Skip navigation
Favorites
Sign up to follow your favorites on all your devices.
Sign up

John Calipari arrives at Kentucky Derby, Rick Pitino picks a winner

JohnCalipariDerby

It’s only fitting that the head coaches of the two largest college basketball programs in the state of Kentucky have a part in the Kentucky Derby.

Rick Pitino, who led his Louisville Cardinals to the Final Four this past season, is picking Daddy Nose Best to win Saturday afternoon’s race at Churchill Downs, according to Jody Demling of the Louisville Courier-Journal.

Odds for Daddy Nose Best are set at 50-1.

Coverage is taking place all day, leading up to the race on the NBC family of networks. From 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., the NBC Sports Network will bring you pre-race analysis, before switching over to NBC at 4 p.m. to lead you into the race at 5 o’clock.

John Calipari, fresh off his national championship season at Kentucky and one day after visiting with President Obama at the White House, will give the ceremonial “Riders up!” cue at 6:15 p.m.

The odds-on favorite to win Saturday’s race is Bodemeister, with odds set at 4-1. The horse is named after the trainer’s 7-year-old son, Bode, who gets his name from Olympic skier Bode Miller.

The Kentucky Derby will be just Bodemeister’s fifth race. Union Rags and Gemologist are also among popular picks to win on Saturday.

Daniel Martin is a writer and editor at JohnnyJungle.com, covering St. John’s. You can find him on Twitter:@DanielJMartin_