3 Biggest Storylines of The 2018 Kentucky Derby

With hundreds of stories covering different aspects of the 2018 Kentucky Derby, it can be an information overload for even the most devout Derby fans. That is why LegalHorseBettingSites.com came up with this quick roundup of some of the biggest headlines surrounding the 144th Run for the Roses.

1. Todd Pletcher Has The Greatest Probability To Win

This is not to say that Pletcher’s horses are necessarily more talented than any other trainer’s, or that his colts even have shorter odds. This relates to the fact that Pletcher has a total of four Kentucky Derby entrants, more than any other trainer in the race. His horses include Florida Derby winner Audible with 13/2 odds to win the Kentucky Derby, Arkansas Derby winner Magnum Moon with 15/2 odds, Wood Memorial winner Vino Rosso with 12/1 odds, and Louisiana Derby winner Noble Indy with 30/1 odds.

That’s four shots to win the Kentucky Derby, versus the majority of trainers that only have one colt entered in the race. Bob Baffert is the only other trainer with multiple entries, which are Justify at 7/2 odds and Solomini with 22/1 odds.

2. Two Horses Will Look To Break The Curse Of Apollo

Baffert’s Justify is the favorite to win the Kentucky Derby, and Pletcher’s Magnum Moon is also a top contender. Both have impressive resumes, with Justify being undefeated in three starts and Magnum Moon in four. Aside from being undefeated, these two rivals have another trait in common – they never raced as two-year-olds. Those that are superstitious are concerned about the Curse of Apollo, which surrounds the fact that it’s been 136 years since a horse without a 2-year-old start won the Derby. The last horse to win was Apollo in 1882. Both Justify and Magnum Moon will be looking to break the curse come this Saturday at Churchill Downs.

3. A Foreign Horse Is One Of The Favorites To Win

After Gronkowski developed a fever and withdrew his entry to the Kentucky Derby, Mendelssohn is the only European horse that will be competing in the 2018 Kentucky Derby. Gronk topped the European Derby leaderboard, but Mendelssohn secured his spot after winning the UAE Derby in Dubai through the main leaderboard. The colt won the race by 18 ½ lengths and proved that he should be considered a top contender. The Ireland-based horse is the second favorite in the Run for the Roses, with 4/1 odds for Mendelssohn to win the 2018 Kentucky Derby. No horse from Europe has ever won the Kentucky Derby, so the Aidan O'Brien-trained colt is looking to make history this weekend.