Jimmy Boyd in 
The 152nd running of the Kentucky Derby is scheduled for Saturday, May 2nd at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky. The big day is finally here, and it’s time for the “Run for the Roses.”
Coverage will begin at 2:30 p.m. ET on NBC, with post time scheduled for 6:57 p.m. ET.
For everything you need to know about betting this race, check out my Kentucky Derby Betting Guide. I’ll also have my win/place/show picks posted shortly in my Kentucky Derby Predictions article.
Look at the Live Odds to Win the 2026 Kentucky Derby
Before we get into the odds, let’s talk about how this race has been trending. The betting favorite has won 18 of the last 56 Derbies, a win rate of about 32%. However, prior to 2013, the win rate was just 26.1%. While the favorite has failed to win the last seven years, favorites had a strong run from 2013 to 2018, winning six straight.
This shift coincided with a major change in how horses qualify for the Derby. Previously, the top 20 earners in graded stakes races made the field. But starting in 2013, Churchill Downs implemented a points-based system to better reflect a horse’s performance in key prep races.
The new system has mostly succeeded in identifying the best horses for the 1¼-mile distance. Prior to this change, horses that specialized in shorter sprint races often made the Derby, setting unsustainable early fractions and spoiling the chances of true distance contenders.
2026 Top Contenders
| Horse | Odds |
|---|---|
| Renegade | 5-1 |
| So Happy | 6-1 |
| Commandment | 7-1 |
| Further Ado | 7-1 |
| The Puma | 8-1 |
| Chief Wallabee | 9-1 |
| Emerging Market | 11-1 |
| Danon Bourbon | 14-1 |
| Wonder Dean | 20-1 |
| Potente | 23-1 |
According to the latest live odds, Renegade is the horse to beat at 5-1. The Todd Pletcher trainee enters with the highest speed figures in the field and an impressive victory in the Arkansas Derby. He’s drawn the tricky rail post, but with leading jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. aboard, he has the talent to overcome it and set the pace.
Close behind are So Happy (6-1), Commandment (7-1), and Further Ado (7-1). Commandment, the Florida Derby winner, has plenty of momentum and a tactical running style. Further Ado boasts a lethal closing kick that could benefit from a hot early pace.
Danon Bourbon (14-1) might be the most interesting wild card. The Japanese-bred colt has performed well overseas and brings serious intrigue into his U.S. debut.
Rest of the Field
| Horse | Odds |
|---|---|
| Incredibolt | 27-1 |
| Great White | 29-1 |
| Litmus Test | 34-1 |
| Golden Tempo | 36-1 |
| Six Speed | 40-1 |
| Albus | 50-1 |
| Ocelli | 50-1 |
| Robusta | 50-1 |
| Corona De Oro | 50-1 |
| Pavlovian | 52-1 |
| Intrepido | 55-1 |
There’s plenty of value to be found outside the top tier as well. A few of these long shots have shown flashes of potential and could shake up exotic wagers like exactas, trifectas, and superfectas if things break right.
More Derby Articles
