2026 Kentucky Derby start time, odds, preview: Renegade favored, plus horse profiles, bet strategies
Get ready for the 152nd Run for the Roses with a deep dive into this year's Kentucky Derby
Every year, hardcore horse racing fans, serious gamblers and partygoers who aren't aware that horses are even running descend upon Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky., for the Kentucky Derby, also known as the Most Exciting Two Minutes in Sports.
Like the infield at Churchill Downs, the 2026 Kentucky Derby promises to be a wild rumble. No horse has emerged as the dominant horse to beat. Instead, any horse from a group of five could end up as the favorite when the starting gate opens at 6:57 p.m. ET Saturday. Click here to find out how and where to bet on the 2026 Kentucky Derby. Don't forget to check out the promos from the top Kentucky Derby betting apps.
Arkansas Derby winner Renegade was made the lukewarm 4-1 favorite on the morning line, but he has much history to overcome. He was assigned post No. 1, and no Kentucky Derby winner has come from that post since Ferdinand in 1986. In addition, Irad Ortiz Jr., who has won the Eclipse Award as the nation's most outstanding jockey five times, has never finished in the top three in nine mounts in the Run for the Roses.
If Renegade doesn't leave the gate as the favorite, one of two horses trained by Louisville native Brad Cox could. Commandment is proven running inside, behind and between horses and has won four straight starts, including the Florida Derby by a nose. Meanwhile, Further Ado is coming off the fastest performance by any of the top Kentucky Derby contenders, an 11-length romp in the Blue Grass Stakes. Both are 6-1 on the morning line and will try to give Cox, who grew up less than two miles from the Churchill Downs backstretch, his first "real" Derby-winning experience. While he was the trainer of 2021 winner Mandaloun, that victory came only after Medina Spirit was disqualified months after the race.
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This year's Derby also features a family affair. Both Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott and his son, trainer Riley Mott, are in the race. The elder Mott, who won last year's Run for the Roses with eventual Horse of the Year Sovereignty, sends out the talented but lightly raced Chief Wallabee (8-1), who has been the popular "wiseguy" pick for Saturday based on how he has been looking in the mornings under the twin spires. Meanwhile,, the younger Mott saddles two entrants: Virginia Derby winner Incredibolt (20-1) and Wood Memorial champ Albus (30-1). While both are longshots, Incredibolt is a perfect 2-for-2 at Churchill Downs and has impressed trackside observers with how he has trained in the mornings leading up to the race.
The race once again has international intrigue. Wonder Dean (30-1) is looking to end an 0-for-8 slump by Japan-breds in the Kentucky Derby. Both Wonder Dean and Six Speed (50-1), who was foaled in Kentucky but campaigned in Dubai, come out of the UAE Derby, which has sent 21 horses to Louisville for the race with the best finish being third. Meanwhile, Danon Bourbon (20-1) is a Kentucky bred whose sire, Maxfield, was a perfect 5-for-5 at Churchill Downs. Danon Bourbon is a perfect 3-for-3 in his career with all three of his starts coming in Japan.
But no storyline on Saturday will generate more misty eyes than that of trainer Mark Glatt and his entrant, So Happy (15-1). Earlier this year, Glatt, 53, lost his wife of 25 years, Dena, from cardiac arrest. Less than two months later, So Happy surged past the Bob Baffert-trained Potente to win the Santa Anita Derby. In the winner's circle after the race, Glatt told SportsLine's Michelle Yu, "[Dena] got that horse there today."
Below, we'll take you through everything to know about this year's Derby, from profiles of all the horses involved to info about the race and the Road to the Kentucky Derby, to where to find official betting strategies, including win picks and exotic plays, from a host of SportsLine experts.
What to know about the 152nd Run for the Roses
- What 152nd Kentucky Derby
- Where Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky.
- Who 20 3-year-old horses
- Purse $5 million
- Distance 1¼ miles
- Post time 6:57 p.m. ET
- Network NBC
- Weather forecast Mostly cloudy but dry with a high in the mid-50s
Kentucky Derby live odds
As of 3:05 p.m. ET Thursday. Click here for updated odds throughout the day.
