2020 Kentucky Derby preview. The 2020 Kentucky Derby is scheduled to be run at 7:01 p.m. Eastern Time on Saturday, Sept. 5 at Churchill Downs in Louisville. The Lexington Herald-Leader. 2020 Kentucky Derby preview. The 2020 Kentucky Derby is scheduled to be run at 7:01 p.m. Eastern Time on Saturday, Sept. 5 at Churchill Downs in Louisville.

• Kentucky Derby Bets Odds
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• Kentucky Derby Bets To Make
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Kentucky Derby Bets Odds

Jockey Kent Desormeaux urges Silver Tree past Giant Wrecker for a win by a neck in the Oceanport Stakes at Monmouth Park in West Long Branch, New Jersey on Haskell Invitational Day. Silver Tree clipped .36 seconds off the track record previously held by Giant Wrecker for the 1 1/16 miles course. (Photo by Scott Serio/Icon SMI/Icon Sport Media via Getty Images)

Thoroughbred connections already have their eyes set on the 2021 Kentucky Derby. Strong performances in 2021 Kentucky Derby prep races will earn valuable points towards entry for the 145th Run for the Roses. Over the weekend, Helium upset the field at the Tampa Bay Derby as a 15-1 long shot and now has his sights set on the Kentucky Derby 2021 on May 1. Also over the weekend, Weyburn took down the Gotham Stakes as a mammoth 46-1 underdog, while Life is Good, trained by Bob Baffert, won the San Felipe Stakes. Which horses should be part of your 2021 Kentucky Derby bets?

At 30-1, Medina Spirit is a complete steal, making him one of the horses you should be all over in your 2021 Kentucky Derby bets. How to make 2021 Kentucky Derby picks, bets.

Breeders' Cup Juvenile winner Essential Quality is the 7-2 favorite in the early 2021 Kentucky Derby odds, followed closely by Life is Good at 4-1 and Greatest Honor at 6-1. The field, or every other horse not listed, is going off at 10-1. With so much to consider, you'll want to see what SportsLine's Jody Demling has to say before entering any 2021 Kentucky Derby picks and predictions of your own.

A fixture in the horse racing world who has been writing about, talking about and betting on races for years, Demling enters the 2021 Kentucky Derby on a major heater: At one point last year, he picked the winners of six straight races: the Saudi Cup, Gotham Stakes, Rebel Stakes, Louisiana Derby, Florida Derby and Belmont Stakes.

This is the same handicapper who hit the Derby-Oaks double at Churchill Downs nine times in the last 12 years. That means he held a ticket with the winners of both the Kentucky Oaks and Kentucky Derby all but three times in his last 12 tries.

He opened last season's Triple Crown schedule on a heater too. At last year's Belmont, Demling said Tiz the Law was clearly the class of the field, and Barclay Tagg's horse pulled away for a convincing 3 3/4-length victory. Anyone who has followed him is up huge.

Now, with the 2021 Kentucky Derby lineup taking shape, Demling is sharing his picks and predictions at SportsLine. Go here to see them.

Top 2021 Kentucky Derby predictions

One shocker: Demling is fading Essential Quality, even though that horse is going off as one of the top Vegas favorites and won the Breeders' Cup Juvenile. In fact, he says Essential Quality doesn't even crack the top five. It isn't so much that the horse doesn't show promising signs, but Demling points out that 'anything in single-digit odds is just too low two months out.' The son of Tapit out of Delightful Quality, Essential Quality is trained by Brad Cox and owned by the Godolphin LLC group.

Essential Quality only knows the winner's circle so far in his young career, winning his maiden special weight debut at Churchill Downs last September, taking the Breeders' Futurity and Breeders' Cup Juvenile at Keeneland, and winning the Southwest Stakes last weekend. Still, there's plenty of other value to consider in the 2021 Kentucky Derby lineup.

Another curveball: Demling is high on Medina Spirit, even though he's a massive 30-1 long shot. He's a target for anyone looking for a huge payday.

The Bob Baffert-trained colt started the year with a strong second-place run in the one-mile Sham Stakes on Jan. 1. He then stretched out to 1 1/16 miles at the Robert B. Lewis Stakes on Jan. 30 and held off fellow 2021 Kentucky Derby contenders Roman Centurian and Hot Rod Charlie to pick up the win in 1.46.26.

That run caught Demling's eye. He told SportsLine that Medina Spirit 'could be the best of the Baffert bunch' and 'might have the best odds' at this point with several 2021 Kentucky Derby prep races still to come. At 30-1, Medina Spirit is a complete steal, making him one of the horses you should be all over in your 2021 Kentucky Derby bets.

How to make 2021 Kentucky Derby picks, bets

Demling is especially high on a long shot who is 'hard not to play' at his current price. Demling is sharing which horse it is, along with his entire projected leaderboard, over at SportsLine.

Which horse wins the Kentucky Derby 2021? And what huge long shot does Demling say contends? Check out the latest 2021 Kentucky Derby odds below, then visit SportsLine to see Demling's picks for the Kentucky Derby.

Essential Quality 7-2

Life Is Good 4-1

Greatest Honour 6-1

Caddo River 15-1

Mandaloun 15-1

Concert Tour 20-1

Bet On Derby Online

Highly Motivated 20-1

Prevalence 20-1

Proxy 20-1

Spielberg 20-1

Candy Man Rocket 30-1

Collaborate 30-1

Dream Shake 30-1

Kentucky Derby Bets To Make

Freedom Fighter 30-1

Hot Rod Charlie 30-1

Keepmeinmind 30-1

Medina Spirit 30-1

Midnight Bourbon 30-1

Risk Taking 30-1

Roman Centurian 50-1

Hush of a Storm 50-1

Rombauer 50-1

The Great One 50-1

Kentucky Derby Bets To Make Fun

Field 10-1