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How to Bet on the Triple Crown
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Triple Crown Betting Guide - Where To Bet, Odds & Winners 2023
The 2023 Triple Crown is rapidly approaching. Thoroughbreds from all over the United States will compete to finish in first place in the Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes, and Belmont Stakes to become the first Triple Crown winner since 2018. 20 horses will begin their path to the 2023 Triple Crown at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky on Saturday, May 6.
After the shocking and improbable victory of Rich Strike in last year’s Kentucky Derby, fans are eager to find out what’s in store this time around. In this guide, we will take a look at the Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Horse Racing while helping you learn how and where you can bet on each of the upcoming races!
What is the Triple Crown?
The Triple Crown is a series of horse races that traditionally take place in May and June each year. Three-year-old Thoroughbreds who meet the necessary qualifications compete in three legs of the Triple Crown: the Kentucky Derby, the Preakness Stakes, and the Belmont Stakes. If a single horse wins all three races, they are designated as a Triple Crown winner and will have their name forever etched in the history books.
Often considered the most difficult feat and elusive challenge in American sports, the Triple Crown has only been won 13 times in horse racing history and only twice in the 21st century. Sir Barton was the first Triple Crown winner in 1917, and Justify was the most recent racehorse to earn the distinction back in 2018.
Gallant Fox (1930), Omaha (1935), War Admiral (1937), Whirlaway (1941), Count Fleet (1943), Assault (1946), Citation (1948), Secretariat (1973), Seattle Slew (1977), Affirmed (1978), and American Pharoah (2015) are the other 11 horses who have managed to accomplish this historic feat.
It is incredibly difficult to win the Triple Crown because the races are of varying lengths, take place on different tracks, have inconsistent weather conditions, and require unique combinations of talents in order to come out on top. In addition, the Triple Crown has a brutal schedule, as all three races have taken place within a five-week span since 1969.
Triple Crown Betting Odds
The current odds to win the Kentucky Derby (i.e., the first leg of the Triple Crown) are provided below and include the top 15 favorites.
Horse | Odds To Win 2023 Kentucky Derby |
Forte | +315 |
Tapit Trice | +695 |
Practical Move | 10-1 |
Kingsbarns | 10-1 |
Geaux Rocket Ride | 17-1 |
Angel of Empire | 19-1 |
Mage | 20-1 |
National Treasure | 25-1 |
Two Phil’s | 25-1 |
Derma Sotogake (JPN) | 25-1 |
Reincarnate | 25-1 |
Hit Show | 35-1 |
Verifying | 35-1 |
Confidence Game | 40-1 |
Dreamlike | 40-1 |
*Note: These odds were provided by TheLines.com and last updated on Monday, April 17.
Forte currently has the best odds to win the 149th running of the Kentucky Derby. Trained by Todd Pletcher and ridden by Irad Ortiz Jr., Forte has won six of seven career races, including the 2023 Florida Derby and Grade II Fountain of Youth Stakes at Gulfstream Park.
Another popular choice to win the first leg of the 2023 Triple Crown is Tapit Trice. The Kentucky-bred, three-year-old colt is also trained by Todd Pletcher and has won four of five races over the past two years. This includes back-to-back victories in March and April at the 2023 Tampa Bay Derby (G3) and 2023 Blue Grass Stakes (G1).
How to Bet on the Triple Crown
There are many different ways to bet on each of the 2023 Triple Crown races. Some of the most popular options are explained below.
Win: This is the simplest and most straightforward option. You are picking the horse that you believe will finish first in the race.
Place: You are betting on a horse to finish in first or second place. Payouts are lower than when you pick the winner outright.
Show: Your horse must finish in first, second, or third place to win the wager. The payout is lower than both win and place bets.
Quinella: You choose two horses and win the wager if they finish in first and second in either order.
Exacta: You pick two horses and win the wager if they finish in first and second in the exact order you choose. The payout is greater than that of a quinella bet.
Trifecta: You must choose the first, second, and third place horses in exact order to win. The payout is greater than both quinella and exacta bets.
Superfecta: You will need to pick the first, second, third, and fourth place horses in a race, and they must be chosen in the exact order of their finish. The payout is better than that of quinella, exacta, and trifecta bets.
Where to Bet on the Triple Crown
There are plenty of high-quality horse racing betting sites to choose from when it comes to betting on the 2023 Triple Crown races. A few of the top options are listed and described in further detail below.