- 1 Renegade (9-2)
- 2 Albus (50-1)
- 3 Intrepido (57-1)
- 4 Litmus Test (34-1)
- 5 Right to Party (26-1)
- 6 Commandment (7-1)
- 7 Danon Bourbon (14-1)
- 8 So Happy (6-1)
- 9 The Puma (8-1)
- 10 Wonder Dean (20-1)
- 11 Incredibolt (27-1)
- 12 Chief Wallabee (9-1)
- 13 Silent Tactic (scratched)
- 14 Potente (24-1)
- 15 Emerging Market (11-1)
- 16 Pavlovian (50-1)
- 17 Six Speed (41-1)
- 18 Further Ado (7-1)
- 19 Golden Tempo (40-1)
- 20 Fulleffort (scratched)
- 21 Great White (33-1)
- 22 Ocelli (99-1)
Also eligible:
- 23 Robusta (99-1)
- 24 Corona de Oro (99-1)
SportsLine expert picks
SportsLine has three great horse racing experts who have locked in their Derby picks. Here's a preview of each:
Gene Menez, a former reporter and editor at Sports Illustrated, has had big scores on Kentucky Derby day. In 2015, he accurately gave out the Kentucky Derby superfecta (American Pharoah, Firing Line, Dortmund and Frosted), which paid $1,268.20 for $2. In 2017, he tweeted out his Kentucky Derby picks, including Always Dreaming to win, and hit the Pick 4, which paid almost $6,900 on a $1 bet. In 2024, Menez gave out 18-1 Mystik Dan as a live longshot in the Kentucky Derby. And last year, he hammered the Derby exacta and trifecta for a $1,045 payout. This year, Menez is high on Chief Wallabee at the Derby and keys in on a double-digit underdog who is "the best value in the race." Get Menez's full Kentucky Derby wagering strategy at SportsLine.
Michelle Yu, an on-air host and reporter with a background training horses who has provided racing analysis for TVG, HRTV and the Breeders' Cup, has tremendous handicapping chops. In a wide-open Kentucky Derby in 2021, she gave out Medina Spirit, who crossed the finish line first, as the winner at 12-1. In Pool 5 of the Kentucky Derby Future Wager four years ago, she suggested a play on All Other 3-Year-Olds, which cashed at a whopping 18-1 when Rich Strike won. And last year, she hit the Sovereignty-Journalism exacta in the Kentucky Derby. For this year, Yu is fading Commandment even though he is 6-1 on the morning line and won the Florida Derby. She also has her eye on a double-digit longshot who has been "super consistent." Check out Yu's full Kentucky Derby wagering strategy at SportsLine.
Jody Demling, who crushed last year's Kentucky Derby superfecta for $1,682, is especially high on a double-digit longshot who could be a "freak." Find Demling's full Kentucky Derby wagering strategy at SportsLine.
Road to the Kentucky Derby
The road to Louisville began in September and covered 50 races over three continents. Here are the most significant races of the Kentucky Derby trail:
Oct. 26, Street Sense Stakes Incredibolt went 2-for-2 at Churchill Downs, winning the prep that Sovereignty won the year before; Ocelli finished sixth.
Jan. 10, Maiden race Chief Wallabee outdueled The Puma (second) in a scintillating debut for both.
Feb. 7, Sam F. Davis Stakes Renegade returned from a layoff to beat The Puma (third), who encountered major traffic trouble; Ocelli was sixth.
Feb. 28, Fountain of Youth Stakes Commandment edged Chief Wallabee (second) by a neck despite racing on the dead part of the track for much of the race.
March 7, Tampa Bay Derby The Puma broke his maiden, beating Further Ado (second) who was returning from a layoff.
March 7, San Felipe Stakes Potente rallied past So Happy (third) to win a Grade 2 in just his second start.
March 14, Virginia Derby Incredibolt bounced back from a no-show in the Holy Bull, finishing fast for a 4-length win.
March 21, Louisiana Derby Emerging Market outgamed the more season Pavlovian (second) by a head to win this Grade 2 race in just his second start. Golden Tempo rallied for third.
March 28, UAE Derby Wonder Dean caught a loose-on-the-lead Six Speed, who finished 6 lengths ahead of the third-place horse.
March 28, Florida Derby In what was arguably the most competitive prep race of the spring, Commandment edged The Puma by a nose, with Chief Wallabee just a half length behind.
