The Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing is just around the corner, with the 2026 Kentucky Derby running on Saturday, May 2. Up to 20 Kentucky Derby horses will compete over 1 1/4 miles from Churchill Downs, with only 3-year-olds eligible for the race. The 2026 Kentucky Derby favorite is Renegade (4-1), though the betting favorite has not prevailed since 2018. Others in the 2026 Kentucky Derby odds include Renegade’s half-brother, Commandment (7-1), and Tampa Bay Derby champion The Puma (12-1).
There are also intriguing 2026 Kentucky Derby longshots like Louisiana Derby victor Emerging Market (15-1) and the Bob Baffert-trained Potente (16-1). 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.Â
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 (10-1) even though he’s one of the favorites. The horse gained notoriety by not racing as a juvenile and then winning his first start at Gulfstream Park in January 2026. While he’s finished in the money in his two ensuing starts, his placements have gotten worse. Chief Wallabee was runner-up at the G2 Fountain of Youth and then placed third at the G1 Florida Derby. The horses which finished ahead of him in those races — Commandment (twice) and The Puma — are both slated to be a part of the 2026 Kentucky Derby field.
Chief Wallabee has Hall of Famer Bill Mott as his trainer, but it’s not exactly the Run for the Roses which built Mott’s Hall of Fame resume. Only three of his 14 Derby starters have even finished in the top five at Churchill Downs. The average finish of Mott’s horses is 9.1, which makes Chief Wallabee one to stay away from given his short Kentucky Derby odds. See who to back at SportsLine.
Another stunner: Demling is high on Fulleffort, even though he’s a longshot at 15-1. Saddled by Louisville native Brad Cox, the trainer prevailed as a Kentucky Derby rookie in 2021 with Mandaloun. Cox has had a horse hit the board at the Derby in each of the last three years, and Fulleffort has pedigree on his side, in addition to a world-class trainer. The horse was sired by Liam’s Map, who won six of his last seven starts, including a pair of Grade I events.
Fulleffort also has his own merits to make him a Kentucky Derby sleeper. He has three wins and a pair of runners-up over his last five starts, and he counts himself as a graded stakes winner, courtesy of claiming the Jeff Ruby Steaks. Fulleffort has only raced on a synthetic surface as a 3-year-old, but the same was said about Rich Strike in 2022, who followed up his third place at the Ruby Steaks with a first place at the Kentucky Derby. 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 a 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 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.
