The longest continuously held North American sporting event will turn 152 on Saturday, which is when the 2026 Kentucky Derby will take place. The first race was in 1875, and every running has been held at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky. Restricted to only 3-year-old thoroughbreds, that means horses have just one chance to win The Run for the Roses. The Kentucky Derby 2026 will kick off Triple Crown season, with it then followed by the Preakness Stakes and Belmont Stakes.
The favorite for this first leg is Renegade (4-1), whose half-brother won this race last year. The latest 2026 Kentucky Derby odds also feature Commandment (6-1) and Further Ado (6-1), while the biggest 50-1 longshots are Great White, Six Speed, Intrepido and Ocelli, with Ocelli being drawn into the field following Thursday’s scratch of Fulleffort. Before making any 2026 Kentucky Derby picks, be sure to see the 2026 Kentucky Derby predictions and best bets from SportsLine’s elite horse racing expert Jody Demling.
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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 Oaks-Derby double 12 times in the last 17 years. He also predicted the top three 2025 Kentucky Derby finishers in the correct order, helping him cash a $1,682 superfecta, and called the exacta in last year’s Preakness. Anyone who has followed him on horse racing betting sites could be way up.
Now, with the 2026 Kentucky Derby approaching and horse racing futures odds on the board, Demling is sharing his 2026 Kentucky Derby betting picks and 2026 Kentucky Derby predictions over at SportsLine. Go to SportsLine to see them.
Top 2026 Kentucky Derby predictions
One of Demling’s surprising 2026 Kentucky Derby picks: He is fading Renegade, the morning-line favorite at 4-1. Renegade has one graded stakes victory across his five starts, which came in his last race at the Arkansas Derby. However, that race hasn’t typically been a harbinger for success at Churchill Downs as there are nine other prep races which have produced more Kentucky Derby winners than Arkansas. It’s been over a decade since a horse won at Arkansas and then won at Kentucky, as there are many other prep races that better ready horses for Churchill Downs.
Also, Renegade drew the rail position, which has historically been a bad omen for a race with this large of a field. Not since 1986 has a horse exited from the No. 1 post and won the Derby as the horse at the 1-post is at risk of being bumped and squeezed against the rail. Given these red flags, Demling sees far better options than Renegade with 2026 Kentucky Derby bets. See who to back at SportsLine.
Another stunner: Demling likes The Puma at 10-1. In just four career races, The Puma has finished in the top-three in each of them. He finished behind Chief Wallabee at the MSW at Gulfstream Park in January at a distance of 7 furloughs. He followed that up by placing third at the 2026 Sam F. Davis in February.
The Puma then secured his first victory at the 2026 Tampa Bay Derby on March 7. In his last race, the 2026 Florida Derby, The Puma finished second behind Commandment in a time of 1:49.99. He is trained by Gustavo Delgado, who trained Mage, the 2023 Kentucky Derby winner. See which other horses to back at SportsLine, and you can make 2026 Kentucky Derby picks at TwinSpires here with the offer code CBSSPORTS:
How to make 2026 Kentucky Derby picks, bets
Demling is also high on a stunning longshot who “could be a freak.” Anyone who backs this sleeper pick could hit it big. Demling is sharing which horse it is, along with his entire projected 2026 Kentucky Derby leaderboard, over at SportsLine.
Which horse wins the Kentucky Derby 2026, and which stunning longshot is a must-back? Check out the latest 2026 Kentucky Derby odds below, then visit SportsLine to see Demling’s picks for the Kentucky Derby, all from the expert who has nailed 12 Derby-Oaks doubles.
