Exotic Bets for the 2023 Ohio Derby

A fine octet of sophomores will vie in the lucrative $500,000 Ohio Derby (G3) on Saturday. The feature on a big day of racing at Thistledown attracted two-time Grade 3 hero #4 Two Phil’s (8-5), who was last seen finishing a monstrous second in the Kentucky Derby (G1) for conditioner Larry Rivelli. This chestnut son of Hard Spun comes in fresh with four strong morning drills in advance of the heat, but I am expecting a minor upset and will tab his main rival for success on this occasion.

Ohio Derby Exotics

• $25 exacta 3 with 4 ($25)
• $12 trifecta 3 with 4 with 8 ($12)
• $1 superfecta 3 with 4,8 with 4,8 with all ($10)

The Brad Cox-trained #3 Bishops Bay (3-1) has posted a trio of impressive races from as many starts to begin his career and gives the impression of a colt with a very high ceiling going forward. A debut winner sprinting at Fair Grounds while defeating the talented First Mission, the son of Uncle Mo ran his unbeaten streak to two when getting the better of stablemate Demolition Duke in his route debut on March 19.

Bishops Bay traveled to the Big Apple for the Peter Pan S. (G3) for his graded stakes bow, and he just missed while finishing more than eight lengths clear of his nearest pursuer. And he was more than flattered when Arcangelo, the winner of that tilt, came back to be a decisive winner over a powerful field in the subsequent Belmont S. (G1).

The Kentucky-bred bay has been training in fine fashion leading up to this endeavor and possesses the natural early foot to be in the hunt from the opening bell on Saturday. He’s proven at the trip after earning a robust 118 Brisnet Late Pace figure over Big Sandy, and it’s difficult for me to look past him with regular pilot Florent Geroux up.

Two Phil’s is in peak form and can’t be ignored by any means. He’s been consistently very good since his juvenile season, and his run at Churchill Downs exceeded my expectations of the colt in a big way. The Kentucky-bred has pace and can obviously handle the distance, and I envision him forcing the tempo from second early on in this spot with first run on the closing types at the head of the stretch. Jareth Loveberry will be in the silks once again.

Of the others in the cast, Kenny McPeek’s #8 Hayes Strike (6-1) seems like a logical exotics horse despite drawing the widest of all. The dark bay son of Connect can unleash a strong turn of foot on his best day, and he’s picked up a pair of stakes trophies from his last three assignments as well. Dixiana homebred will have Christian Torres in the stirrups.