March 28, Arkansas Derby Renegade completed the final furlong in less than 12 seconds for a powerful victory. Litmus Test (seventh) was no factor.
April 4, Wood Memorial Albus, Right to Party and Ocelli took advantage of a pace meltdown to run 1-2-3 in what speed figures say was a staggerfest.
April 4, Blue Grass Stakes Further Ado scored an 11-length victory in earning the best Beyer Speed Figure (106) of all Derby contenders. Great White (fifth) was beaten by more than 22 lengths.
April 4 Santa Anita Derby In a reversal of the San Felipe Stakes, So Happy rallied past Potente (second) in a race that came back fast. Intrepido (fourth) never threatened.
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Kentucky Derby horses (morning-line odds)
1 Renegade (4-1)
- Trainer: Todd Pletcher
- Jockey: Irad Ortiz Jr.
- Last race: First in the Arkansas Derby by 4 lengths
- Career record: 5 starts: 2 wins, 2 seconds, 1 third
- Career earnings: $1,031,500
- Best career Beyer Speed Figure: 98 (Arkansas Derby)
- Sire: Into Mischief
As far as sports curses go, the Curse of Mike Repole pales in comparison to the Curse of the Bambino and the Curse of the Billy Goat, but Repole has had more than his fair share of Kentucky Derby disappointments. The outspoken owner is 0-for-8 in the Run for the Roses, and that does not include the three horses who were scratched from the race, including would-be favorites Uncle Mo and Forte. This year, Repole has a big chance to reverse the curse in late-running Arkansas Derby winner and morning-line Kentucky Derby favorite Renegade. ... See full profile.
2 Albus (30-1)
- Trainer: Riley Mott
- Jockey: Manny Franco
- Last race: First in the Wood Memorial by 1¼ lengths
- Career record: 4 starts: 2 wins, 1 third
- Career earnings: $436,288
- Best career Beyer Speed Figure: 84 (maiden race)
- Sire: Yaupon
Named after Albus Dumbledore, the headmaster of the wizarding school Hogwarts in "Harry Potter," Albus earned his spot in the 2026 Kentucky Derby after rallying from off the pace to win the Wood Memorial. But for this 30-1 longshot, winning the Run for the Roses will require even more serious wizardry. ... See full profile.
3 Intrepido (50-1)
- Trainer: Jeff Mullins
- Jockey: Hector Berrios
- Last race: Fourth in the Santa Anita Derby by 10 lengths
- Career record: 6 starts: 2 wins, 1 second
- Career earnings: $342,800
- Best career Beyer Speed Figure: 89 (Robert B. Lewis Stakes)
- Sire: Maximus Mischief
After his listless fourth place finish in the Santa Anita Derby, Intrepido was taken out of Kentucky Derby consideration. But just days later he was unexpectedly back in the field. Can you say Derby Fever? One of just two horses at 50-1 on the morning line, Intrepido will need to quickly summon past form if he hopes to be competitive on Saturday. ... See full profile.
4 Litmus Test (50-1)
- Trainer: Bob Baffert
- Jockey: Martin Garcia
- Last race: Seventh in the Arkansas Derby by 12½ lengths
- Career record: 7 starts: 2 wins, 2 thirds
- Career earnings: $477,688
- Best career Beyer Speed Figure: 96 (Los Alamitos Futurity)
- Sire: Nyquist
Earlier this year, trainer Bob Baffert called Litmus Test his top contender for the 2026 Kentucky Derby. But after a third-place finish in the Rebel Stakes and a woeful seventh place finish in the Arkansas Derby, Litmus Test has failed to live up to Baffert's expectations. Yet, on Saturday, this $875,000 purchase will be in the starting gate for the first leg of the Triple Crown with a longshot's chance to earn his trainer his seventh blanket of roses. ... See full profile.
5 Right to Party (30-1)
- Trainer: Ken McPeek
- Jockey: Christopher Elliott
- Last race: Second in the Wood Memorial by 1¼ lengths
- Career record: 4 starts: 1 win, 1 second, 2 thirds
- Career earnings: $230,200
- Best career Beyer Speed Figure: 81 (Wood Memorial)
- Sire: Constitution
His name pays homage to the classic 1986 Beastie Boys anthem "Fight For Your Right,"and Saturday night would certainly be party time for trainer Ken McPeek, jockey Christopher Elliott and people who back Right to Party if the 30-1 longshot crosses the finish line first in the Kentucky Derby. ... See full profile.
