news.

About Tennessee Leduc

Born in Summersville Kentucky, Tennessee is an impassioned fan of horse racing, women, civilized debauchery, and... mint juleps. He writes, he reads, he listens, but above all he experiences the world he lives in.

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