The running of the 146th Kentucky Derby on Saturday at Churchill Downs in Louisville, KY, will have a decidedly different feel than past years.
For one, “The Most Exciting Two Minutes in Sports” usually runs on the first Saturday in May. However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2020 Kentucky Derby was rescheduled for Sept. 5.
Additionally, the Kentucky Derby attendance has topped 150,000 spectators each year since 2005. However, for the 2020 Derby, no fans are allowed to attend in person because of the pandemic and social-distancing measures.
Regardless, 18 of the top thoroughbred horses in the world will “Run for the Roses” this year. Despite no fans, millions of television and online viewers will be watching from around the globe.
The 3-year-olds will travel a distance of 1 ¼ miles (10 furlongs) through the dirt. They’re running for a first-place purse of $1.86 million, including $186,000 for the winning jockey. Additionally, the cameras will be flashing when officials place the ceremonial blanket of roses on the victorious horse.
This year’s field will try to top the record time (1:59.40) set by the famed Secretariat in 1973.
The 2020 Kentucky Derby post time is 7:01 p.m. EST, and it airs on NBC in the US.
How to bet on Kentucky Derby in Virginia
Virginia bettors hoping to wager on the 146th Kentucky Derby can do so online at TVG.
The TVG betting app and streaming service is a legal race betting website in the United States.
TVG is an advanced deposit wagering (ADW) site. With ADW sites, bettors simply need to fund their accounts before they’re permitted to place a bet. Once users deposit money in their player accounts, they can begin betting on horse races worldwide.
TVG is one of the best known ADW sites. It has many deposit options and promotional offers.
Additionally, it features race previews, handicapping advice, racing schedules and even a live video stream of the races.
Virginia, which has a rich horse-racing history, also has off-track betting (OTB) available. Bettors can place bets at these facilities, which are located in various cities in the commonwealth.
However, horseplayers will have many more options when legal Virginia sportsbooks and casinos begin to open, likely in 2021.
About Kentucky Derby favorite Tiz the Law
Despite a robust 19-horse field, Kentucky Derby viewers will be paying special attention to the outermost lanes on Saturday.
Following a random draw, race favorite Tiz the Law (3-5 current odds) will be in the 17th gate. The horses with the next-best odds, Honor A.P. (5-1) and Authentic (8-1), will flank him on either side. Meanwhile, many of the long-shot horses are bunched together on the inside lanes.
Tiz the Law is the biggest morning-line favorite since 1979 when Spectacular Bid took on a depleted field that featured just nine other horses. The fact Tiz the Law is such a big favorite despite a full lineup of competitors is a testament to his dominance.
The Barclay Tagg-trained colt won the 2020 Belmont Stakes on June 20. In fact, he’s won all four of his races this year, and three of them were Grade 1 stakes.
If Tiz the Law and jockey Manny Franco win the Derby on Saturday, they’d then need to win the 2020 Preakness Stakes on Oct. 3 to claim horse racing’s famed Triple Crown.
Horse racing’s top prize is traditionally elusive. In fact, there was a longtime drought that lasted from 1979 to 2014. However, American Pharoah accomplished the feat in 2015, and Justify did so in 2018.
Starting positions and odds for 2020 Derby
Here are the full 2020 Kentucky Derby starting positions and odds.
- Finnick the Fierce (50-1)
- Max Player (30-1)
- Enforceable (30-1)
- Storm the Court (50-1)
- Major Fed (50-1)
- King Guillermo (20-1)
- Money Moves (30-1)
- South Bend (50-1)
- Mr. Big News (50-1)
- Thousand Words (15-1)
- Necker Island (50-1)
- Sole Volante (30-1)
- Attachment Rate (50-1)
- Winning Impression (50-1)
- NY Traffic (20-1)
- Honor A.P. (5-1)
- Tiz the Law (3-5)
- Authentic (8-1)