2021 Kentucky Derby Payouts and Betting Recap

The first Saturday in May shined bright at Churchill Downs in Louisville with the running of the 147th Kentucky Derby. Postponed to early September last year with no cheering fans in the grandstands, this year’s return to tradition did not disappoint.

Through much of recent Kentucky Derby prep race season, the champion juvenile Essential Quality appeared to be the three-year old to beat in the Crown Jewel of the 2021 Triple Crown racing series.

When post time rolled around on Saturday for the final race on Churchill’s card, he remained the favorite to win at 5-2 odds breaking from the No. 14 gate.

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While Essential Quality ran a respectable race in his fourth-place finish in the Kentucky Derby, famed West Coast trainer Bob Baffert was once again in the spotlight when his top three-year old colt bested the 19-horse field.

Medina Spirit was able to hold off the closing pack to cross the finish line first at longer 12-1 final odds. He broke from the No. 8 gate with veteran jockey John Velazquez getting the ride.

Interestingly enough, Mandaloun was right next to the champ at 26-1 odds breaking from the No. 7 gate. Trained by Brad Cox (who also trains Essential Quality), he kept pace to earn second in the race.

Rounding out the top three was Hot Rod Charlie as a 5-1 third-favorite in this race. Trained by Doug O’Neill, he made the most of his favorable No. 9 starting position with jockey Flavien Prat on board.

The actual finishing order of the top three colts (8-7-9) points to the advantage of starting in the middle of the expanded Kentucky Derby field.

2021 Kentucky Derby Payouts

Medina Spirit paid $26.20 on a $2 Win bet. Anyone betting him across the board collected $12 on the Place bet and $7.60 for the Show position.

Betting Mandaloun to Place paid $23 with a $13.40 payout on a Show bet. Hot Road Charlie paid $5.20 on a $2 Show bet.

The 8-7 exacta bet in this race returned $503.60 on a $2 wager. Adding in the No. 9 for a trifecta play boosted that return to $848.45. The superfecta payout with No. 14 in fourth returned $9,456.40.

Anyone lucky enough to add the No. 6 horse O Besos to a Super High Five wager walked away with $296,769.59. O Besos went off at 41-1 odds.

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2021 Preakness Stakes Futures Odds and Preview

A few online sportsbooks have posted futures odds to win the next jewel in the Triple Crown racing series. The 2021 Preakness Stakes will be part of the live card at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore on Saturday, May 15.

The actual field for this race is far from set. However, here are the Preakness futures odds for the Top 5 contenders:

Essential Quality +250

Medina Spirit +450

Concert Tour +700

Mandaloun +700

Caddo River +1000

The one to watch on this list could be Concert Tour. Also trained by Baffert, he was held out of the Kentucky Derby after posting a disappointing third-place finish in this year’s Grade 1 Arkansas Derby at Oaklawn Park in early April.

Prior to that race, the son of Street Sense was considered to be one of the top favorites to win the Kentucky Derby on most futures boards.

You could also add Caddo River to this list. Also trained by Cox, he skipped the Kentucky Derby coming off a second-place run in the Arkansas Derby.