The final major Kentucky Derby preps are set for Saturday, April 4, headlined by the Blue Grass Stakes at Keeneland and the Wood Memorial at Aqueduct.
The Kentucky Derby odds will be on the move following these key events, but you can get ahead of the curve with my free betting picks.
See why Iron Honor tops my Saturday horse racing selections.
Blue Grass Stakes odds, prediction and best bet
- Race: Keeneland Race 11
- Post time: 6:22 p.m. ET
- TV: FanDuel TV
| Post | Horse | Track odds |  |
 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Talkin | 12-1 | +1200 | +1000 |
| 2 | Class President | SCR | OTB | OTB |
| 3 | Great White | 15-1 | +1500 | +2500 |
| 4 | Reagan's Honor | 5-2 | +250 | +400 |
| 5 | Creole Chrome | 8-1 | +800 | +1000 |
| 6 | Further Ado | 8-5 | +160 | +137 |
| 7 | Ocelli | 30-1 | +3000 | +5000 |
| 8 | Moonstrocity | 30-1 | +3000 | +6600 |
| 9 | Ottinho | 20-1 | +2000 | +1000 |
Odds as of 4-3.
The Blue Grass Stakes is simple; either No. 6 Further Ado (8-5, morning-line favorite) runs back to his Kentucky Jockey Club score with the rust shaken off, or he disappoints again and No. 4 Reagan's Honor (5-2) becomes the hot new horse on the Kentucky Derby trail. I'm leaning toward the latter.
Reagan's Honor dazzled in a gate-to-wire score at the Fair Grounds going 1 1/16th-miles when last seen. He also won two-back over No. 7 Ocelli, overcoming a nondescript fourth-place effort in his sprinting debut.
Jose Ortiz retains the assignment for Cherie DeVaux.
Further Ado wasn't disgraced in a second-place effort in the Tampa Bay Derby last time out, especially with race winner The Puma returning to nearly take the Florida Derby. Fearsome connections are in his corner with Irad Ortiz Jr. riding for Brad Cox.
No. 3 Great White (15-1) can add a little spice to a potentially chalky exacta.
After winning going short at first asking, the son of Volatile got into some traffic trouble in a fifth-place finish in his stakes debut. He bounced back nicely with a gritty score in the John Battaglia Memorial at Turfway last time out.
Great White is working well at Keeneland for his initial dirt race.
Best bet: $10 trifecta 4,6/4,6/3 ($20)
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Wood Memorial odds, prediction and best bet
- Race: Aqueduct Race 12
- Post time: 6:34 p.m. ET
- TV: FS2
| Post | Horse | Track odds | |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Napoleon Solo | 7-2 | +350 | +400 |
| 2 | Talk to Me Jimmy | 6-1 | +600 | +800 |
| 3 | Right to Party | 20-1 | +2000 | +1200 |
| 4 | Steel | 12-1 | +1200 | +1600 |
| 5 | Ocelli | 20-1 | +2000 | +3300 |
| 6 | Minorinconvenience | 30-1 | +3000 | +1600 |
| 7 | Albus | 12-1 | +1200 | +1600 |
| 8 | Courting | 8-1 | +800 | +1200 |
| 9 | Bravaro | 8-1 | +800 | +800 |
| 10 | Red Zone Runner | 30-1 | +3000 | +1200 |
| 11 | Ottinho | SCR | OTB | OTB |
| 12 | Buetane | 8-1 | +800 | +550 |
| 13 | Iron Honor | 5-2 | +250 | +225 |
Odds as of 4-3.
I went into this race looking to bet against No. 13 Iron Honor (5-2, morning-line favorite) at a short price from this post while adding an extra furlong, but I can't get past him as the most likely winner.
Iron Honor is 2-for-2 lifetime, having already stretched out from six furlongs to one mile successfully in the Gotham Stakes when last seen. He's got top-notch connections in his corner in trainer Chad Brown and jockey Manny Franco, and the pedigree (by Nyquist) suggests he'll handle nine furlongs well enough.
No. 4 Steel (12-1) can sweeten the exotics in the Wood Memorial if able to build on his rallying debut score at Gulfstream.
Defending Derby-winning trainer Bill Mott is not known for having the screws tightened at first asking, so it stands to reason there's lots of upside for this son of Tapit.
Best bet: $16 exacta 13/4, $4 win 4 ($20)
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change.
Not intended for use in MA.
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Road to the Kentucky Derby
| Race | Date | Track | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breeders’ Cup Juvenile | October 31, 2025 | Del Mar | Ted Noffey |
| Lecomte Stakes | January 17, 2026 | Fair Grounds | Golden Tempo |
| Holy Bull Stakes | January 31 | Gulfstream Park | Nearly |
| Withers Stakes | February 6 | Aqueduct | Talk to Me Jimmy |
| Southwest Stakes | February 6 | Oaklawn Park | Silent Tactic |
| Robert B. Lewis Stakes | February 7 | Santa Anita Park | Plutarch |
| Sam F. Davis Stakes | February 7 | Tampa Bay Downs | Renegade |
| Risen Star Stakes | February 14 | Fair Grounds | Paladin |
| Sunland Derby | February 15 | Sunland Park | Pavlovian |
| John Battaglia Memorial | February 21 | Turfway Park | Great White |
| Fountain of Youth Stakes | February 28 | Gulfstream Park | Commandment |
| Gotham Stakes | February 28 | Aqueduct | Iron Honor |
| Rebel Stakes | March 1 | Oaklawn Park | Class President |
| San Felipe Stakes | March 7 | Santa Anita Park | Potente |
| Tampa Bay Derby | March 7 | Tampa Bay Downs | The Puma |
| Virginia Derby | March 14 | Colonial Downs | Incredibolt |
| Louisiana Derby | March 21 | Fair Grounds | Emerging Market |
| Jeff Ruby Steaks | March 21 | Turfway Park | Fulleffort |
| Arkansas Derby | March 28 | Oaklawn Park | Renegade |
| Florida Derby | March 28 | Gulfstream Park | Commandment |
| UAE Derby | March 28 | Meydan (Dubai) | Wonder Dean |
| Santa Anita Derby | April 4 | Santa Anita Park | TBD |
| Wood Memorial | April 4 | Aqueduct | TBD |
| Blue Grass Stakes | April 4 | Keeneland | TBD |
| Lexington Stakes | April 11 | Keeneland | TBD |
| Kentucky Derby | May 2 | Churchill Downs | TBD |
