It is 5/1 the Field for Saturday’s $5 Million Kentucky Derby
by Roy Brindley,
29 April 2026
Renegade drifts to 5/1 joint favourite after drawing post position 1 in a wide-open looking Kentucky Derby.
Renegade has drawn ‘bogey’ post 1 in Saturday’s Kentucky Derby. © Getty Images
Key Facts:
- The 2026 Kentucky Derby takes place this Saturday at Churchill Downs.
- Early betting favourite, Renegade, goes from gate 1.
- Wide-open contest sees bookies bet 5/1 the field.
- Bob Baffert has two chances to take a record-breaking seventh Derby.
The 2026 Kentucky Derby takes place this Saturday at Churchill Downs. The first leg of the fabled Triple Crown, the race is affectionately known as ‘The Run for the Roses’ – in reference to the winning horse being draped in a blanket of roses.
The most-watched and highest-attended horse race in the United States, the contest is regularly described as “the greatest two minutes in sports.” Last year, in the US alone, the 10-furlong race generated over $225 million in wagers.
Its betting volume places it third on the list of America’s top sports betting events, behind only the Super Bowl and the three-week-long March Madness (Basketball). Despite a European runner never winning the contest, UK online betting sites also report significant turnover on the Kentucky Derby.
Who Has the Best and Worst Kentucky Derby Draws?
Post positions for the $5 million race were drawn at the start of the week when Wood Memorial Stakes second, Right To Party drew the plumb 5 gate. The starting lane has produced more Derby winners than any other, ten in total.
The Japanese-trained Wonder Dean, winner of the UAE Derby at Meydan a month ago, was handed a date with starting lane 10. It has been responsible for nine previous Derby winners, as has stall 8. This weekend, it will be filled by the Santa Anita Derby winner, So Happy.
Gate 1, considered a ‘negative’ as it has not produced a Derby winner since 1986, was drawn by early favourite, Renegade. The Todd Pletcher-trained Arkansas Derby winner’s odds swelled to 5/1 (from 7/2) when his post position became known.
The ultimate nightmare draw, 17, which has never delivered a Kentucky Derby winner, has gone to the UAE 2000 Guineas (and UAE Derby second), Six Speed. 2024 Derby-winning jockey Brian Hernandez Jr will ride the UAE-trained horse.
Recent Winners Best Result Before Running in the Derby
- 2025 – Sovereignty (Second in the Florida Derby)
- 2024 – Mystik Dan (Third the Arkansas Derby)
- 2023 – Mage (Second in the Florida Derby)
- 2022 – Rich Strike (Third in the Jeff Ruby Stakes)
- 2021* – Mandaloun (Won the Risen Star Stakes)
- 2020 – Authentic (Won the Haskell Stakes)
- 2019 – Country House (Second in the Risen Star Stakes
- 2018 – Justify (Won the Santa Anita Derby)
- 2017 – Always Dreaming (Won the Florida Derby)
- 2016 – Nyquist (Won the Florida Derby)
- 2015 – American Pharoah (Won the Arkansas Derby)
- 2014 – California Chrome (Won the Santa Anita Derby)
*Following the disqualification of the first-past-the-post
Who Are the Kentucky Derby Favourites?
Bookmakers believe the 2026 Derby is a wide-open affair. Commandment, trained by Brad Cox, who won the 2021 Derby with Mandaloun, is the joint-favourite (alongside Renegade) on odds of 5/1.
Drawn in post 6, Commandment is chasing a five-timer. This year, he has won the Mucho Macho Man Stakes, the Fountain of Youth Stakes and the Florida Derby all at Gulfstream Park. The Florida Derby has been a fruitful source of Kentucky Derby winners, albeit runner-ups have fared as well as its winners.
The Puma, 10/1 in the Ladbrokes betting lists, is the horse that finished second to Commandment in the Florida Derby. Beaten by only a nose, his odds will appeal to many. Intriguingly, Chief Wallabee, the third-placed finisher in this key Derby trial, is shorter in the betting, priced 7/1.
Can Baffert Land a Seventh Derby?
Further Ado, one of three runners representing Brad Cox, is another the bookmakers fear. Second in the Tampa Derby (behind The Puma), he subsequently won Keeneland’s Blue Grass Stakes by 11 lengths. Veteran John Velazquez has been booked to ride the $550,000 sales purchase, which will start from gate 18.
Bob Baffert has already won the Kentucky Derby six times, making him the joint-most successful Derby trainer of all time alongside Ben Jones, who took the prize home between 1938 and 1952.
Responsible for 17 Triple Crown race winners, Bob Baffert has two hopes for this year’s Kentucky Derby: Santa Anita Derby second Potente (20/1), and Litmus Test (50/1), who was never sighted in the Arkansas Derby a month ago.
How Can I Watch the Kentucky Derby?
The 152nd running of the Kentucky Derby, staged at the constantly developing Churchill Downs, is due off at 11.57 pm (UK time) on Saturday, May 2. It is part of a 14-race card featuring five Grade-1 contests. The action can be watched live on Sky Sports’ dedicated Racing channel.
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