Ohio Derby Handicapping Picks
Horse racing gamblers are you looking for 2023 Ohio Derby Free Pick & Handicapping Odds…plus some predictions? Need some advice on who to take? The 2023 Ohio Derby is set for June 24 at Thistledown Racecourse in North Randall, Ohio. Here’s a preview of our top contenders.
Ohio Derby Preview
- Race: Ohio Derby
- Purse: $500,000
- Track: Thistledown Racecourse
- Date: June 24
- Post Time: 6:20 PM (ET)
- Live: Ohio Derby Odds: Click Here
2023 Ohio Derby Racebooks / Betting Apps We Like!
Before we can give you our expert 2023 Ohio Derby free pick, we have to break down the entries! In fact, we’d love to hear from you after you’ve given this post a read to see if you see an angle that we don’t!
2023 Ohio Derby Handicapping
While not typically regarded as a major track in North American racing, this weekend the focus on Ohio’s Thistledown as the host a very competitive running of the (G3) Ohio Derby.
Open to horses age 3, the Ohio is run at a distance of 1 1/8 miles on the Thistledown dirt course. The race has drawn a field of eight projected starters, including a pair that were last seen on the 2023 Triple Crown trail.
Odds listed here are provided by the Thistledown Racecourse track oddsmaker.
2023 Ohio Derby Free Pick & Handicapping: Two Phil’s Race Odds: 8-5
One of those previously mentioned Triple Crown contenders is Two Phil’s, last seen running second in the Kentucky Derby in early May, a race where he actually had the lead in the stretch before being passed late to miss by one length.
Prior to the Derby he had won the (G3) Jeff Ruby Steaks at Turfway Park, his second lifetime Grade 3 win. For his career he has only finished off the board twice in nine starts, with four wins in that span.
The trainer is Larry Rivelli, regular rider Jareth Loveberry will once again be in the irons.
2023 Ohio Derby Free Pick & Handicapping: Lord Miles Race Odds: 7-2
The 60-1 upset winner of the (G2) Wood Memorial at Aqueduct back in April, Lord Miles gained the points he needed with that effort to make the Kentucky Derby field, but was a late scratch out of the race due to a suspension to his trainer.
Otherwise, he was an also-ran in two previous graded-stakes tries, finishing fifth in the (G3) Tampa Bay Derby and sixth in the (G3) Holy Bull Stakes. While he gets some helpful class relief here, it’s notable that none of the horses he beat in the Wood have gone on to show much, with runner-up Hit Show running fifth in the Derby and fourth the Belmont Stakes.
The trainer is Saffie Joseph Jr., the jock is Edgar Zayas.
Bishops Bay Race Odds: 3-1
Un-raced as a two-year-old, Bishops Bay hit the ground running as a three year old and broke his maiden at first asking with a win in February at Fair Grounds in New Orleans. What’s notable about that is the horse he beat came back just two races later to win the (G3) Lexington Stakes.
Last out, Bishops Bay gave Arcangelo all he could handle in the stretch drive of the (G2) Peter Pan Stakes, only losing by a head to a horse that one month later would go on to win the (G1) Belmont Stakes
Trainer Brad Cox won the Ohio Derby last year with Tawny Port, while jockey Florent Geroux teamed with Cox to win in 2019.
Hayes Strike Race Odds: 6-1
A second and third place finish in a pair of graded-stakes late last year seemed to offer some promise Hayes Strike might be a Kentucky Derby contender, but he tailed off a bit after that, and a seventh-place finish in the (G1) Florida Derby essentially knocked him out of Derby contention.
He does come into this off a win, however, as last out he rallied from far back in the pack to get up and win the Texas Derby by just a nose.
Kenny McPeek was the winning trainer of the Ohio Derby exactly 20 years ago, in 2003. Cristian Torres will be in the saddle.
Here’s My 2023 Ohio Derby Free Pick.
The early part of this year’s Kentucky Derby was run at a suicidal pace, and Two Phil’s deserves some credit as the only horse close to that early pace that was still running at the end.
He definitely has talent, and here he catches an arguably much easier field than he has faced in any of his last six starts. On back class, he’s the one to beat.
Having said that, on just a three-race sample I like the form that Bishops Bay has shown, with the recent close defeat to Arcangelo a significant factor in that. I don’t know that there is an abundance of early speed signed on here, and that means jockey Geroux should be able to get good position early and be ready to pounce when they turn for home. I’ll take him for the win.
Full Field: 2023 Ohio Derby Odds
By post position
- #1 – Henry Q 5-1
- #2 – Timesatappin 30-1
- #3 – Bishops Bay 3-1
- #4 – Two Phil’s 8-5
- #5 – Agnello’s Dream 20-1
- #6 – Last Cookie 30-1
- #7 – Lord Miles 7-2
- #8 – Hayes Strike 6-1
Ohio Derby Tweet Of The Day
Two Phil’s ‘Hiccup’ Free Ahead of Ohio Derby Comeback https://t.co/nJgn7Hafc3 @BH_CMcCroskey pic.twitter.com/bfUg1yNyt2
— BloodHorse (@BloodHorse) June 19, 2023
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