HORSE RACING

Longshot Pioneer of Medina Looks to Improve in Kentucky Derby

The 2022 Kentucky Derby is May 7th, and 20 of the top 3-year-olds will Run for the Roses at Churchill Downs. Which horses should you bet on at TVG?

The 2022 Kentucky Derby is on May 7th with post time at 6:57 p.m. ET. Using TVG projections and Horse Racing Nation as a guide, here are the horse profiles for America’s biggest and most popular race.

New players, get your first win-type wager on a single horse in any race at any track risk-free up to $200 with TVG: Bet the Derby!

As always, check the program for racing information after the post position draw on May 2nd, and monitor the weather and track conditions.

(I will reference Equibase's Speed Figure and BRIS and Beyer speed figures, which tells you how fast a horse has been running in each of its races -- adjusted for track, distances, and conditions.)

#11 Pioneer of Medina

Morning Line Odds: 30/1
Bet Now at TVG

Trained by Todd Pletcher and ridden by jockey Joe Bravo, Pioneer of Medina was installed at 30/1 on the morning line odds breaking from post No. 11 between Derby favorites Zandon and Taiba.

Pioneer of Medina finished third and fourth in his two graded stakes starts this year, and held up pretty well when pressing the pace in the Louisiana Derby. He finished behind Epicenter and Zozos, but could improve to surprise and outrun his hisari-mutuel like his stablemates Mo Donegal and Charge It

Pioneer of Medina will need to move forward to challenge the speed, but he's been working sharply over the Churchill Downs track in preparation. His best Beyer Speed Figure in six career starts is 93, and his best BRIS Speed Rating is 96.

History shows that 27 of the last 30 Kentucky Derby winners (90.0%) have entered the race with a career-best Beyer Speed Figure of at least 95. And 18 of the past 22 Kentucky Derby winners (81.8%) had a BRIS Speed Rating of at least 100 prior to the race.