Kentucky Derby: Dialed In favored in early betting

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - As expected, Dialed In was made the early 9-2 favorite for Saturday’s 137th Kentucky Derby. Also as expected, the early-bird bettors in Louisville flocked to their favorite son, Calvin Borel, making his mount, Twice the Appeal, the 7-1 co-second choice, along with Nehro.

These are the odds with more than $276,000 bet in the win pool, the majority of that money being wagered ontrack. Only some simulcast outlets sent their money in.

KENTUCKY DERBY DAY: Past performances, contender profiles, and video

Borel has ridden three of the past four Derby winners, which is why it was big news when he picked up the mount on Twice the Appeal, a horse that with any other rider on his back would likely be closer to 20-1.

Trainer Nick Zito will be seeking his third Derby victory with Dialed In, who enters this race off a last-to-first victory in the Florida Derby. He is 3 for 4 with one second-place finish. Zito, who won this race in 1991 with Strike the Gold and in 1994 with Go for Gin, said Dialed In deserves to be the favorite.

“He’s worthy of it,” Zito said. “Everything this horse gets he deserves. He’s a wonderful horse, he’s done everything he’s supposed to do. Uncle Mo’s not in right now, and that sounds good to me.”

Uncle Mo, the morning-line second choice, was scratched Friday morning because of an internal issue that his connections can’t quite define. With Uncle Mo out, second choice was up for grabs, but Twice the Appeal seemed an unlikely horse to get that honor. Twice the Appeal won his first start in a maiden claiming race for a $30,000 tag. He enters this race off a win in the Grade 3 Sunland Derby, the same race that produced Mine That Bird, the 2009 Derby winner ridden by Borel.

Pants on Fire, the Louisiana Derby winner, is the fourth choice at 9-1, followed by Midnight Interlude (10-1), Mucho Macho Man (12-1) and Archarcharch (13-1).

While Borel fans wagered on him to win, they did not do so in the Oaks/Derby daily double. An Oaks/Derby daily double of Plum Pretty and Twice the Appeal is $601.60, making him the 14th choice.

The complete early Derby odds:

Dialed In (9-2)
Twice the Appeal (7-1)
Nehro (7-1)
Pants on Fire (9-1)
Midnight Interlude (10-1)
Mucho Macho Man (12-1)
Archarcharch (13-1)
Stay Thirsty (17-1)
Soldat (17-1)
Shackleford (19-1)
Master of Hounds (18-1)
Twinspired (21-1)
Animal Kingdom (24-1)
Watch Me Go (29-1)
Derby Kitten (29-1)
Santiva (30-1)
Brilliant Speed (30-1)
Decisive Moment (42-1)
Comma to the Top (43-1)

The $2 Oaks/Derby Double payoffs with #12 Plum Pretty

1. Archarcharch ($220.20)
2. Brilliant Speed ($553.20)
3. Twice the Appeal ($601.60)
4. Stay Thirsty ($508.60)
5. Decisive Moment ($1,642.60)
6. Comma to the Top ($883.80)
7. Pants on Fire ($447.40)
8. Dialed In ($122.20)
9. Derby Kitten ($995.40)
10. Twinspired ($1,098.80)
11. Master of Hounds ($371.40)
12. Santiva ($513.80)
13. Mucho Macho Man ($249.80)
14. Shackleford ($353)
15. Midnight Interlude ($191)
16. Animal Kingdom ($345.60)
17. Soldat ($247.20)
18. SCRATCH
19. Nehro ($170.40)
20. Watch Me Go ($2,068.20)