6 Commandment (6-1)
- Trainer: Brad Cox
- Jockey: Luis Saez
- Last race: First in the Florida Derby by a nose
- Career record: 5 starts: 4 wins
- Career earnings: $1,017,339
- Best career Beyer Speed Figure: 101 (Fountain of Youth Stakes)
- Sire: Into Mischief
Commandment has won four straight races, capped by a victory in the Grade 1 Florida Derby. His best Beyer Speed Figure is 101, which is the second highest in the field. He is the co-second choice on the morning line at 6-1 and has a big shot to win the Kentucky Derby. So why have top jockeys Irad Ortiz Jr. and Flavien Prat chosen to take other mounts for the Run for the Roses? ... See full profile.
7 Danon Bourbon (20-1)
- Trainer: Manabu Ikezoe
- Jockey: Atsuya Nishimura
- Last race: First in the Fukuryu Stakes by 3½ lengths
- Career record: 3 starts: 3 wins
- Career earnings: $222,762
- Best career Beyer Speed Figure: N/A
- Sire: Maxfield
Horses from Japan have won many of the biggest races on the international stage in recent years, but they've been a big zero in the Kentucky Derby. Of the 10 horses from Japan to start in the Run for the Roses, only one has finished better than fifth: Forever Young, who was a troubled third in 2024. This year the Japan-based Danon Bourbon arguably has the best credentials of the Derby's three international invaders to take home the blanket of roses. ... See full profile.
8 So Happy (15-1)
- Trainer: Mark Glatt
- Jockey: Mike Smith
- Last race: First in the Santa Anita Derby by 2¾ lengths
- Career record: 4 starts: 3 wins, 1 third
- Career earnings: $480,000
- Best career Beyer Speed Figure: 100 (Santa Anita Derby)
- Sire: Runhappy
If the horse racing gods play a role in determining the 2026 Kentucky Derby winner, then So Happy will win by daylight. There would be no better story on May 2 than this colt from California winning for trainer Mark Glatt, who endured an unspeakable loss earlier this year when his wife of 25 years, Dena, died from cardiac arrest. And though So Happy is a double-digit longshot, he enters the Derby in the best form of his career and gives the connections valid hope. ... See full profile.
9 The Puma (10-1)
- Trainer: Gustavo Delgado
- Jockey: Javier Castellano
- Last race: Second in the Florida Derby by a nose
- Career record: 4 starts: 1 win, 2 seconds, 1 third
- Career earnings: $442,280
- Best career Beyer Speed Figure: 100 (Florida Derby)
- Sire: Essential Quality
Only one horse in the 2026 Kentucky Derby field has faced each of the top four heavyweights on the morning line: The Puma. And the Gustavo Delgado trainee has held his own against Renegade, Commandment, Further Ado and Chief Wallabee this year, even beating Further Ado in the Tampa Bay Derby. On Saturday, The Puma can vault to the head of the 3-year-old class when he leaves the starting gate at Churchill Downs. ... See full profile.
10 Wonder Dean (30-1)
- Trainer: Daisuke Takayanagi
- Jockey: Ryusei Sakai
- Last race: First in the UAE Derby by 2½ lengths
- Career record: 6 starts: 2 wins, 2 seconds
- Career earnings: $770,541
- Best career Beyer Speed Figure: N/A
- Sire: Dee Majesty
When Wonder Dean leaves the starting gate in the 2026 Kentucky Derby on Saturday, he will be making his seventh start at a seventh different race track with a seventh different jockey in a fourth different country. But despite all of the travel and change, the colt from Japan just keeps running. And on Saturday, he can do something that no horse from Japan or the UAE Derby has ever done. ... See full profile.
