Angel of Empire, Tapit Trice Are New Kentucky Derby Favorites With Forte Out

Angel of Empire and Tapit Trice are the two favorites to win the 149th annual Kentucky Derby after prior favorite Forte was scratched from the field merely 10 hours before Saturday’s race.

Both horses have 9–2 odds of winning the “Fastest Two Minutes in Sports.” The change in the odds comes after Forte became the fifth horse to be eliminated from the field in Saturday’s race. Forte entered the day at 7–2 odds to win.

However, following a one-mile sprint on Saturday morning, trainer Todd Pletcher and owner Mike Repole convened for a meeting with state veterinarian Nate Smith. After the conversation, Forte was removed from the race.

But even before Saturday’s scratch, rumors circulated about Forte’s status over a two-day period. After Forte lost his balance in a morning gallop two days ago, a swift wave of speculation surfaced over whether he would be capable of racing in the 1 1/4-mile race.

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However, with Forte out, Pletcher hopes that one of his additional horses—Tapit Trice and Kingsbarns—can pull off a victory on Saturday. Currently, Kingsbarns has 10–1 odds to win the Kentucky Derby.