Whenever someone asks me “why should I bet on horse racing?” … my immediate response is to point to the potential for massive returns on a small investment. For me, if you want to make big money in betting and you don’t have an enormous budget, betting a trifecta in a race — especially a race like the Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve — is the way to go.

For the uninitiated, a trifecta is simply the selection of the first three finishers in a horse race. You can bet a straight trifecta in which horses “A,” “B,” and “C” finish in exact A-B-C order, first, second, and third. You can also bet a “trifecta box,” which allows you to cash your ticket if those same three horses finish first thru third in any order. So, C-B-A would still win, C-A-B would be a winner as would B-C-A, and so on.

The highest trifecta payout in Kentucky Derby history came exactly 20 years ago in 2005 when longshots Giacomo and Closing Argument finished first and second, followed by one of the race favorites Afleet Alex. Take a guess at what a $2 trifecta with Giacomo-Closing Argument-Afleet Alex paid. I’ll give you a second. OK, time’s up. … It paid $133,134.80. Yes, $133,134.80 for a $2 bet.

My Favorite Derby Trifecta Story

My favorite trifecta is far from my highest payday at the Derby — that was when I cashed for nearly $8,000 on a combination of bets involving Country House in 2019. As far as trifectas go, I remember being a senior in college and watching the 2004 Kentucky Derby with my roommates as Smarty Jones won the race, followed by one of my favorite horses of all-time, Lion Heart. Then, I saw Imperialism make his patented late move — which I told all my roommates he’d deliver — to secure my first ever Derby trifecta, which paid $987.60. That was a heck of a lot of found beer money!

My 2025 Derby Trifecta

This year, I’m looking to hit another nice Derby trifecta, which I’m going to anchor around a horse who reminds me a little bit of Imperialism. He’s a closer named Publisher. Unlike Imperialism, he hasn’t won any races before his big test in the “run for the roses,” but he seems to be peaking at the right time. The other horses I like include Sandman, Final Gambit, Luxor Cafe, and Journalism.

My Bets

There are a couple of ways I’m going to structure my bets and I’d recommend allowing your budget to dictate how you play your tickets, as well. Here’s how I’ll bet:

$2 Straight Trifecta

Publisher (First) with Sandman & Final Gambit (Second) with Sandman, Final Gambit, Luxor Cafe, and Journalism (Third) ($12 total bet)

$1 Trifecta Key Box

Publisher (the key horse, must finish in any of the top three spots) with

Sandman, Final Gambit, Luxor Cafe, and Journalism (any of these four horses in the other two spots in the top three) ($36 total bet)

$1 Trifecta Box

Publisher, Sandman, Final Gambit, Luxor Cafe, and Journalism (any three of these five horses finishing in the top three spots)  ($60 total bet)