11 Incredibolt (20-1)
- Trainer: Riley Mott
- Jockey: Jaime Torres
- Last race: First in the Virginia Derby by 4 lengths
- Career record: 5 starts: 3 wins
- Career earnings: $498,681
- Best career Beyer Speed Figure: 88 (Virginia Derby)
- Sire: Bolt d'Oro
Even before Incredibolt ran his first race, jockey Jaime Torres told anyone who would listen that the horse was "the next Sovereignty." Comparing an unraced 2-year-old to the Kentucky Derby and Belmont Stakes winner may have been overly premature, but after winning three of his last four starts Incredibolt has made the starting gate for the 2026 Kentucky Derby and has a chance to prove that Torres was right all along. ... See full profile.
12 Chief Wallabee (8-1)
- Trainer: Bill Mott
- Jockey: Junior Alvarado
- Last race: Third in the Florida Derby by a ½ length
- Career record: 3 starts: 1 win, 1 second, 1 third
- Career earnings: $216,600
- Best career Beyer Speed Figure: 100 (Fountain of Youth)
- Sire: Constitution
Last year, trainer Bill Mott and jockey Junior Alvarado joined forces to win the Kentucky Derby (and Belmont Stakes and Travers Stakes) with Sovereignty. This year, Mott and Alvarado have a big shot to go back-to-back in the Run for the Roses with Chief Wallabee, who compares favorably with his Derby-winning stablemate. ... See full profile.
13 Silent Tactic (scratched)
- Trainer: Mark Casse
- Jockey: Cristian Torres
- Last race: Second in the Arkansas Derby by 4 lengths
- Career record: 6 starts: 2 wins, 4 seconds
- Career earnings: $1,051,922
- Best career Beyer Speed Figure: 91 (twice)
- Sire: Tacitus
Silent Tactic entered the 2026 Kentucky Derby as a popular longshot, after finishing in the top two in each of his six starts. But on Wednesday trainer Mark Casse told the Daily Racing Form that Silent Tactic would be scratched from the race because of a bruised foot. Casse said he's hoping the colt would be able to make a start in the Preakness Stakes on May 16. ... See full profile.
14 Potente (20-1)
- Trainer: Bob Baffert
- Jockey: Juan Hernandez
- Last race: Second in the Santa Anita Derby by 2¾ lengths
- Career record: 3 starts: 2 wins, 1 second
- Career earnings: $262,000
- Best career Beyer Speed Figure: 95 (Santa Anita Derby)
- Sire: Into Mischief
A $2.4 million purchase two years ago, Potente is the highest-priced of this year's Kentucky Derby starters sold at public auction and the fifth highest since 1982. And while he has had an excellent start to his short career, he has a long way to go to live up to that price tag. On Saturday, he will get a chance to recoup all of those pennies-and then some-when he leaves the starting gate in the $5 million Kentucky Derby. ... See full profile.
15 Emerging Market (15-1)
- Trainer: Chad Brown
- Jockey: Flavien Prat
- Last race: First in the Louisiana Derby by a head
- Career record: 2 starts: 2 wins
- Career earnings: $618,880
- Best career Beyer Speed Figure: 97 (maiden special win)
- Sire: Candy Ride
Only one horse has won the Kentucky Derby with just two previous starts: Leonatus in 1883. Since 1882, just two horses have won the Derby without having a start at age 2: Justify in 2018 and Mage in 2023. On Saturday, athletic but lightly raced Louisiana Derby winner Emerging Market will try to buck decades of history when he leaves the staring gate in the 2026 Kentucky Derby. ... See full profile.
16 Pavlovian (30-1)
- Trainer: Doug O'Neill
- Jockey: Edwin Maldonado
- Last race: Second in the Louisiana Derby by a head
- Career record: 10 starts: 2 wins, 4 seconds, 1 third
- Career earnings: $613,450
- Best career Beyer Speed Figure: 90 (Louisiana Derby)
- Sire: Pavel
If experience wins the Kentucky Derby, then the connections of Pavlovian can start making their way to the winner's circle. This Doug O'Neill trainee already has raced 10 times, which is like an entire career for the modern day thoroughbred. And recently, the quality of his races has started to catch up with the quantity. Pavlovian enters the 2026 Kentucky Derby looking to give O'Neill his third Derby victory. ... See full profile.
17 Six Speed (50-1)
- Trainer: Bhupat Seemar
- Jockey: Brian Hernandez Jr.
