2026 Kentucky Derby odds, horses, futures: Uncanny bettor releases picks, best bets

Favorites get the most attention when it comes to horse racing odds, but they have also let bettors down in recent years when it comes to Kentucky Derby picks. Entering the 2026 Kentucky Derby, each of the seven six morning-line favorites have come up short, while five of the seven winners had double-digit Kentucky Derby odds. This follows a six-year stretch from 2013-18 when the favorite won every time.

The Kentucky Derby 2026 takes place on Saturday, May 2 from Churchill Downs, and Paladin is the early favorite at 9-1, followed by Nearly at 10-1.

Before making any 2026 Kentucky Derby picks 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. Anyone who has followed him on those picks could be WAY UP!

For the 2026 Kentucky Derby, we can tell you Demling is not picking Paladin to win, even though he is the overall single-horse favorite. Another stunner: Demling is High on Canaletto, even though he's a longshot at 15-1. "A half brother to Sandman, the son of Into Mischief broke his maiden with an impressive win in his debut on Jan. 25," Demling said. "Has the looks of a superstar in the making."

Demling is especially high on a MASSIVE double-digit longshot who could be the best of a "barnful of standouts!" 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 HUGE double-digit 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!