The 152nd running of the Kentucky Derby is set for Saturday, May 2, and while there's still lots of time before the "Run for the Roses" takes place, Kentucky Derby odds are on the move as contenders get their final prep races in.
Renegade and Commandment won the Arkansas Derby and Florida Derby, respectively, and are the Top 2 betting favorites as things stand ahead of some more key preps on April 4.
Let's dig into the latest Kentucky Derby odds at our top Kentucky Derby betting sites.
🏇 2026 Kentucky Derby odds
| Name |  |
My Take |
|---|---|---|
| Renegade | +400 | AR Derby win was well-rated. |
| Commandment | +550 | Beat KY Derby 3rd-choice in FL Derby. |
| Chief Wallabee | +1000 | Close losses in FoY & FL Derby. |
| The Puma | +1000 | TB Derby wnr, game 2nd in FL Derby. |
| Class President | +1600 | Gutsy wnr of Rebel S. |
| Emerging Market | +1600 | Won LA Derby in only 2nd start. |
| Nearly | +1600 | 3-race win streak stopped in FL Derby. |
| Danon Bourbon | +2000 | 3-for-3, Fukuryu S. victor. |
| Further Ado | +2000 | Lost TB Derby in only '26 start. |
| Potente | +2000 | 2-for-2, took San Felipe S. |
| Silent Tactic | +2000 | Suffered 3rd runner-up of '26 in AR Derby. |
| Fulleffort | +2500 | Can Jeff Ruby wnr take to dirt? |
| Incredibolt | +2500 | Took VA Derby after Holy Bull S. flop. |
| Iron Honor | +2500 | 2-for-2 after Gotham S. win. |
| Reagan's Honor | +2500 | Fast ALW winner needs pts in Blue Grass S. |
| Wonder Dean | +2500 | Another JPN wnr in UAE Derby. |
| Cherokee Nation | +3300 | 5th in both stake runs. |
| Chip Honcho | +3300 | Gun Runner S. wnr 0-for-3 in '26. |
| Golden Tempo | +3300 | 3rd in last two FG preps. |
| Pavlovian | +3300 | Sunland Derby wnr, 2nd in LA Derby. |
Odds as of 4-1.
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🌹 Kentucky Derby favorites
Renegade (+400)
Renegade lost each of his first three starts as a two-year-old, but his sophomore season has started fast with a win in the Sam F. Davis Stakes, followed by a sharp score in the Arkansas Derby.
Two-time Kentucky Derby-winning trainer Todd Pletcher and five-time Eclipse Award-winning jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. are in this runner's corner.
The sire is Into Mischief, not a respected distance influence, but that didn't seem to bother 2025 Kentucky Derby champ Sovereignty.
Commandment (+550)
Both Brad Cox and Flavien Prat are looking to cross the finish line first at the Kentucky Derby with Commandment, a winner of four straight races.
The pedigree doesn't scream distance, yet the Florida Derby winner just seems to keep improving as the races get longer.
Chief Wallabee (+1000)
Chief Wallabee could give trainer Bill Mott and jockey Junior Alvarado a second straight "Run for the Roses" win.
He's been in the money in all three starts to date, picking up checks in the Fountain of Youth and Florida Derby. It should be noted that Sovereignty did not win the Florida Derby before winning the Kentucky Derby.
Kentucky Derby long shot to watch: Reagan's Honor (+2500)
Reagan's Honor was last seen running away from allowance competition in what was a strung-out finish at the Fair Grounds on February 19. The son of Honor A.P. has had plenty of time to recuperate after that monster effort ahead of the Blue Grass Stakes at Keeneland on Saturday, April 4.
If this Cherie DeVaux trainee can prove that his last-out win was no fluke, he won't be +2500 come Sunday.
Kentucky Derby odds over time
Who won the Kentucky Derby, and what were the odds?
Although the Kentucky Derby favorite dominated at Churchill Downs from 2013 to 2018, Country House won the Run for the Roses in 2019 as the second-biggest underdog in Derby history at 65/1. Just three years later, Rich Strike surpassed Country House when he won the "Run for the Roses" at 80/1.
Here are the winners of the Kentucky Derby since 2000, their post positions, and their final odds.
| Year | Kentucky Derby Winner | Post Position | Final Odds |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Sovereignty | 16 | 7/1 |
| 2024 | Mystik Dan | 3 | 18/1 |
| 2023 | Mage | 8 | 14/1 |
| 2022 | Rich Strike | 20 | 80/1 |
| 2021 | Medina Spirit | 8 | 12/1 |
| 2020 | Authentic | 18 | 8/1 |
| 2019 | Country House | 20 | 65/1 |
| 2018 | Justify | 7 | 5/2 |
| 2017 | Always Dreaming | 5 | 9/2 |
| 2016 | Nyquist | 13 | 2/1 |
| 2015 | American Pharoah | 18 | 5/2 |
| 2014 | California Chrome | 5 | 5/2 |
| 2013 | Orb | 16 | 5/1 |
| 2012 | I'll Have Another | 19 | 15/1 |
| 2011 | Animal Kingdom | 16 | 20/1 |
| 2010 | Super Saver | 4 | 8/1 |
| 2009 | Mine That Bird | 8 | 50/1 |
| 2008 | Big Brown | 20 | 7/2 |
| 2007 | Street Sense | 7 | 9/2 |
| 2006 | Barbaro | 3 | 6/1 |
| 2005 | Giacomo | 10 | 50/1 |
| 2004 | Smarty Jones | 13 | 4/1 |
| 2003 | Funny Cide | 5 | 13/1 |
| 2002 | War Emblem | 5 | 41/2 |
| 2001 | Monarchos | 16 | 21/2 |
| 2000 | Fusaichi Pegasus | 15 | 9/5 |
Kentucky Derby trends
- Since 1995, 85% of Kentucky Derby winners finished in the Top 2 in their final prep race.
- Since 1956, only two Kentucky Derby winners (Animal Kingdom in 2011 and Authentic in 2020, the latter of which was delayed due to COVID-19) won the race off a layoff of six weeks or more.
- No horse has ever won the Kentucky Derby from the No. 17 post position.
Kentucky Derby FAQs
When is the Kentucky Derby?
The 152nd Kentucky Derby will be run at approximately 6:57 p.m. ET on Saturday, May 2, 2026.
Where is the Kentucky Derby held?
The Kentucky Derby has been held at Churchill Downs in Louisville, KY every year since its inception in 1875.
Who is the Kentucky Derby favorite?
Arkansas Derby winner Renegade is the +400 betting favorite in the 2026 Kentucky Derby.
How often does the betting favorite win the Kentucky Derby?
The favorite has won the Kentucky Derby 40 of the last 117 times since pari-mutuel wagering was introduced in 1908, good for a 34.2% clip. The favorite has placed in the Top 3 74 times in that span for an "in-the-money" success rate of 63.3%.
What are the best bets to make in the Kentucky Derby?
The best bet to make in the Kentucky Derby will depend on how risky you want to be. You can play it safe and bet a single horse to win, place (finish first or second), or show (finish first, second, or third), or you can play "exotic" wagers like the exacta (Top 2 finishers in exact order), trifecta (Top 3 in exact order), or superfecta (Top 4 in exact order). The more difficult a wager is to hit, the more it will pay off.
