- Zandon is the second favorite on the odds boards to win the Kentucky Derby.
- He will be racing out of Gate Ten, while Epicenter, the favorite, will be racing out of Gate Three.
- Zandon’s odds skyrocketed when he opened as a 3-1 favorite at Churchill Downs.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Zandon has been rocketing up the odds boards in terms of chances to win the Kentucky Derby.
Since last week, he’s risen from +800 odds to +450 odds to win the Kentucky Derby, and his draw of Gate 10 in the Derby has solidified him as a favorite.
The major shift in the odds seems to have come from Churchill Downs’ own oddsmakers, which put Zandon as a 3-1 favorite.
Online sportsbooks are not so sure and have him below leader Epicenter and above former second and third placers Messier and Taiba.
Kentucky Derby Winner Odds
- 1. Mo Donegal +1000
- 2. Happy Jack +6600
- 3. Epicenter +350
- 4. Summer Is Tomorrow +8000
- 5. Smile Happy +1600
- 6. Messier +800
- 7. Crown Pride +2800
- 8. Charge It +1200
- 9. Tiz The Bomb +2200
- 10. Zandon +450
- 11. Pioneer Of Medina +3300
- 12. Taiba +750
- 13. Simplification +2000
- 14. Barber Road +3500
- 15. White Abarrio +1200
- 16. Cyberknife +1800
- 17. Classic Causeway +3300
- 18. Tawny Port +4000
- 19. Zozos +2200
- 20. Ethereal Road +6600
- 21. Rich Strike +6600
- 22. Rattle N Roll +5000
Why Do Gates Matter?
Given the way that Churchill Downs is set up, the path with the shortest distance from the starting line to the finish line can be accessed from Gate One. Gate Two features the next shortest path, and so on.
However, horses also have to deal with claustrophobia and nerves, and the horses at the first gate have to wait in there longer.
If a horse gets claustrophobic, it can affect its willingness to race, as it will want to find open space after being in such a situation.
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This means that gates nearer to the middle have been optimal gates in the past, as they balance shorter tracks against limited claustrophobia.
Since 2000, ten winners of the Kentucky Derby have come from gates 5-10, which in terms of favorites, includes Messier at Six and Zandon at Ten.
Epicenter, the outright favorite on the online sportsbooks, will be running from Gate Three.
Gate Five specifically has been regarded as a lucky gate, as ten horses have won from that gate, more than any other gate in Kentucky Derby history.
However, Smile Happy will be running from Gate Five, and he is regarded as something of a longshot, with +1600 odds.
Nine horses have won from Gate Ten, which will feature Zandon this time around.
Maxwell joined the USAOnlineSportsbooks team in 2019. He focuses on creating sports betting content that informs and educates. He focuses on the NBA, the NFL, College Football and Basketball, and whatever else comes across his desk.
