How to bet the 2020 Kentucky Oaks/Kentucky Derby double

Betting the popular Kentucky Oaks/Kentucky Derby double is always a challenging task. With as many as 14 horses in the Oaks and 20 in the Derby, there can be 280 possible outcomes to consider.

At first glance, the 2020 Oaks/Derby double should be more manageable. Just nine fillies have entered the Oaks, while 18 colts will vie for victory in the Derby, which reduces the number of potential outcomes to 162.

But this, in turn, presents a different challenge. The Oaks is shaping up to be a two-horse race between #1 Swiss Skydiver (8-5) and #5 Gamine (1-1), while the Derby is all about #17 Tiz the Law (3-5), the heaviest morning line favorite since 1989.

Unless you’re confident a longshot will win the Oaks and/or the Derby, it will be difficult to play multiple tickets and still secure a reasonable return on your investment. If you use three horses in the Oaks and four in the Derby, but Gamine and Tiz the Law wind up as the winners, the payoff might be lower than the cost of your bet.

Even spreading narrowly — say, by pairing Swiss Skydiver and Gamine in the Oaks with Tiz the Law in the Derby — could be unappealing from a return on investment standpoint. If you like the favorites, I believe the only way to play the Oaks/Derby double is to bet it cold, using your top choice in each leg.

The Derby is straightforward if you’re riding the Tiz the Law bandwagon. A runaway winner of the Belmont Stakes (G1) and Travers (G1) during the summer, Tiz the Law figures to enjoy a clean, unencumbered trip while breaking from post 17. He tops the field in terms of Brisnet Speed ratings and is training beautifully in preparation for the biggest test of his career.

The Oaks is trickier, since Swiss Skydiver and Gamine both bring impressive resumes to the mix. As I outlined in my preview of the Oaks, I’m tempted to give Gamine a slight edge, since she has drawn outside her key rival and figures to enjoy the more relaxed journey. A repeat of her record-shattering Acorn (G1) performance should land Gamine in the winner’s circle.

With luck, a $25 ticket will return more than $100, a respectable return for playing two heavy favorites.

$25 Oaks/Derby double: 5 with 17

Good luck!

---

Bet the 2020 Kentucky Oaks and Derby races at BetAmerica!