Kentucky Derby 2026 odds, post positions, date: Renegade, Commandment, Further Ado expert projections revealed
There is nothing certain for the 2026 Kentucky Derby. Nearly half the field is within reach of the favorites. As the Derby approaches the May 2 showdown at Churchill Downs, Renegade is the 9-2 favorite in the latest 2026 Kentucky Derby odds. But there are two others just behind Renegade on the board in Further Ado (5-1) and Commandment (6-1), and there are several horses just behind this group.
Puma (10-1) and Chief Wallabee (10-1) round out the top five Thoroughbreds with the shortest odds for horse racing. So Happy and Potente are next up for use in Kentucky Derby betting, with both colts at 15-1. If you’re looking for a longshot, you can find them with Intrepido or Right to Party, both of which are priced at 50-1. Before making any picks for the 2026 Kentucky Derby, be sure to check out horse racing predictions and futures betting from SportsLine’s elite horse racing expert Jody Demling.
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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 a command at the top of the board. 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 9-2, is trying to become the first favorite to win the Kentucky Derby since 2018. It’s been a mixed bag for Kentucky Derby favorites recently, as that seven-year winless drought immediately followed a six-year run (2013-18) in which the favorite horse won every year. Renegade won both of his starts as a 3-year-old, including the G1 Arkansas Derby in late March. This comes after going winless as a juvenile in three races.
Renegade was sired by Into Mischief, who won his only dirt start at the 2007 CashCall Futurity but never attempted a race longer than 1 1/16 miles. Saddled by Todd Pletcher, Renegade boasts the most experienced trainer in Kentucky Derby history. Pletcher had 65 starters at the Run for the Roses, 14 more than any other coach. Two of those horses prevailed at Churchill Downs for Pletcher, but none of his last 13 Derby starters finished in the money. 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 (5-1), 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