TVG Racebook: One of the top options for Triple Crown betting is TVG Racebook. This horse racing betting site offers frequent bonuses and promotional deals, a top-tier mobile app, and wide availability across the United States.
AmWager Racebook: Another platform that deserves your consideration for 2023 Triple Crown bets is Amwager Racebook. AmWager is a well-established, reliable option for horse race betting, and it is well known for its incredible market depth and fantastic customer service.
TwinSpires Racebook: You may also look to TwinSpires Racebook to bet on this year’s Triple Crown horse races. TwinSpires, the official racebook of Churchill Downs and the Kentucky Derby, has a user-friendly interface and offers live streaming of races to all of its users.
DraftKings Racebook: Although DraftKings is perhaps better known for its sportsbook and daily fantasy contests, it also offers a fantastic racebook to customers. DraftKings Racebook provides competitive odds and a generous welcome offer to all new users of the platform.
Caesars Racebook: Last but not least, Caesars Racebook is a fantastic option for placing bets on this year’s Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes, and Belmont Stakes. The platform has an excellent customer loyalty program and provides a wide variety of betting options.
The Triple Crown Races
The Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Horse Racing includes the Kentucky Derby, the Preakness Stakes, and the Belmont Stakes. Each of these renowned historical races is described in further detail below.
First Leg of the Triple Crown: The Kentucky Derby
The Kentucky Derby takes place annually on the first Saturday of May at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky. The competition is a Grade 1 stakes race with a distance of two kilometers (1.25 miles), and it is commonly referred to as “The Run for the Roses” (because of the blanket of roses that gets draped over the winner) as well as “The Most Exciting Two Minutes in Sports.”
The 149th running of the Kentucky Derby will be held in 2023, and the event has taken place each year uninterrupted since its inaugural race in 1875. Attendance at the Kentucky Derby ranks first among North American horse races and is typically greater than the Preakness Stakes, Belmont Stakes, and the Breeders’ Cup.
Second Leg of the Triple Crown: The Preakness Stakes
The Preakness Stakes takes place each year on Armed Forces Days (i.e., the third Saturday of May) at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Maryland. This race is also classified as Grade I by the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Associations (TOBA) and has a distance of 9.5 furlongs (1.9 km). The total prize purse for the 2023 Preakness Stakes is set at $1.5 million. The second jewel of the Triple Crown is nicknamed “The Run for the Black-Eyed Susans.”
Final Leg of the Triple Crown: The Belmont Stakes
The Belmont Stakes is the third and final leg of the Triple Crown. The competition is generally held on the first or second Saturday of June at Belmont Park in Elmont, New York and is the longest Triple Crown race with a total distance of 1.5 miles (2.4 km). Known as “The Test of Champions” and “The Run for the Carnations,” the Belmont Stakes has taken place 154 times dating back to 1867.
Triple Crown Betting Strategy
It is always beneficial to have a strategy in mind when betting on each of the Triple Crown horse races in 2023. Listed below are some helpful tips to follow when placing your wagers this year.
Consider past results of the horse, jockey, and trainer.
Understand the odds and different types of wagers available.
Look for value beyond the favorites.
Take the track conditions into account.
Seek out recent trends and historical patterns.
Know the difference between Grade I, II, and III races.
Pay attention to the distance of the race.
Stay informed and keep up with all the latest news.
Triple Crown FAQ
When do the Triple Crown races take place?
The Triple Crown races take place over a five-week span in May and early June. The 2023 Kentucky Derby will be held on May 6, the 2023 Preakness Stakes will be held on May 20, and the 2023 Belmont Stakes will be held on June 10.
When are the post times of each race in 2023?
The post time for the 149th running of the Kentucky Derby is set for 6:57 p.m. ET on Saturday, May 6. The post time for the 148th Preakness Stakes is set for approximately 6:50 p.m. ET on Saturday, May 20. Lastly, the post time for the 155th Belmont Stakes is set for approximately 6:50 p.m. ET on Saturday, June 10.
How many horses run in the Triple Crown races?
The maximum number of runners is 20 for the Kentucky Derby, 14 for the Preakness Stakes, and 12 for the Belmont Stakes. However, the actual number of horses running in each leg of the Triple Crown may be less depending on if there are any late scratches or teams that opt out of the competition due to injury, rest, etc.