- Last race: Second in the UAE Derby by 2½ lengths
- Career record: 5 starts: 3 wins, 1 second, 1 third
- Career earnings: $402,183
- Best career Beyer Speed Figure: N/A
- Sire: Not This Time
The appropriately named Six Speed has a quality that not many horses in the 2026 Kentucky Derby field have: early speed. When the horses cross the start/finish line for the first time on Saturday, there's a very good chance that he will be in front. But being in front when crossing the start/finish line the second time around is what truly matters, and this 50-1 longshot will need to show another gear if he hopes to get there on Saturday. ... See full profile.
18 Further Ado (4-1)
- Trainer: Brad Cox
- Jockey: John Velazquez
- Last race: First in the Blue Grass Stakes by 11 lengths
- Career record: 6 starts: 3 wins, 1 second, 1 third
- Career earnings: $1,146,328
- Best career Beyer Speed Figure: 106 (Blue Grass Stakes)
- Sire: Gun Runner
If the 2026 Kentucky Derby were held in Lexington and not Louisville, then Further Ado would be your overwhelming favorite. The Brad Cox trainee's two best career races - by far - have come at Keeneland Race Course, about 72 miles east of Churchill Downs. But, for the 152nd straight year, the Derby will be held in Louisville, so Further Ado will need to prove he's more than a Lexington lover to don the blanket of roses. ... See full profile.
19 Golden Tempo (30-1)
- Trainer: Cherie DeVaux
- Jockey: Jose Ortiz
- Last race: Third in the Louisiana Derby by 1 length
- Career record: 4 starts: 2 wins, 2 thirds
- Career earnings: $333,000
- Best career Beyer Speed Figure: 88 (Louisiana Derby)
- Sire: Curlin
In the previous 151 runnings of the Kentucky Derby, no winner has been trained by a woman. Of the 18 women who have saddled horses in the race, Shelley Riley owns the best finish: second in 1992 with Casual Lies. This year, Cherie DeVaux, who already has won almost 300 races since becoming a trainer in 2018, is set to become the 19th female trainer in Derby history, and she has a live longshot in the late-running Golden Tempo. ... See full profile.
20 Fulleffort (scratched)
- Trainer: Brad Cox
- Jockey: Tyler Gaffalione
- Last race: First in the Jeff Ruby Steaks by 2½ lengths
- Career record: 7 starts: 3 wins, 2 seconds, 1 third
- Career earnings: $694,115
- Best career Beyer Speed Figure: 94 (Jeff Ruby Steaks)
- Sire: Liam's Map
Update: Jeff Ruby Steaks winner Fulleffort will scratch from the Kentucky Derby because of a chip in his left hind ankle, trainer Brad Cox said on Thursday morning. Cox said Fulleffort seemed "off" after returning from the track, and an X-ray revealed the chip. While the injury is relatively minor, it will keep the horse away from the races for several weeks. Fulleffort entered the Kentucky Derby without having a start on the dirt but had become a popular wiseguy pick after training well at Churchill Downs. ... See full profile.
21 Great White (50-1)
- Trainer: John Ennis
- Jockey: Alex Achard
- Last race: Fifth in the Blue Grass Stakes by 22¼ lengths
- Career record: 4 starts: 2 wins
- Career earnings: $202,495
- Best career Beyer Speed Figure: 84 (John Battaglia Memorial)
- Sire: Volatile
Named Great White because of his enormous size -- the horse weighs in at more than 1,300 pounds -- this enormous gray gelding wasn't originally in the Kentucky Derby field but snuck in on Wednesday after the connections of Silent Tactic decided to scratch from the race. Now that Great White is in the field, he will try to emulate another longshot who got into the Derby at the last minute: 2022 winner Rich Strike. ... See full profile.
22 Ocelli (50-1)
- Trainer: Whit Beckman
- Jockey: Joseph Ramos
- Last race: Third in the Wood Memorial by 1¼ lengths
- Career record: 6 starts: 1 second, 3 thirds
- Career earnings: $109,800
- Best career Beyer Speed Figure: 81 (Wood Memorial)
- Sire: Connect
Sitting on the outside of the Kentucky Derby field for the last month, Ocelli did not get into the 20-horse race until Thursday when Fulleffort had to scratch because of a chip in his left hind ankle. Now Ocelli, who's winless in six career starts, can do something that only three horses have ever done in Derby history. ... See full profile.
