This Year’s Kentucky Derby Picks (And a Brand New Way to Bet on Them)

(Photo: Velo Steve)

Every year I post my picks for the Kentucky Derby.  Last year I actually did well, for a change.  In a twenty-horse field, I picked three horses to do well, and two of them ended finishing first and second. The winner was 15-1.  I also made a correct prediction as to which horse would finish last.  I got that one right as well.

So here we go again…

Let me start by saying that the crystal ball (actually the computer algorithm) is a little fuzzy this year.  There are four horses that all look equally good to me: Falling Sky, Java’s War, Itsmyluckyday, and Revolutionary.  All will be longshots, I suspect, with odds between 15-1 and 25-1.

The model also kind of likes Verrazano, who might be the favorite in the race.  If I were betting, I might include him in my exotic bets.

The pick I feel best about is last place:  I think that will be a horse called Giant Finish. More important than my picks is a new mobile website run by my good friends the Hessert brothers.  As far as I know, it is the only legal way to bet on the Kentucky Derby using your phone.  See what you think…they are always eager to hear user feedback.

And if you get the horse racing bug, they have a website where you can legally bet on horses anytime you get the urge.