Kentucky Derby 2014: Expert Predictions For Saturday's Race; California Chrome Still The Favorite?

The 2014 Kentucky Derby post positions were announced Thursday, and the stars continue to align for favorite California Chrome.

Owned by Steve Coburn along with Perry and Denise Martin, California Chrome was slotted at the No. 5 post, a position where eight other thoroughbreds have claimed the Run for the Roses.

"I think it's a perfect spot," trainer Art Sherman said to the Associated Press. "I think we break clean, he'll get out of a lot of trouble. He's got a little gas leaving there."

California Chrome has won his last four races by a combined 25 lengths, finishing well atop the Derby qualifying leaderboard with 150 points and 30 points clear of the next closest contender Vicar’s In Trouble.

A string of victories for the three-year-old colt have California Chrome as the odds on Las Vegas favorite at 5-2, and overall pick to win the Derby from some of the top horse racing experts in the country.

Even before the posts were announced, top online sports book William Hill told the Las Vegas Sun that California Chrome’s odds have dropped from 200-1 in November to 2-1 now.

“He has three times as many tickets as any other horse,” William Hill Director of Trade Nick Bogdanovich said. “California Chrome dwarfs all the others.”

Trainer Bob Baffert’s Hoppertunity was viewed as California Chrome’s main competitor, but an assumed bruise to his left front foot resulted in a scratch on Thursday. Hoppertunity would have held down the No. 11 post after finishing second to California Chrome at the Santa Anita Derby last month and claiming a victory at Rebel in Oaktown Park.

Based off the experts below, California Chrome is expected to pull out the victory at Churchill Downs on Saturday, but two longshot predictions include Intense Holiday and General a Rod.

John Asher, Churchill Downs, Publicist and Racing analyst

Pick: California Chrome

Jill Byrne, Churchill Downs, Director of Programming and official handicapper

Pick: California Chrome

Ed DeRosa, Brisnet.com, Director of Marketing

Pick: General a Rod

James Scully, Brisnet.com, Editor

Pick: California Chrome

Jay Cronley, Tulsa World, Columnist

Pick: California Chrome

Kevin Liang, Vancouver Sun

Pick: Intense Holiday

Peter Lurie, HRTV, Host/Analyst

Pick: California Chrome

Longshot: Dance With Fate