Kentucky Derby Longshots Worth a Look

While the dynamic duo of American Pharoah and Dortmund from the Bob Baffert barn are getting most of the attention and the early betting dollars for the 141st running of the Kentucky Derby, there are 18 other runners looking to knock off the top pair.

Favorites have won the last two runnings of the Kentucky Derby, with Orb ($12.80) getting the job done in 2013 and California Chrome ($7.00) last year, but over the past three decades only four other favorites have won.

American Pharoah is the current favorite at Bovada at 9-4, with his stablemate Dortmund the second choice at 9-2. Those prices hardly look appealing.

Here are a few longshots that may have a shot of winning the Kentucky Derby:

International Star (18-1): The Mike Maker trainee swept the three Derby preps at Fair Grounds this year - the LeComte (G3), Risen Star (G2), and Louisiana Derby (G2) - and finished first in the Road to the Kentucky Derby points standings

The Derby preps at Fair Grounds did not have the strongest fields, and he will need to run a new career top speed figure to be in the mix, but may be worth tossing in the mix. In the past two years, longshots Golden Soul and Commanding Curve exited the Louisiana Derby and ran second in the Run for the Roses, both at big prices.

Frosted (18-1): After his runner up finish in the Holy Bull (G2) at Gulfstream Park in his three-year-old debut, he looked like a serious Derby contender. However, he headed for home with the lead in the Fountain of Youth (G2) and just abruptly ran out of gas, weakening to finish fourth.

The colt came back with a career best effort winning the Wood Memorial (G1) at Aqueduct in his last outing, putting him back in the mix. His trainer Kiaran McLaughlin nearly pulled off the biggest upset in Kentucky Derby history when Closing Argument ran second in the 2005 Derby at odds of 71-1.

Upstart (22-1): The New York bred is trained by Rick Violette and has run three solid races this year. The colt won the Holy Bull in his three-year-old debut, then crossed the wire first in the Fountain of Youth (G2) but was disqualified for interference in the stretch in a controversial decision.

His final prep came in the Florida Derby where he ran a career top speed figure in a runner up finish to Materiality, beaten 1 ½ lengths for the top spot. The son of Flatter has landed in the exacta in six of his several career starts and may end up getting overlooked in the betting.

For complete Kentucky Derby betting odds and updates head over to OddsShark.

Michael Dempsey will be providing full analysis of the Kentucky Oaks and Derby Day cards at turfnsport.com.