After studying Kentucky Derby past performances, three horses stand out as possible Triple Crown winners. To be clear, a different horse in the race, like favorite Forte, could end up winning the crown but we feel confident that the three here have the best shot of taking the Derby, the Preakness Stakes, and the Belmont Stakes.
Keep reading to find out why Derma Sotogake, Tapit Trice, and Angel of Empire have the best horse racing betting lines to win the Triple Crown in 2023.
Top Three Horses That Will Give Us the Next Triple Crown
Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing | Triple Crown
Kentucky Derby: Saturday, May 6, 2023
Preakness Stakes: Saturday, May 20, 2023
Belmont Stakes: Saturday, Jun 10, 2023
Derma Sotogake
149th Kentucky Derby | The Run for the Roses
Trainer: Hidetaka Otanashi
Owner: Hiroyuki Asanuma
Jockey: Christophe Lemaire
Mind Your Biscuits was a sprinter-miler. Biscuits was as tough as it got going a mile or less. It turns out, his progeny Derma Sotogake prefers longer.
The Japanese horse won the 1 3/16 miles Grade 2 UAE Derby in his last. Derma Sotogake didn’t just win the UAE Derby, he dominated his foes. For sure, winning the Kentucky Derby won’t be as easy, but Derma has a high cruising speed that will allow him to lie right off Kingsbarns and Verifying and then go past the front runners around the final turn.
Don’t be surprised if Derma wins the Derby by holding off fast closing horses like Tapit Trice, Forte, and Angel of Empire. Winning the Preakness won’t be an issue because the second jewel is at the same distance as the UAE Derby.
Taking the Belmont will be difficult. Although Mind Your Biscuits was more of a sprinter, broodmare Amour Poesie calls Sunday Silence her grandsire and Neo Universe her sire. Neo Universe finished fourth in the 2003 1 ½ mile Grade 1 Japan Cup on the grass.
Tapit Trice
149th Kentucky Derby | The Run for the Roses
Trainer: Todd Pletcher
Owner: Whisper Hill Farm, LLC and Gainesway Stable (Antony Beck)
Jockey: Luis Saez
Since a third place finish in his first lifetime start, Tapit Trice has been unbeatable. Todd Pletcher’s second Derby contender, Forte is his first, also won two Kentucky Derby prep races: the Grade 3 Tampa Bay Derby and the Grade 1 Bluegrass Stakes.
No doubt, Tapit Trice is the best bred horse in the race. Because Tapit is Trice’s sire, he’s a half-brother to 2022 Horse of the Year Flightline.
Tapit is also the only horse to sire four Belmont Stakes winners: Tonalist, Creator, Tapwrit, and Essential Quality. So if Tapit Trice wins the Derby and the Preakness, a victory in the Belmont should be all but assured.
Angel of Empire
149th Kentucky Derby | The Run for the Roses
Trainer: Brad Cox
Owner: Albaugh Family Stables LLC
Jockey: Flavien Prat
Like Tapit Trice, Angel of Empire won two Kentucky Derby prep races, the Grade 2 Risen Star and the Grade 1 Arkansas Derby. Angel of Empire’s breeding, sired by Classic Empire and from a To Honor And Serve broodmare, suggests he won’t struggle with any of the Triple Crown race distances.
What gives Angel of Empire an edge over his competition, and the reason he might be the horse among the three to back to win the Triple Crown, is his amazing turn of foot.
Angel can cruise as close to the pace as required before unleashing a devastating turn of foot that leaves his competition in his wake. By devastating, we mean once Angel of Empire gets going he can keep going for up to a mile.
An elongated turn of foot make Angel of Empire a legit Crown contender.
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2023 Kentucky Derby Field: Post Positions, Betting Odds, Jockeys, Trainers
| # | Post Position | Qualifying Points | Trainer | Jockey | Odds |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Hit Show | 60 | Brad Cox | Manny Franco | 30-1 |
| 2. | Verifying | 54 | Brad Cox | Tyler Gaffalione | 15-1 |
| 3. | Two Phil’s | 123 | Larry Rivelli | Jareth Loveberry | 12-1 |
| 4. | Confidence Game | 57 | Keith Desormeaux | James Graham | 20-1 |
| 5. | Tapit Trice | 150 | Todd Pletcher | Luis Saez | 5-1 |
| 6. | Kingsbarns | 100 | Todd Pletcher | Jose Ortiz | 8-1 |
| 7. | Reincarnate | 45 | Tim Yakteen | John Velazquez | 50-1 |
| 8. | Mage | 50 | Gustavo Delgado | Javier Castellano | 15-1 |
| 9. | Skinner | 45 | John Shirreffs | Juan Hernandez | 20-1 |
| 10. | Practical Move | 160 | Tim Yakteen | Ramon Vazquez | 10-1 |
| 11. | Disarm | 46 | Steve Asmussen | Joel Rosario | 30-1 |
| 12. | Jace’s Road | 45 | Brad Cox | Florent Geroux | 50-1 |
| 13. | Sun Thunder | 54 | Ken McPeek | Brian Hernandez Jr. | 50-1 |
| 14. | Angel of Empire | 154 | Brad Cox | Flavien Prat | 8-1 |
| 15. | Forte | 190 | Todd Pletcher | Irad Ortiz Jr. | 3-1 |
| 16. | Raise Cain | 64 | Ben Colebrook | Gerardo Corrales | 50-1 |
| 17. | Derma Sotogake (JPN) | 100 | Hidetaka Otonashi | Christophe Lemaire | 10-1 |
| 18. | Rocket Can | 60 | Bill Mott | Junior Alvarado | 30-1 |
| 19. | Lord Miles | 104 | Saffie Joseph, Jr. | Paco Lopez | 30-1 |
| 20. | Continuar (JPN) | 30 | Yoshito Yahagi | Ryusei Sakai | 50-1 |
| AE 21 | Cyclone Mischief | 45 | Dale Romans | Joel Rosario | 30-1 |
| AE 22 | Mandarin Hero (JPN) | 40 | Terunobu Fujita | Kazushi Kimura | 20-1 |
| AE 23 | King Russell | 40 | Ron Moquett | Rafael Bejarano | 50-1 |
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