Most Kentucky Derby races are fairly close. Last year, Sovereignty was able to defeat Journalism by 1 ½ lengths. In 2024, Mystic Dan shaded Sierra Leone by a nose. It has been nearly two decades since a horse has won by more than six lengths. Mine That Bird last accomplished that in 2009 when he defeated Pioneer of the Nile by 6 ¾ lengths. So chances are the 2026 Kentucky Derby will again come down to a couple of strides. Renegade is the morning-line favorite (4-1), followed by Further Ado (6-1), Commandment (6-1), Chief Wallabee (8-1) and The Puma (10-1). Saturday’s 152nd running of the Kentucky Derby will go to post at 6:57 p.m. ET. With so much to consider while making your 2026 Kentucky Derby picks, a little expert help can go a long way. Bet the Kentucky Derby with the recent TwinSpires offer code CBSSPORTS to get up to $400 in bonus bets, double what’s available to the general public:
Chief Wallabee will try to make history for trainer Bill Mott. With a win by Chief Wallabee, Mott will become the first trainer since six-time Derby winner Bob Baffert to be victorious in back-to-back Kentucky Derby races. Baffert was able to earn the distinction with Silver Charm and Real Quiet. Chief Wallabee will be ridden by Junior Alvarado from post 12. Mott and Alvarado teamed up last year with Sovereignty for the Derby win en route to Horse of the Year honors. The last trainer and jockey combination to win consecutive Derby races was over 50 years ago. That’s when jockey Ron Turcotte teamed with trainer Lucien Laurin for Derby winners Riva Ridge in 1972 and Secretariat in 1973.
Given all the history, there’s a method to picking which horses to focus on for exacta, trifecta and superfecta bets in a Kentucky Derby like this, and SportsLine expert Jody Demling knows what it is. He can help you make the best 2026 Kentucky Derby picks possible.
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 nailed the top three 2025 Kentucky Derby finishers in the correct order. Anyone who has followed him on those picks could be up huge at sites like FanDuel Racing, TwinSpires, and 1/ST BET.
Now, with the 2026 Kentucky Derby post positions set and odds on the board, Demling is sharing his picks and 2026 Kentucky Derby betting predictions over at SportsLine. Go here to see them, and you can make 2026 Kentucky Derby futures bets at FanDuel Racing here to get $25 in bonuses with a $5 wager:
Top 2026 Kentucky Derby expert picks
Here’s a refresher on these types of bets from SportsLine’s Jody Demling:
Kentucky Derby Exacta: Pick the first- and second-place finishers in the correct order. A $2 exacta returned $48.32 at the 2025 Kentucky Derby with Sovereignty and Journalism.
Kentucky Derby Trifecta: Pick the first-, second- and third-place finishers in the correct order. A $1 trifecta returned $231.12 at the 2025 Kentucky Derby with Sovereignty, Journalism and Baeza.
Kentucky Derby Superfecta: Pick the first-, second-, third- and fourth-place finishers in the correct order. A $1 superfecta returned a colossal $1682.27 at the 2025 Kentucky Derby with Sovereignty, Journalism, Baeza and Final Gambit.
While Renegade is the 4-1 favorite, Demling isn’t high on the Arkansas Derby winner and barely has the colt finishing in the top 10. Instead, he is building his tickets around The Puma (10-1) and an even bigger longshot who could “be a freak,” spicing up his 2026 Kentucky Derby exotics. You can see his picks here.
How to make 2026 Kentucky Derby bets
Demling has specific recommendations for exacta, trifecta and superfecta wagers so you can cover all your bases at the Kentucky Derby 2026. He’s sharing them over at SportsLine.
So which horses do you take, and in what combinations? Visit SportsLine to get Demling’s picks for exacta, trifecta and superfecta bets for the 2026 Kentucky Derby.
2026 Kentucky Derby odds, futures, horses, post positions
| 1 |
Renegade |
4-1 |
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| 2 |
Albus |
30-1 |
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| 3 |
Intrepido |
50-1 |
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| 4 |
Litmas Test |
30-1 |
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| 5 |
Right to Party |
30-1 |
SCR |
| 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 |
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| 22 |
Ocelli |
50-1 |
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| 23 |
Robusta |
50-1 |
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