Get Your Kentucky Derby Betting Preview with Journalism Taking the Lead

The Kentucky Derby betting preview is finally here, and with Journalism leading the way into the most prestigious race of the year.

Smart bettors are already analyzing the latest horse racing lines for the 1st leg of the Triple Crown at Churchill Downs.

From the Kentucky Oaks to the Turf Classic Stakes, it’s time to break down which contenders can deliver big on Derby Day.

2025 Kentucky Derby Betting Preview with Journalism as Favorite with the Top Odds to Win
All Eyes on Journalism (3-1)! Your MUST-READ Final Derby Betting Preview Before Post Time!

1st Leg of the Triple Crown: Saturday, May 3rd, 2025
Churchill Downs: Kentucky Oaks / Derby City Distaff / Turf Classic Stakes

Betting MyBookie Horse Racing in May: The Run for the Roses

It’s Kentucky Derby week, which means the one of the biggest race days in North America this year is upon us.

On Friday, the top three year old fillies in the world hit the dirt at Churchill Downs for the Kentucky Oaks.

Then on Saturday, the annual Kentucky Derby takes place.

Check out more info for the Oaks, Derby, and two races on Saturday that could pad the bankroll.

Keep reading for a list of the horses that could win the Triple Crown this year.

Top Stakes Races for the Week

Writer’s Picks on the Races Along with the Kentucky Derby Happening this Weekend at Churchill Downs

Grade 1 Kentucky Oaks

1 1/8 miles dirt – 3 year old fillies
Friday, May 2nd, 2025
Churchill Downs

Brad Cox trained Good Cheer is the 6-5 morning line chalk.

Good Cheer could win the Kentucky Oaks going away, but the field is loaded with talented fillies.

So dumping on Good Cheer at 6-5, more likely 4-5 by the time the gates open, doesn’t make much sense.

Instead of Good Cheer, consider backing the Santa Anita Oaks winner, Tenma, who is at 12-1 on the morning line.

Or roll the dice on Five G, also at 12-1.

The second choice after Good Cheer is La Cara.

The Ashland winner is at 6-1 and deserves a look for sure.

Grade 1 Derby City Distaff: Kentucky Oaks Lines

Grade 1 Derby City Distaff

7 furlongs dirt – 4 year old fillies and mares
Saturday, May 3rd, 2025
Churchill Downs

Two should demand most of the action, Bill Mott trained Scylla, the 4-1 second choice and 3-1 morning line favorite Ways and Means trained by Chad Brown.

Both have the ability to win this but like the Kentucky Oaks, the Derby City Distaff is loaded with potential upsetters.

One of those upsetters with a real shot is Emery.

The Brad Cox trained runner finished second in the Grade 1 Madison in the last.

One of those upsetters with a real shot is Emery.

Emery could improve off the effort and Cox is a master at getting horses ready to win big races like this grade 1.

Positano Sunset won the Madison.

There’s a chance she bounces.

If you believe, you could do much worse than the 12-1 morning line.

Grade 1 Derby City Distaff: Churchill Downs

>Grade 1 Turf Classic Stakes

1 1/8 miles turf – 4 year olds and up
Saturday, May 3rd, 2025
Churchill Downs

Favorite Integration breaks from the rail.

So if jockey Frankie Dettori can save ground and pull out in time, Integration should be free to run to the wire.

With that being written, Dettori could end up boxed inside without any chance of escape.

If that happens, the race becomes wide open.

Spirit of St. Louis will demand action and attention but the fourth in a grade 2 in the last doesn’t bode well for the Chad Brown trainee.

Gold Phoenix is at 10-1 on the morning line and has the look of a serious contender.

Phil D’Amato has kept Gold Phoenix in races at Santa Anita.

So Gold is under the radar heading into the race.

Grade 1 Turf Classic Stakes: Churchill Downs

Kentucky Derby Btting Preview: Grade 1 Stakes Race

1 ¼ miles dirt – 3 year olds
Saturday, May 3rd, 2025
Churchill Downs

This year’s Kentucky Derby boasts a horse that appears heads and tails above the rest.

If Journalism gets the trip, the Mike McCarthy trainee should have no trouble winning the Roses.

But that’s the thing.

In the Kentucky Derby, trip is everything and twenty horses often leads to bad trips for favorites.

So if you’re looking to beat Journalism, there are plenty of contenders, none of which hail from the Bob Baffert barn.

Grande, a Todd Pletcher trainee, offers 20-1 on the morning line and finished second to Rodriguez, a Baffert runner, in the Wood.

Rodriguez won’t carry his speed in this while Grande should be in a nice stalking position throughout.

Like Journalism, Curlin sired Grande.

Luxor Café has been unreal beating up lesser foes in Japan.

The reason to back the Japanese horse is that he’s a son of Triple Crown winner American Pharoah.

The breeding on the bottom is also intriguing because More Than Ready is his broodmare’s sire.

Luxor Café is on a hot streak and must be taken seriously.

Final Gambit and Tiztastic are a couple of others that could pull off the upset win.

Final Gambit is a Brad Cox runner that offers a 30-1 morning line.

The horse has some dirt breeding.

Grandsire Giant’s Causeway almost beat Tiznow to win the Breeders’ Cup Classic in 2000.

Tapit, the grandsire on the broodmare side, suggests Gambit can run on any racetrack and excel at any distance.

Tiztastic arrives after winning the Louisiana Derby which pushed those betting lines at the racebook.

The LA Derby wasn’t strong.

But trainer Steve Asmussen is a master at getting horses ready for big races.

This could be Asmussen’s year.

Horses that can win the Triple Crown

Journalism
The whole package.

Journalism had a terrible trip in the Santa Anita Derby and still managed to win going away.

This three year old has an excellent mind for racing.

His smarts is part of the reason he’s undefeated.

Final Gambit
The breeding is impeccable and Brad Cox is no stranger to the winner’s circle in Triple Crown races.

If the form translates to dirt, Final Gambit might be the one horse that can beat Journalism in all three legs.

Tiztastic
Tiz the Law’s son put everything together in the LA Derby.

Sometimes, it takes a while for a horse to get both feet and mind right.

If that has happened for Tiztastic, he could go on a winning streak, which might lead to a Triple Crown.

Grande
Todd Pletcher’s runner appears to be set for a sweet Triple Crown performance.

The Derby is right up his alley, the Preakness shouldn’t be an issue, and Grande can run all day.

So the Belmont won’t be a problem, either.

Luxor Café
If the trip didn’t take anything out of him, Luxor Café might be Journalism’s top threat.

The Japanese horse has all the makings of a classic winner and his sire completed the Crown.

So why can’t he?

Grade 1 Kentucky Derby: Kentucky Derby Lines

Horse Racing in May this Weekend | Bet the Horses MyBookie Live Horse Racing Odds

Racing Lines for the The Run for the Roses

As the title says, get the odds on the field for this year’s race.

Win Big with the MyBookie’s Picks for the Derby this Weekend

As the Kentucky Derby 2025 horses post positions are released, don’t miss your chance to lock in the best Kentucky Derby lines before the odds shift.

Sign up now to access updated racebook odds and bet the Run for the Roses with confidence at MyBookie!  

Want to dive deeper into Kentucky’s racing legacy?
Check out our full guide on Kentucky Derby past winners and records to see how the legends stack up before this year’s top graded stakes take the spotlight.

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