All eyes will be on Churchill Downs on Saturday for the 2026 Kentucky Derby, a race that’s shaping up to be one of the more competitive Triple Crown races in recent memory. Based on the morning-line 2026 Kentucky Derby odds, nearly half of the field is at 20-1 or lower. It’s anyone race as we get closer to the Run for the Roses, set for 6:57 p.m. ET.
Renegade is the favourite at 4-1 Kentucky Derby 2026 odds, just ahead of Commandment (6-1) and Further Ado (6-1). Six other Kentucky Derby horses can make a legitimate claim to be considered contenders, based on their morning-line odds.
Demling’s Derby Expertise
Jody Demling, a fixture in the horse racing world, has a strong record when it comes to the Kentucky Oaks-Derby double. He has nailed it 12 times in the last 17 years. Demling also predicted the top three 2025 Kentucky Derby finishers in the correct order, helping him cash a $1,682 superfecta, and called the exacta in last year’s Preakness.
Demling’s Top Picks and Predictions
Demling is sharing his 2026 Kentucky Derby betting picks and 2026 Kentucky Derby predictions at SportsLine. One of Demling’s surprising 2026 Kentucky Derby picks: Demling is fading Renegade, the favorite at 4-1. Renegade has the Speed figures and past results to be right at the top. But the Todd Pletcher-trained Renegade will start from the No. 1 spot, and that hasn’t been good for Kentucky Derby contenders. In fact, no Kentucky Derby winner has come from the spot next to the gate since 1986, a span of 40 years.
“The Todd Pletcher-trained son of Into Mischief doesn’t mind the distance and has the fastest final eighth mile on the Derby trail,” Demling said. “He was my original pick, but there are just too many things going against him.”
A Japanese Contender
Another stunner: Demling is high on Danon Bourbon, a 3-year-old colt who qualified for the Kentucky Derby via the Japan Road. He won the Fukuryu Stakes in March of this year by an astounding 10 lengths, and looks to become the first horse based out of Japan to win the Kentucky Derby after eight others have tried and have never finished higher than sixth.
“Of the two Japanese horses, Danon Bourbon has more speed than Wonder Dean, which is why I have him ranked higher,” Demling said. “This son of Maxfield was bred in Kentucky and is generating a bit of buzz on the backside.”
The 2026 Kentucky Derby is set for 6:57 p.m. ET.