With the Kentucky Derby 2026 less than 40 days away, now is the perfect time to analyze the odds for the Saturday, May 2 race. The best 3-year-old horses will take part in the first leg of horse racing’s Triple Crown over a 1 ¼-mile dirt track. As of now, the 2026 Kentucky Derby field at Churchill Downs will consist of 20 horses, the perfect time to make 2026 Kentucky Derby futures picks.
Among the early 2026 Kentucky Derby favorites are Paladin and Chief Wallabee, both listed at 8-1. Paladin has won all three of his races to date, including the 2026 Risen Star on February 14. Chief Wallabee, meanwhile, has placed in all three of his races, including a win in January. Other favorites include Commandment and Nearly, both at 12-1, and Renegade at 13-1. Before making any 2026 Kentucky Derby picks, be sure to see the horse racing predictions and futures 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 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 here to see them.
Top 2026 Kentucky Derby predictions
One of Demling’s surprising 2026 Kentucky Derby picks: He is not high on Chief Wallabee at 8-1, saying the co-favorite barely hits the board. Although he won his first race in January, he slipped to second behind Commandment at the 1 1/16-mile 2026 Fountain of Youth. He followed that up by taking third in the Florida Derby.
Chief Wallabee was sired by Constitution, who had mixed results, winning four races including the 2014 Florida Derby. Constitution also finished third in the 2014 Clark Stakes. Chief Wallabee is trained by Bill Mott, who has had two Kentucky Derby winners since beginning his career in the 1980s. Despite Mott’s recent success, Demling finds value elsewhere. See who to back at SportsLine.
Another stunner: Demling is high on Renegade, even though he’s a longshot at 13-1. Trained by Todd A. Pletcher, Renegade enters April on a roll after winning two straight races, including the prestigious Arkansas Derby on Saturday. He also won the Sam F. Davis Stakes in February and took second in the Ramsen Stakes in January.
“One of several key contenders trained by Todd Pletcher, the Sam F. Davis winner shouldn’t mind as the races get longer,” Demling told SportsLine. See which other horses to back at SportsLine, and you can make Kentucky Derby futures bets TwinSpires here:
How to make 2026 Kentucky Derby picks, bets
Demling is especially high on a massive double-digit longshot who could be the best of a “barnful of standouts.” 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 huge double-digit 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.
