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Always Dreaming the clear favorite to win 2017 Kentucky Derby 5/2/17

Kentucky Derby Classic Empire

The 2017 Kentucky Derby runs on Saturday at Churchill Downs and Always Dreaming remains the clear favorite.

The Favorite: Always Dreaming

According to oddsmakers, Always Dreaming is a 3/1 favorite to win the 2017 Kentucky Derby. The 3-year-old son of Bodemeister was winless in his two starts as a juvenile during the summer of 2016. But he came back off a five-month layoff to break his maiden by 11 1/2 lengths at Tampa Bay Downs in January.

Then Always Dreaming started to flex his muscles. He romped as the 1-10 favorite in a Gulfstream Park allowance on March 4, setting him up for the Grade 1 Xpressbet.com Florida Derby. Sent off as the second betting choice at 2.70/1 odds, Always Dreaming won the Florida Derby impressively by five lengths.

The Challenger: McCraken

Behind Always Dreaming in terms of the odds is McCraken, who is 4/1 to win the Kentucky Derby. He won his career debut in October 2016 at Churchill Downs. He returned four weeks later to win the Street Sense Stakes by 3 3/4 lengths.

Following that race, McCraken was tested in the 1 1/4-length triumph in the Grade 2 Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes in his final race at two. McCraken then made his 3-year-old debut at Tampa Bay Downs in the Sam F. Davis Stakes on February 11, took charge down the stretch, and won while setting a track and stakes record for 1 1/16 miles.

Other Kentucky Derby Contenders

Irap is 11/2 to win the Kentucky Derby on Saturday, followed by Classic Empire, Gunnevera and Irish War Cry, who are 6/1, respectively. Practical Joke is 8/1, Girvin is 14/1, and Gormley is 15/1. Tapwrit is 16/1.

The 2017 Kentucky Derby will take place on Saturday, May 6 at 6:24PM ET (post time). NBC will have the coverage starting at 2:00PM ET.

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