When is the Kentucky Derby 2026? Jody Demling revealed his 2026 Kentucky Derby picks for the Run for the Roses on Saturday, May 2 at Churchill Downs
By Ross Kelly Apr 7, 2026 at 10:43 am ET • 3 min read 
Imagn Images It has been half-a-dozen years since Bob Baffert won his record-tying sixth Kentucky Derby, and the Hall of Famer will, again, aim for outright history at this year's Run for the Roses. Baffert has had just two starters since his sixth victory, but is hoping to field several contenders for the 2026 Kentucky Derby. The 152nd edition takes place on Saturday, May 2 from Churchill Downs.
Baffert's stable includes Potente, who is at 18-1 in the 2026 Kentucky Derby odds, and Litmus Test (45-1). The 2026 Kentucky Derby favorites are Paladin and Chief Wallabee, both at 8-1. Other 2026 Kentucky Derby horses include the Brad Cox-trained Commandment (12-1) and Holy Bull Stakes winner Nearly (12-1). Before making any 2026 Kentucky Derby picks, be sure to see the horse racing predictions and futures bets from SportsLine's elite horse racing expert Jody Demling.
Bet the Kentucky Derby with the latest TwinSpires offer code CBSSPORTS to receive up to $400 in bonus bets to wager on almost any track by clicking here:
A fixture in the horse racing world who has been writing about, talking about and betting on races for years, Demling has nailed the Kentucky Oaks-Derby double 12 times in the last 17 years. He also predicted the top three 2025 Kentucky Derby finishers in the correct order and called the exacta in last year's Preakness. Anyone who has followed him on horse racing betting sites could be way up.
Now, with the 2026 Kentucky Derby approaching and horse racing futures odds on the board, Demling is sharing his 2026 Kentucky Derby betting picks and 2026 Kentucky Derby predictions over at SportsLine. Go here to see them.
Top 2026 Kentucky Derby predictions
One of Demling's surprising 2026 Kentucky Derby picks: He is fading Chief Wallabee (8-1) even though he's a co-favorite. Chief Wallabee impressed in his horse racing debut, winning over seven furlongs in Jan. 2026. However, he's yet to match that result and is going in the wrong direction. He was the runner-up in his stakes debut at the Fountain of Youth in late February, before finishing third in his last race at the Florida Derby. The level of competition has increased in each successive race, so it's hard to ignore that Chief Wallabee's placements have regressed.
The horse's pedigree may also be of concern, as the caliber of his father, Constitution, is incomplete. The latter won the G1 Florida Derby in 2014 but injury knocked him out of all three Triple Crown races that year. Chief Wallabee's damsire, Medaglia d'Oro, did compete in all three Triple Crown races plus two Breeders' Cup races, and he failed to win any of the five. For a horse with such short Kentucky Derby odds, there are just too many question marks to comfortably use Chief Wallabee in Kentucky Derby bets. See who to back at SportsLine.
Another stunner: Demling is high on Renegade, even though he's a longshot at 13-1. The colt has finished in the money in all five career starts and is undefeated as a 3-year-old. After a third place in his racing debut last summer, he notched back-to-back runners-up to close out his juvenile season. He then took a leap as a 3-year-old, winning the Sam Davis Stakes with a career-best 118 speed figure before triumphing in the Arkansas Derby with a 121 speed figure.
Renegade was sired by Grade 1 winner Into Mischief, and the former's damsire is the legendary Curlin, a thoroughbred elected into the Racing Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility. Renegade passes the pedigree test, and the same goes for his connections with him being trained by two-time Kentucky Derby winner Todd Pletcher. See which other horses to back at SportsLine, and you can make Kentucky Derby futures bets at TwinSpires here with the offer code CBSSPORTS:
How to make 2026 Kentucky Derby picks, bets
Demling is especially high on a massive double-digit longshot who could be the best of a "barnful of standouts." Demling is sharing which horse it is, along with his entire projected 2026 Kentucky Derby leaderboard, over at SportsLine.
Which horse wins the Kentucky Derby 2026, and which huge double-digit longshot is a must-back? Check out the latest 2026 Kentucky Derby odds below, then visit SportsLine to see Demling's picks for the Kentucky Derby, all from the expert who has nailed 12 Derby-Oaks doubles.
