Kentucky Derby bettors might want to be cautious of betting on the new favorite.
After this year’s derby favorite Forte was scratched from the lineup on Saturday morning, Angel of Empire assumed the best chances from oddsmakers to win at Churchill Downs.
At 9-2, Angel of Empire joined an auspicious group of recent morning line favorites that didn’t end up winning the race outright.
The morning line favorite hasn’t topped the Kentucky Derby since 2018 when Justify won the field.
Coupling that with the fact that the established favorite wins a third of the time makes betting on Angel of Empire a tough decision at the last minute.
Angel of Empire (9/2) is the new favorite after Forte was scratched this morning 👀#KyDerby pic.twitter.com/6FddytneYk
— FanDuel Sportsbook (@FDSportsbook) May 6, 2023
Bettors would’ve been in better shape if Forte had been able to race, as Angel of Empire’s new favorite status won’t encourage a lot of wagers in its direction.
The Kentucky Derby is always good for surprises, so we’ll see which horse is able to cross the finish line first later in the afternoon.
