Jody Demling has revealed his win, place and show picks for the Kentucky Derby 2026 on Saturday, May 2
By Ross Kelly May 2, 2026 at 1:06 pm ET • 3 min read 
Imagn Images Not all post positions are the same. With 19 horses in the 2026 Kentucky Derby field, and over six decades of Kentucky Derby picks and predictions, there is an advantage of being placed in certain posts over others. For example, 10 horses have won the Kentucky Derby from the No. 5 post spot the starting gate was introduced, a 10.5% win rate. Meanwhile, the favorite on top of the Kentucky Derby 2026 odds is Renegade, who will try to buck history as the first horse to win the Derby from the No. 1 spot in 40 years.
With so much to consider while making your 2026 Kentucky Derby picks, a little expert help can go a long way. Bet the Kentucky Derby with the latest TwinSpires offer code CBSSPORTS to get up to $400 in bonus bets, double what's available to the general public:
Renegade (No. 1 post) is the most notable among Kentucky Derby favorites to get a tough draw. But that's not even close to the most-feared post for Churchill Downs entrants. That would be the No. 17 spot; no horse has ever won from No. 17. The No. 2 spot isn't ideal, either, historically speaking. Triple Crown champion Affirmed was the last winner from there, and that was in 1978. Albus, at 30-1, will try to break that drought. Aside from No. 5, the No. 8 and No. 10 are considered solid start spots.
Given all the history of the race, there's a method to picking which horses to focus on for exacta, trifecta and superfecta bets in a Kentucky Derby like this, and SportsLine expert Jody Demling knows what it is. He can help you make the best 2026 Kentucky Derby picks possible.
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 nailed the top three 2025 Kentucky Derby finishers in the correct order. Anyone who has followed him on those picks could be up huge at sites like FanDuel Racing, TwinSpires, and 1/ST BET.
Now, with the 2026 Kentucky Derby post positions set and odds on the board, Demling is sharing his picks and 2026 Kentucky Derby betting predictions over at SportsLine. Go here to see them, and you can make 2026 Kentucky Derby futures bets at FanDuel Racing here to get $25 in bonuses with a $5 wager:
Top 2026 Kentucky Derby expert picks
Here's a refresher on these types of bets from SportsLine's Jody Demling:
Kentucky Derby Exacta: Pick the first- and second-place finishers in the correct order. A $2 exacta returned $48.32 at the 2025 Kentucky Derby with Sovereignty and Journalism.
Kentucky Derby Trifecta: Pick the first-, second- and third-place finishers in the correct order. A $1 trifecta returned $231.12 at the 2025 Kentucky Derby with Sovereignty, Journalism and Baeza.
Kentucky Derby Superfecta: Pick the first-, second-, third- and fourth-place finishers in the correct order. A $1 superfecta returned a colossal $1682.27 at the 2025 Kentucky Derby with Sovereignty, Journalism, Baeza and Final Gambit.
While Renegade is the 4-1 favorite, Demling isn't high on the Arkansas Derby winner and barely has the colt finishing in the top 10. Instead, he is building his tickets around The Puma (10-1) and an even bigger longshot who could "be a freak," spicing up his 2026 Kentucky Derby exotics. You can see his picks here.
How to make 2026 Kentucky Derby bets
Demling has specific recommendations for exacta, trifecta and superfecta wagers so you can cover all your bases at the Kentucky Derby 2026. He's sharing them over at SportsLine.
So which horses do you take, and in what combinations? Visit SportsLine to get Demling's picks for exacta, trifecta and superfecta bets for the 2026 Kentucky Derby.
