Jody Demling, who nailed a $1,682 Kentucky Derby superfecta last year, reveals his 2026 Kentucky Derby picks for the Run for the Roses on Saturday, May 2 at Churchill Downs
By Ross Kelly May 1, 2026 at 11:00 pm ET • 3 min read 
Imagn Images The spotlight turns to Churchill Downs on Saturday, May 2 for the 152nd Kentucky Derby. Rather than a single standout, this year's Run for the Roses features a wide-open field with seven horses listed at 15-1 or shorter 2026 Kentucky Derby odds. A total of 2 horses are entered into the 2026 Kentucky Derby, and realistically, many of them have a case to hit the board. Bet the Kentucky Derby with the exclusive TwinSpires offer code CBSSPORTS to receive up to $400 in bonus bets here, double what's available to the general public:
Renegade currently sits as the top choice at 4-1 for Kentucky Derby 2026, followed closely by Commandment (6-1) and Further Ado (6-1). Eight additional contenders also have strong cases to win, making expert analysis especially valuable. Before making any 2026 Kentucky Derby picks, be sure to see the 2026 Kentucky Derby predictions and best bets from SportsLine's elite horse racing expert Jody Demling.
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, helping him cash a $1,682 superfecta, 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 to SportsLine to see them.
Top 2026 Kentucky Derby predictions
One of Demling's surprising 2026 Kentucky Derby picks: Demling is fading Renegade, the morning-line favorite at 4-1, saying, "He was my original pick, but there are just too many things going against him." The post-position draw is one of those things that went against Renegade as he'll start on the rail. It's been 40 years since a horse drew the No. 1 post and won the Kentucky Derby, and it's nearly been a decade since a horse from the inside post even finished in the money.
Also not necessarily in the horse's favor is his jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. While he's a five-time winner of the Outstanding Jockey award, Ortiz is a zero-time winner at the Kentucky Derby. He's 0 for 9 at The Run for the Roses, never even finishing in the money. Even when riding the 4-1 favorite, Improbable, at the 2019 Derby, Ortiz could only muster a fourth-place finish, which was originally a fifth place before a horse DQ'ed. See who to back at SportsLine.
Another stunner: Demling is high on The Puma at 10-1. The Puma has only one career victory in four races, but his connections haven't ducked the best competition out there.
In the four races for The Puma, the three other winners were Commandment, Renegade and Chief Wallabee -- all top Kentucky Derby 2026 contenders. He bested Further Ado, another Derby favorite, to win the Tampa Bay Derby on March 7. "I have moved him up on the board," Demling writes on SportsLine. "Can't wait to see him in person." See which other horses to back at SportsLine, and you can sign up for FanDuel Racing for the Kentucky Derby here and get $25 in bonus bets with a $5 wager:
How to make 2026 Kentucky Derby picks, bets
Demling is also high on a stunning longshot who "could be a freak." Anyone who backs this sleeper pick could hit it big. 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 stunning 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.
