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The spring brings several major events in the sports world, and from a betting standpoint, few are bigger than the Kentucky Derby. The 2026 Kentucky Derby will be held on Saturday, May, 2, and the 152nd Run for the Roses is shaping up to be another thrilling race. Paladin is looking strong this winter, setting himself up as the early favorite in the 2026 Kentucky Derby odds at 9-1.

Much of the 2026 Kentucky Derby qualifying path is still set to unfold, meaning that odds could shift quickly. Now is the time to look for value in the 2026 Kentucky Derby futures. 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 doesn’t have the favorite, Paladin (9-1), winning. Paladin is undefeated as of late February after winning his first race in October 2025 and sweeping his way through the Remsen Stakes and Risen Stakes, both Grade-2 races.

Demling acknowledges that the son of Gun Runner looks solid at this point, but there’s a long way to go until May. History hasn’t been kind to early Kentucky Derby favorites, and there are several other strong options who are returning more value at this point in February. See who to back at SportsLine.

Another stunner: Demling is high on Canaletto, even though he’s a longshot at 15-1. Canaletto had one of the most impressive runs at Gulfstream Park this winter, cruising to a victory in a maiden special weight race on Jan. 25. He overwhelmingly posted the best speed figure in that race, dominating Lost Money and Autobahn.

Canaletto could see his odds move dramatically, possibly into the single digits, with a strong showing at the Fountain of Youth Stakes on February 28. Now is the time to jump on this horse in the Kentucky Derby futures odds 2026. See which other horses to back at SportsLine, and you can make 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 just in 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.

2026 Kentucky Derby odds

Horse  Odds Picks
Paladin 9-1 SEE PICKS
Nearly 10-1 SEE PICKS
Canaletto 15-1 SEE PICKS
Renegade 16-1 SEE PICKS
Silent Tactic 19-1 SEE PICKS
Chief Wallabee 21-1 SEE PICKS
Commandment 23-1 SEE PICKS
Further Ado 24-1 SEE PICKS
Brant 26-1 SEE PICKS
Plutarch 27-1 SEE PICKS
Napolean Solo 30-1 SEE PICKS
Golden Tempo 32-1 SEE PICKS
Blackout Time 32-1 SEE PICKS
Boyd 34-1 SEE PICKS
Litmus Test 38-1 SEE PICKS
Potente 44-1 SEE PICKS
Bravero 60-1 SEE PICKS
Six Speed 73-1 SEE PICKS
Class President 75-1 SEE PICKS
Al Haram N/A SEE PICKS