2027 Kentucky Derby Horses: Full Field Analysis, Expert Rankings & More

The Kentucky Derby horses for the 153rd running of America's most famous horse race are not yet known.

The 152nd Kentucky Derby field was fairly evenly-matched, with Golden Tempo prevailing by a neck over Renegade. 

Horse racing expert Robert Criscola will help you assess every runner in the 2027 Kentucky Derby field next April.

Bet the Derby at FanDuel!

Make your Kentucky Derby wagers at FanDuel, America's No. 1 sportsbook!

New users can get $250 in bonus bets — just by winning $5 on your first wager!

Sign Up Now at

*Eligible in AZ, CO, IL, IN, KY, LA, MA, MD, MI, NY, OH, PA, VA, WV, WY only

Below is a snapshot of what the Kentucky Derby field looked like in 2026.

🐴 Kentucky Derby horses

A total of 24 horses, the maximum allowed, have been entered for the first jewel of the 2026 Triple Crown, but only 19 horses will run. Check out our early 2026 Kentucky Derby horse profiles below:

Who is running in the Kentucky Derby?

Danon Bourbon: Danon Bourbon posted the fastest winning time in his final Derby prep, the Fukuryu Stakes, in over 20 years, so he looks like Japan's best chance to score its elusive first Kentucky Derby victory. The speedy son of Maxfield is unbeaten in all three starts to date.

• Trainer: Manabu Ikezoe
• Jockey: Atsuya Nishimura
• Earnings: $222,762

Commandment: Trainer Brad Cox is looking to bring a strong one-two punch to the Kentucky Derby with Commandment and Further Ado. Commandment is a winner of four straight races, including the Florida Derby. 

• Trainer: Brad Cox
• Jockey: Luis Saez
• Earnings: $1,017,339

Chief Wallabee: Looking to give both Bill Mott and Junior Alvarado back-to-back Derby victories, which would be a first since 1972-73 (Ron Turcotte up for Lucien Laurin on Riva Ridge and Secretariat, good company). He has only a maiden victory but placed in both the Fountain of Youth and the Florida Derby.

• Trainer: Bill Mott
• Jockey: Junior Alvarado
• Earnings: $216,600

The Puma: The Puma has never missed hitting the board in four starts, but has only one win (Tampa Bay Derby). This is the jockey-trainer combo behind 2023 Derby winner Mage.

• Trainer: Gustavo Delgado
• Jockey: Javier Castellano
• Earnings: $442,280

Renegade: Renegade went 0-for-3 as a two-year-old, but he broke through in his first start at age three with a win in the Sam F. Davis Stakes. He followed that up with a sharp score in the Arkansas Derby. Drawing the rail could cost him dearly, as no horse has won from this post since 1986.

• Trainer: Todd Pletcher
• Jockey: Irad Ortiz Jr.
• Earnings: $1,031,500

Further Ado: Further Ado turned heads as a two-year-old, breaking his maiden by 20 lengths at Keeneland before taking the Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes at Churchill Downs. His sophomore debut was a setback, as he ran second in the Tampa Bay Derby, but he shook it off as he aced the Blue Grass Stakes at Keeneland by 11 lengths when last seen.

• Trainer: Brad Cox
• Jockey: John Velazquez
• Earnings: $1,146,328

Emerging Market: Leonatus is the only horse to ever win the Derby with only two lifetime starts, and he accomplished the feat in 1883. Louisiana Derby winner Emerging Market will try to roll late and rewrite the history books.

• Trainer: Chad Brown
• Jockey: Flavien Prat
• Earnings: $618,880

Silent Tactic: No worse than second in six lifetime starts, he won the Grade III Southwest earlier this season.

• Trainer: Mark Casse
• Jockey: Cristian Torres
• Earnings: $1,051,922

So Happy: This son of Runhappy is 3-for-4 lifetime, capped off by a victory in the Santa Anita Derby. This will be Mark Glatt's first Derby start, but Mike Smith's record-setting 29th.

• Trainer: Mark Glatt
• Jockey: Mike Smith
• Earnings: $480,000

Potente: Took his first two starts for Bob Baffert, a trainer tied for the most Derby wins ever, before settling for second in the Santa Anita Derby.

• Trainer: Bob Baffert
• Jockey: Juan Hernandez
• Earnings: $262,000

Fulleffort: Second in both of his first two stakes starts at Turfway (synthetic dirt), Fulleffort finally broke through in the Jeff Ruby Steaks. 

• Trainer: Brad Cox
• Jockey: Tyler Gaffalione
• Earnings: $694,115

Wonder Dean: The UAE Derby has not been a productive prep, and Wonder Dean is only 2-for-6 lifetime.

• Trainer: Daisuke Takayanagi
• Jockey: Ryusei Sakai    
• Earnings: $770,541

Albus: Closed into a hot pace to win the Wood Memorial, which came back very slow. The post draw did him no favors.

• Trainer: Riley Mott
• Jockey: Manny Franco
• Earnings: $436,288

Right to Party: Like Albus, Right to Party was flying late in the Wood Memorial, and needs to take a leap forward speed-figure wise to compete.

• Trainer: Ken McPeek
• Jockey: Christopher Elliott
• Earnings: $230,200

Incredibolt: Bounced back from a Holy Bull flop with a win in the Virginia Derby.

