Kentucky Derby 2026 odds, post positions, date: Renegade, Commandment, Further Ado expert bets
The 2026 Kentucky Derby is wide open with no clear lock. Nearly half the field is within easy striking distance of the top contenders as the big race draws closer to its Saturday, May 2 showdown at Churchill Downs, which has a 6:57 p.m. ET start time. After Saturday’s drawing, Renegade, who drew the inside rail, sits atop the 2026 Kentucky Derby odds board as a 4-1 favorite on the morning line, but several strong challengers are close behind.
Additionally, Ado is 6-1 and Commandment is 6-1, with Chief Wallabee at 8-1 and The Puma at 10-1. Other 2026 Kentucky Derby contenders include So Happy and Emerging Market, both at 15-1. There are five other horses at 20-1, including Southwest Stakes winner Silent Tactic. Before making any 2026 Kentucky Derby picks, be sure to check out SportsLine’s elite horse racing expert Jody Demling’s 2026 Kentucky Derby predictions.
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A fixture in the horse racing world who has written, spoken and bet on races for years, Demling has completed the Kentucky Oaks-Derby double 12 times in the past 17 years. He also predicted the top three finishers for the 2025 Kentucky Derby in the correct order and called the exacta during last year’s Preakness. Everyone who followed him horse racing betting sites could be very high.
Now, as the 2026 Kentucky Derby and future horse racing odds approach, Demling shares his 2026 Kentucky Derby betting picks and 2026 Kentucky Derby predictions on SportsLine. Go here to see them.
Best Kentucky Derby 2026 Predictions, Expert Analysis
One of Demling’s surprising picks for the 2026 Kentucky Derby: He doesn’t have Commandment, a 6-1 favorite, at the top of the leaderboard. In fact, he believes there are several other horses outpacing the Brad Cox-trained challenger.
Since taking fourth in his debut last October, Commandment has won four straight races, including the Grade 2 Fountain of Youth against Chief Wallabee and the Grade 1 Florida Derby against The Puma and Chief Wallabee. However, both races came down to the wire, as Commandment was not the horse that caught Demling’s eye. It certainly doesn’t help that the horse drew post No. 6, which has the second-lowest win rate among Churchill Downs’ 20 posts. Find out who to support on SportsLine.
Demling also locked in his 2026 Kentucky Derby prediction for Renegade, who, at 4-1, is trying to become the first favorite to win the Kentucky Derby since 2018. Although he’s not among all the contenders, he believes Renegade deserves serious consideration to be among all exotic bets, including Kentucky Derby exactas and triofectas.
Renegade finished second or third in his first three races. But he’s heating up at the right time, including a victory in the Grade 1 Arkansas Derby on March 28. His best competition in that race was Silent Tactic, a 20-1 long shot at the 2026 Kentucky Derby. So while there won’t be a slam dunk at Churchill Downs on May 2, Renegade is rightly a top contender. Bet on the Kentucky Derby with the latest TwinSpires CBSSPORTS promo code to claim up to $400 in bonus bets:
Demling also locked in his 2026 Kentucky Derby picks for Further Ado (6-1), who won at Churchill Downs at the end of his 2-year-old season. After his fifth place in his first very fast MSW race, he finished no lower than third place, that of August. Since October, Further Ado has recorded three wins and one second place. He just won first place at the 2026 Blue Grass at Keeneland earlier this month.
He had placed second to The Puma, who enters the Derby at 10-1, in the March 7 Tampa Bay Derby. Additionally, Ado is trained by Brad H. Cox, who has one Kentucky Derby winner in his career. This happened in 2021 when Mandaloun was elevated to victory after Medina Spirit was disqualified for testing positive for a banned substance. Find out what other horses to support on SportsLine, and you can Place bets on the 2026 Kentucky Derby at TwinSpires here with offer code CBSSPORTS:
How to Make 2026 Kentucky Derby Picks and Bets
Demling is also high on a long shot that “demolished the field” in his last start. Anyone who supports this colt could hit hard. Demling shares which horse it is, along with his entire projected 2026 Kentucky Derby seeding, on SportsLine.
Which horse wins the 2026 Kentucky Derby and which longshot is a must-win? Check out the latest 2026 Kentucky Derby odds below, then visit SportsLine to see Demling’s Kentucky Derby picks, all from the expert who has 12 Derby-Oaks doubles.
2026 Kentucky Derby Odds
