The Kentucky Derby 2026 kicks off Triple Crown season on Saturday, May 2 from Churchill Downs. Nineteen Kentucky Derby horses will compete over 1 1/4 miles at The Run for the Roses. After the post draw on April 25, Renegade (4-1) is the 2026 Kentucky Derby favorite coming off back-to-back wins, though he drew the rail, which hasn't produced a Derby winner since 1986. Meanwhile, Renegade's half-brother, Commandment, is 6-1 in the 2026 Kentucky Derby odds.
There are a host of other 2026 Kentucky Derby horses, including Further Ado (6-1), Chief Wallabee (8-1) and Emerging Market and So Happy, both at 15-1.
Before making any 2026 Kentucky Derby predictions for the annual Run for the Roses, you NEED to see what our resident horse racing guru, Jody Demling, has to say, given his historical DOMINATION of this race.
A fixture in the horse racing world who has been writing about, talking about and betting on races for years, Demling has nailed the Kentucky Derby-Oaks double 12 times in the last 17 years! He also nailed the top three 2025 Kentucky Derby finishers in the correct order as well, while also cashing a $1,682 superfecta! Anyone who has followed him on those picks could be WAY UP! Join SportsLine here to see who he's picking this year!
For the 2026 Kentucky Derby, we can tell you Demling is fading Renegade (4-1), saying the morning-line favorite barely cracks the top 10!
Demling has also locked in his picks for Commandment (6-1) and Further Ado (6-1). Commandment, the half-brother of Renegade, won the Florida During, while Further Ado is looking to best the third place that his sire, Gun Runner, achieved in the 2016 Kentucky Derby. Join SportsLine here to get Demling's full 2026 Kentucky Derby picks!
Demling is also high on a double-digit longshot "who could be a freak." He's including this horse in his 2026 Kentucky Derby bets, and so should you. You ABSOLUTELY NEED to see his 2026 Kentucky Derby picks before locking in any of your own!
Who wins the 2026 Kentucky Derby, and which longshot is a MUST-BACK? ... Join SportsLine right now to get Jody Demling's 2026 Kentucky Derby projected leaderboard, all from the expert who has nailed a COLOSSAL 12 Derby-Oaks doubles!
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Written by Ross Kelly
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