In recent years, the most productive prep race leading up to the annual Run for the Roses at Churchill Downs has been the Florida Derby, as five horses over the last 15 years have won in Florida and in the Kentucky Derby. This year’s Florida Derby winner is Known Agenda, who is now a known commodity heading into the 2021 Kentucky Derby on Saturday, May 1. Can you trust Known Agenda to defeat his fellow 2021 Kentucky Derby horses?
Trained by two-time Kentucky Derby winner Todd Pletcher, Known Agenda has won three of his last five races. His 2021 Kentucky Derby odds come in at 12-1, while other 2021 Kentucky Derby contenders include Essential Quality (5-2) and Rock Your World (8-1). Before making any 2021 Kentucky Derby picks, you need to see the latest horse racing predictions from legendary handicapper Hammerin’ Hank Goldberg.
The former horse racing analyst for ESPN and NBC, Goldberg became a legendary handicapper by going straight to the source. In 2004, he had dinner before the Belmont Stakes with trainer Nick Zito at a pizzeria in Queens. The dinner led Goldberg to play Zito’s 36-1 monster longshot Birdstone to win and on top of his exacta, trifecta and superfecta bets. When Birdstone shocked the world, Goldberg won $24,000.
His success has continued at SportsLine. In the San Felipe Stakes in March, Hammer gave out a $20 exacta that paid 9-1. In the Belmont Stakes in June, Goldberg was all over Tiz the Law, who scored a convincing victory in the year’s first Triple Crown race. In the Blue Grass Stakes, Hammer nailed the Art Collector-Swiss Skydiver exacta. In July, he hit the Authentic-New york Traffic exacta in the Haskell. In August in the Pacific Classic, he gave out the Maximum Security-Sharp Samurai exacta.
Before last year’s Kentucky Derby, trainer Bob Baffert told Goldberg that Authentic was his best Derby runner. As a result, Goldberg listed him among his top horses, and Authentic held off Tiz the Law by almost four lengths. Anyone who has followed Goldberg’s lead is way up.
Now Goldberg has studied the 2021 Kentucky Derby field of hopefuls and has released his picks, predictions and top contenders only at SportsLine.
Top 2021 Kentucky Derby predictions
For the 147th Run for the Roses, Goldberg is completely fading Hot Rod Charlie, even though he is one of the top favorites at 6-1 and won the Louisiana Derby. Hot Rod Charlie had a slow start to his season, with no wins or runner-up finishes in his first three races, but he came on strong as the season progressed and has two wins and one runner-up over his last four starts.
Goldberg told SportsLine that Hot Rod Charlie had issues during training courtesy of head trainer Doug O’Neill. A two-time Kentucky Derby winner, O’Neill ran afoul of the California Horse Racing Board in March and was suspended for 10 days for a medication violation involving another of his horses. That led to a game of trainer musical chairs for Hot Rod Charlie, who shuffled among O’Neill’s assistants. Having consistency during preparation is essential to performing your best, which is why Goldberg is fading Hot Rod Charlie in his 2021 Kentucky Derby bets.
How to make 2021 Kentucky Derby predictions
Instead, Goldberg’s top pick is a horse who “has the right running style and finishes off well.” He also is high on a monster underdog the public is completely sleeping on, listing him as his best value. He’s sharing which horses to back here.
So who wins the 2021 Kentucky Derby? And which sleeper is a must-back? Check out the latest 2021 Kentucky Derby odds below, then visit SportsLine to see Goldberg’s picks for the Kentucky Derby.
2021 Kentucky Derby contenders, odds
| Horse | Odds |
| Essential Quality | 5-2 |
| Hot Rod Charlie | 6-1 |
| Medina Spirit | 8-1 |
| Rock Your World | 8-1 |
| Known Agenda | 12-1 |
| Highly Motivated | 15-1 |
| Mandaloun | 15-1 |
| Midnight Bourbon | 15-1 |
| Super Stock | 20-1 |
| Bourbonic | 30-1 |
| Caddo River | 30-1 |
| Dynamic One | 30-1 |
| Soup and Sandwich | 30-1 |
| Helium | 50-1 |
| Hidden Stash | 50-1 |
| Like the King | 50-1 |
| Sainthood | 50-1 |
