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With the Kentucky Derby 2026 now just under a month away, the 2026 Kentucky Derby field is beginning to come into focus. That means it is the perfect time to look at the 2026 Kentucky Derby horses and find the best value. Among the 2026 Kentucky Derby contenders is Renegade, the favorite, at 4-1, while Commandment is 7-1. The Puma is 12-1, while Chief Wallabee is at 13-1.

Renegade has become one of the top 2026 Kentucky Derby favorites, having won his past two races, including the Arkansas Derby on March 28. He is trained by Todd Pletcher, who has two Kentucky Derby winners on his resume, Super Saver in 2010 and Always Dreaming in 2017. 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 fading Chief Wallabee (13-1) even though he’s one of the favorites. Earlier Kentucky Derby futures had Chief Wallbee with even lower odds heading into the spring. The Bill Mott-trained colt’s outlook has faded a bit after losing twice to Commandment, once in the Fountain of Youth Stakes and again in the Florida Derby. The Puma also overtook him in the Florida Derby as Chief Wallabee settled for third.

Demling called Chief Wallabee’s first career win in January “eye-catching.” The fact that he wasn’t able to win one of the top prep races, however, brings a bit of concern, which is a big reason why Demling has Chief Wallabee barely hitting the board. See who to back at SportsLine.

Another stunner: Demling is high on Fulleffort, even though he’s a longshot at 23-1. The Brad Cox-trained horse has been flying under the radar, but has put together a solid resume. He is already a veteran of seven races and has not finished lower than fourth.

Since July, he placed third in August before registering his first win in September. He won the an allowance race in October at Keeneland, and most recently, the Jeff Ruby Steaks on March 21. He was second at the Leonatus in January and John Battaglia Memorial in February. With those results, Demling sees value in backing Fulleffort. See which other horses to back at SportsLine, and you can make 2026 Kentucky Derby futures bets at TwinSpires here with the offer code CBSSPORTS:

How to make 2026 Kentucky Derby picks, bets

Demling is also high on an epic double-digit longshot who “demolished the field” in his last start. Anyone who backs this colt 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 huge double-digit longshot is a must-back? Check out the newest 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
Renegade 4-1 SEE PICKS
Commandment 7-1 SEE PICKS
The Puma 12-1 SEE PICKS
Chief Wallabee 13-1 SEE PICKS
Emerging Market 15-1 SEE PICKS
Potente 16-1 SEE PICKS
Further Ado 17-1 SEE PICKS
Incredibolt 22-1 SEE PICKS
Danon Bourbon 23-1 SEE PICKS
Fulleffort 23-1 SEE PICKS
Golden Tempo 32-1 SEE PICKS
Silent Tactic 32-1 SEE PICKS
Wonder Dean 42-1 SEE PICKS
Class President 53-1 SEE PICKS
Six Speed 93-1 SEE PICKS
So Happy 93-1 SEE PICKS
Albus 173-1 SEE PICKS
Ottinho 208-1 SEE PICKS
Right to Party 317-1 SEE PICKS