Kentucky Derby Morning Line Odds:
Mike Battaglia has been Churchill Downs’ morning chances maker for 46 years since 1974. The 2020 Kentucky Derby will mark oddsmaker Mike Battaglia’s 47th year assigning morning line odds to the Kentucky Derby field.
Morning line odds, which are chances given to horses in a race prior to the beginning of betting as a prediction how the linemaker thinks the public will bet and so are delegated at post position draw.
Battaglia has correctly called that the Derby favorite at a 78 percent clip and can be 36-for-46.
Morning line odds were first published in the official Kentucky Derby Day app in 1949, though records before 1949 are incomplete.
Battaglia’s winning morning-line favorites, because his first year in 1974:
Seattle Slew, 1977 1-2 0.50-1
Foolish Pleasure, 1975 9-5 1.90-1
Cannonade/Judger,1974 8-5 1.50-1
Pre-Battaglia Day line favorites to have won, 1949-1973
Secretariat/Angle Light, 1973 1-1 1.50-1
Riva Ridge, 1972 9-5 1.50-1
Majestic Prince, 1969 7-5 1.40-1
Carry Back, 1961 5-2 2.50-1
Tim Tam, 1958 8-5 2.10-1
Needles, 1956 2-1 1.60-1
Hill Gail/Top Blend, 1952 6-5 1.10-1
Related: Art Collector Out of Kentucky Derby with Foot Issue
2020 Kentucky Derby Field
The Kentucky Derby field was restricted to 20 starters because 1975, the year following 23 horses contested the 100th anniversary of this Derby. Until this year, at least 20 horses have entered the race every year since 2004, and in 19 of their last 21 years. Overall there has been a field of 20 horses on 21 occasions, the first occurring in 1923 when 21 horses went to the place, and there’s been 16 starters in each of the previous 21 decades.
Largest Field: 23 in 1974 (100th running)
Smallest Field: 3 in 1892 and 1905
Total Starters: 1,923 from 1875 through 2019
Avg. Field Size: 13.3 from 1875 through 2019
Fields of 20 or More: 21 15 or More
Fields of 15 or More: 68
Fields of 14 or Less: 78
Churchill Downs reintroduced the also-eligible principle in 2012. As much as 24 horses could be entered in the race on Wednesday of Derby Week, such as four horses which can remain qualified to compete beyond the official time of entrance. Some of the”also eligible” horses could be permitted to run in their various race if members of their first field scratch from the race before the official”scrape time” of 9 a.m. ET on Friday (Kentucky Oaks Day), that is the official opening of progress wagering on the Derby.
Related: Derby/Oaks Notes: Mr. Big News Derby-bound; Gamine favored in Oaks
Horses with the highest point total s in the”Road to the Kentucky Derby” races would”draw -in” into the field first. The very same rules apply for the Kentucky Oaks, which has a maximum field size of 14. An eight-horse also-eligible list was instituted in 1983 and 1984, but advance wagering on the Kentucky Derby was negated due to refunds after late scratches. Although the 20-horse limitation for the Kentucky Derby has been in existence since 1975, 21 horses were allowed to contest the 1981 Derby because of some legal issue.
Kentucky Derby 2020 Morning Line odds and Post Positions
The Draw will be held on September 1st at 10:45 ET.
Kentucky Derby Field:
| Horse | Trainers | Jockey |
|---|---|---|
| Tiz the Law | Barclay Tagg | Manny Franco |
| Authentic | Bob Baffert | John Velazquez |
| Art Collector | Tom Drury | Brian Hernandez, Jr. |
| Honor A.P. | John Sherriffs | Mike Smith |
| Ny Traffic | Saffie Joseph, Jr | Paco Lopez |
| King Guillermo | Juan Carlos Avilla | Samy Camacho |
| Thousand Words | Bob Baffert | Florent Geroux |
| Money Moves | Todd Pletcher | Javier Castellano |
| Max Player | Steve Asmussen | Ricardo Santana, Jr. |
| Enforceable | Mark Casse | Adam Beschizza |
| Major Fed | Greg Foley | James Graham |
| Storm the Court | Peter Eurton | Julien Leparoux |
| Attachment Rate | Dale Romans | Joe Talamo |
| Sole Volante | Patrick Biancone | Luca Panici |
| Finnick the Fierce | Rey Hernandez | Martin Garcia |
| Winning Impression | Dallas Stewart | Joe Rocco, Jr. |
| Necker Island | Chris Hartman | Miguel Mena |
Related: Art Collector Out of Kentucky Derby with Foot Issue
Miriam Lee has always been a horse racing fan thanks to trips to the tracks in her home state of Maryland with her father as kid. She owns an OTTB and is an advocate for promoting the sport among her peers. Miriam studies communication arts at Hood College and will receive her master’s degree in 2021, which she plans to use for a career in screenwriting. Her all-time favorite racehorse is Man O War.