• Trainer: Riley Mott
• Jockey: Jamie Torres
• Earnings: $498,681

Pavlovian: He figures to go to the lead and hopes he catches the field napping. He nearly wired the Louisiana Derby last time out.

• Trainer: Doug O'Neill
• Jockey: Edwin Maldonado
• Earnings: $613,450

Intrepido: Was a Grade I winner at age two, but has lost three straight races since. His lone in-the-money finish in that span was a second in the Grade III Robert B. Lewis Stakes.

• Trainer: Jeff Mullins
• Jockey: Hector Berrios
• Earnings: $342,800

Litmus Test: Being a Bob Baffert stakes winner at age two, Litmus Test was naturally well-thought of going into 2026. However, he lost both his Derby preps down at Oaklawn, including a seventh in the Arkansas Derby.

• Trainer: Bob Baffert
• Jockey: Martin Garcia
• Earnings: $477,688

Golden Tempo: Golden Tempo might have been exposed after failing to follow Emerging Market's rally in the Louisiana Derby and settling for a second straight third-place finish after his Lecomte Stakes win.

• Trainer: Cherie DeVaux
• Jockey: Jose Ortiz
• Earnings: $333,000

Six Speed: A well-beaten second in the UAE Derby, so a Six Speed win would be a shocker.

• Trainer: Bhupat Seemar
• Jockey: Brian Hernandez Jr.
• Earnings: $402,183

Great White: His John Battaglia Memorial win is sandwiched by fifth-place results.

• Trainer: John Ennis
• Jockey: Alex Achard
• Earnings: $202,495

Ocelli: Sixth in the Virginia Derby and third in the Wood Memorial, Ocelli would be among the all-time biggest upsets. 

• Trainer: D. Whitworth Beckman
• Jockey: Joseph Ramos
• Earnings: $109,800

Robusta: Second in the San Felipe, but well off the board in his other preps at Santa Anita.

• Trainer: Doug O'Neill
• Jockey: Emisael Jaramillo
• Earnings: $83,500

Corona de Oro: Needed a ton of defections just to get in as an also-eligible following a third in the Lexington Stakes. This is a massive step up in class.

• Trainer: Dallas Stewart
• Jockey: Brian Hernandez Jr.
• Earnings: $92,540

---

Enjoying Covers content? Add us as a preferred source on your Google account

✅ How horses qualify for the Kentucky Derby

A series of qualifying races for eligible three-year-old horses, also known as the Road to the Kentucky Derby, begins in September and runs until early April. These races are mostly held in the United States. However, there are qualifying races in Japan, the UAE, and the UK that allow for automatic bids. 

These races are part of a points system that will decide the starting field for the Kentucky Derby, with some races worth more points than others. Horses are awarded points based on their performances in these qualifying events. The Top 17 horses in the overall points standings are awarded starting spots in the Kentucky Derby, with three auto-bids rounding out the Top 20. 

---

🎓 Betting education and resources

---

🏇 Types of Kentucky Derby horses

The Kentucky Derby isn’t open to just any horse. The “Run for the Roses” is limited to thoroughbred colts and fillies racing as three-year-olds.

Thoroughbred

Thoroughbred horses are predominantly used for racing, as they have a taller and slimmer build and are more athletic than standardbred horses, which are muscular and used in harness racing. Thoroughbred horses are able to sustain speeds over longer distances, with the Kentucky Derby raced at a 1 1/4 miles. 

Age of horses

Three-year-old horses can be considered teenagers in terms of growth, nearly fully developed but not quite at the maturity or muscle build of the four-year-old horse. Limiting the field to three-year-old horses allows for only a handful of prep races and adds an aura of mystery to the Kentucky Derby field, serving as a coming-out party for the next generation of elite race horses. 

How to pick a Kentucky Derby winner

The Kentucky Derby is famously unpredictable — but smart bettors look beyond the hype. Here are five key factors to help you separate the true contenders from the also-rans:

1. Past performance in prep races

Look at how each horse fared in major prep races like the Florida Derby, Blue Grass Stakes, and Santa Anita Derby. Horses who finish strongly in these high-stakes races often carry that momentum into Churchill Downs.

🔎 Tip: A top-3 finish in a major prep race is often a strong indicator of Derby readiness.

2. Running style and pace

The Derby field is large, which makes traffic and race pace critical. Horses with tactical speed (who can stay close to the lead but avoid an early burnout) often fare best.

📉 Avoid deep closers who need a perfect setup to win — traffic jams and fast fractions don’t always cooperate.

3. Trainer and jockey experience

Proven connections matter. Trainers like Todd Pletcher and Brad Cox have consistently produced Derby contenders, while jockeys with Churchill Downs experience know how to navigate the chaos.

🧠 Seasoned Derby connections are less likely to panic if things don’t go perfectly out of the gate.

4. Post position draw

While a talented horse can overcome a bad draw, certain gates historically offer better chances. Middle posts (like 5–10) tend to offer the best combination of clean trips and strategic options.

📌 Avoid extreme inside or far outside posts unless the horse has shown adaptability in large fields.

5. Distance pedigree

The Derby is 1 1/4 miles — longer than all the prior prep races. Horses bred for stamina are more likely to stay strong in the final furlongs.

🧬 A sprinter pedigree might shine early, but fade down the stretch.

Kentucky Derby Horses FAQs

Pages related to this topic