Trainer Brad Cox apparently lives by the motto “strength in numbers” in his efforts to win the 2026 Kentucky Derby. This is his sixth year in the Derby, and he’s had multiple starters in five of those years, including this year. Only Riley Mott and Bob Baffert also have more than one thoroughbred for The Most Exciting Two Minutes in Sports. Cox had three starters in 2022, and even had four horses in the 2023 Derby, but didn’t prevail in either race, so there’s no guarantee that his pair of 2026 Kentucky Derby starters will lead him to victory. Bet the Kentucky Derby with the unique TwinSpires offer code CBSSPORTS to receive up to $400 in bonus bets here, double what’s available to the general public:
Cox is a Louisville native as his hometown will host the Kentucky Derby 2026 at Churchill Downs. His horses are Commandment and Further Ado, both listed at 6-1 in the just in Kentucky Derby odds. That pair only trails the favorite Renegade (4-1). Cox had a third starter in Fulleffort, until he was scratched on Thursday and will be replaced by Ocelli (50-1). Before locking in any 2026 Kentucky Derby bets, you need to see the 2026 Kentucky Derby predictions and best bets from SportsLine’s elite horse racing guru Jeff Hochman.
Hochman has shown a profit in 22 of the past 39 Triple Crown races. One example of his best picks was Big Brown in the 2008 Kentucky Derby at odds of 2-1. More recently, he swept the 2022 Triple Crown, capped off by Mo Donegal’s easy win in the Belmont Stakes. In 2023, he cashed the Preakness with National Treasure. In 2024, he successfully tabbed Straight No Chaser to win, place and show in the Grade 2 Santa Anita Sprint Championship at odds of 3-2.
Hochman delivered exceptional handicapping results during the summer 2025 racing season at two of the country’s premier tracks, Saratoga and Del Mar. His combined 65.7% win rate across the two tracks represents elite-level performance that significantly exceeds industry benchmarks for professional handicappers.
Now, Hochman has handicapped the 2026 Kentucky Derby field and revealed his picks. Go here to see them.
Top 2026 Kentucky Derby predictions
One of Hochman’s surprising 2026 Kentucky Derby picks: He is fading Commandment (6-1) even though he’s one of the favorites. The horse is coming off back-to-back graded stakes victories with different jockeys in each. However, both of those jockeys have chosen to ride other horses on Saturday, which indicates they aren’t as high on Commandment as the Kentucky Derby oddsmakers are. The horse will be ridden by Luis Saez, who has the fourth-most Derby starts (12) without either a victory or runner-up.
Commandment’s highest achievement is winning the Florida Derby in his last start. However, his time was the third-slowest by the Florida winner over the last 11 years, despite pristine track conditions. Also, Commandment’s top speed figure actually declined in that race, compared to his prior start. Thus, you have to wonder if the horse has already peaked, which makes him too much of a risk to play at these short odds. See who to back at SportsLine.
Another stunner: Hochman is high on The Puma, even though he’s a 10-1 longshot, and is coming off a tight loss at the Florida Derby last month.
“He finished a close second in the Florida Derby but earned a significantly faster Thoro-graph number (2½) than the winner, Commandment, thanks to his wide trip,” Hochman told SportsLine. “Running the final three-eights of a mile in 36.89 seconds and the final eighth in 12.68 seconds should serve him well. He could be a major contender, with odds likely to fall in the mid-tier range. Trainer Gustavo Delgado used a similar approach leading up to this race with Mage in 2023. The Puma has shown grit in every race and should be a key factor in exotic wagers with improving speed figures in every start.” See which other horses to back at SportsLine, and you can sign up for FanDuel Racing here to get $25 in bonuses with a $5 wager:
How to make 2026 Kentucky Derby picks, bets
Moreover, Hochman’s top pick is a horse with “remarkable finishing speed.” He also is high on a double-digit longshot who is “peaking at the perfect moment.” Hochman 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 longshot is a must-back? Check out the just in 2026 Kentucky Derby odds below, then visit SportsLine to see Hochman’s picks for the Kentucky Derby, all from the expert who has a 65.7% win rate and has cashed in 22 of the past 39 Triple Crown races.
2026 Kentucky Derby odds
| Post |
Horse |
Odds |
Projection |
| 1 |
Renegade |
4-1 |
SEE PICKS |
| 2 |
Albus |
30-1 |
SEE PICKS |
| 3 |
Intrepido |
50-1 |
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| 4 |
Litmas Test |
30-1 |
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| 5 |
Right to Party |
30-1 |
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| 6 |
Commandment |
6-1 |
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| 7 |
Danon Bourbon |
20-1 |
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| 8 |
So Happy |
15-1 |
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| 9 |
The Puma |
10-1 |
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| 10 |
Wonder Dean |
30-1 |
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| 11 |
Incredibolt |
20-1 |
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| 12 |
Chief Wallabee |
8-1 |
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| 13 |
Silent Tactic |
20-1 |
SCR |
| 14 |
Potente |
20-1 |
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| 15 |
Emerging Market |
15-1 |
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| 16 |
Pavlovian |
30-1 |
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| 17 |
Six Speed |
50-1 |
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| 18 |
Further Ado |
6-1 |
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| 19 |
Golden Tempo |
30-1 |
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| 20 |
Fulleffort |
20-1 |
SCR |
| 21 |
Great White |
50-1 |
SEE PICKS |
| 22 |
Ocelli |
50-1 |
SEE PICKS |
