One horse in the 2022 Kentucky Derby field who could make bettors’ ears perk up when they hear his name is Pioneer of Medina. Last year, Medina Spirit won the Derby before testing positive for a banned substance, then passed away in December and was subsequently stripped of his victory. However, Medina Spirit is not related to Pioneer of Medina, but there is a link. Pioneer of Medina is owned by Sumaya U.S. Stables, which also owned Medina Spirit’s sire, Protonico. Pioneer of Medina would have to surprise many to cross the finish line first just as Medina Spirit did, as he’s a 30-1 long shot in the latest 2022 Kentucky Derby odds. His trainer, Todd Pletcher, also has Mo Donegal in the 2022 Kentucky Derby lineup at 10-1, while the horse topping the odds board is Zandon (3-1). With so much to consider while making your 2022 Kentucky Derby picks, a little expert help can go a long way.
Fillies, or female horses, in the Kentucky Derby are uncommon and have become even rarer in recent years. The first 71 years of the Kentucky Derby saw 29 fillies competing, while the last 76 years have seen just 11. Of the 40 total fillies who have run in the Kentucky Derby, just three have won: Regret (1915), Genuine Risk (1980) and Winning Colors (1988). The last filly in the Run for the Roses was Devil May Care, who finished 10th in 2010. She is one of just two Kentucky Derby fillies since the turn of the century since many owners save their top female horses for the Kentucky Oaks instead.
Given all the history, there’s a method to picking which horses to focus on for exacta, trifecta and superfecta bets in a Kentucky Derby like this, and SportsLine expert Jody Demling knows what it is. He can help you make the best 2022 Kentucky Derby picks possible.
A fixture in the horse racing world who has been writing about, talking about and betting on races for years, Demling has been on-point with his horse racing bets. He hit the exacta in the Wood Memorial in April. Last year, he hit the exacta, trifecta and superfecta in the Belmont Stakes. This is the same handicapper who hit the Derby-Oaks double at Churchill Downs nine times in the last 13 years. That means he held a ticket with the winners of both the Kentucky Oaks and Kentucky Derby all but four times in his last 13 tries.
In addition, at one point in 2020, he picked the winners of six straight races: the Saudi Cup, Gotham Stakes, Rebel Stakes, Louisiana Derby, Florida Derby and Belmont Stakes. On Friday, he nailed the exacta in the 2022 Kentucky Oaks. Anyone who has followed him on these races is way up. Now, he’s sharing all of his 2022 Kentucky Derby bets here.
Top 2022 Kentucky Derby expert picks
Here’s a refresher on these types of bets from SportsLine’s Jody Demling:
Kentucky Derby Exacta: Pick the first- and second-place finishers in the correct order. A $2 exacta returned $503 at the 2021 Kentucky Derby with Medina Spirit and Mandaloun.
Kentucky Derby Trifecta: Pick the first-, second- and third-place finishers in the correct order. A $1 trifecta returned $1,696.90 at the 2021 Kentucky Derby with Medina Spirit, Mandaloun, and Hot Rod Charlie.
Kentucky Derby Superfecta: Pick the first-, second-, third- and fourth-place finishers in the correct order. A $1 superfecta returned a colossal $9,456.40 at the 2021 Kentucky Derby with Medina Spirit, Mandaloun, Hot Rod Charlie, and Essential Quality.
While Demling has no quibbles with the favorite status of Zandon (3-1), he plans to hold tickets with Messier (8-1), Epicenter (7-2), as well as four double-digit underdogs who could really spice up the payouts. You can see his picks here.
How to make 2022 Kentucky Derby bets
Demling has specific recommendations for exacta, trifecta and superfecta wagers so you can cover all your bases at the Kentucky Derby 2022. He’s sharing them over at SportsLine.
So which horses do you take? And in what combinations? Visit SportsLine to get Demling’s picks for exacta, trifecta and superfecta bets for the 2022 Kentucky Derby.
