Top horse racing expert Jody Demling reveals picks for 2026 Kentucky Derby horses like Renegade, Commandment, Further Ado and The Puma
By Ross Kelly Apr 29, 2026 at 5:30 pm ET • 4 min read 
Imagn Images Several contenders are in the mix for the most prestigious championship in horse racing, the Kentucky Derby, which goes to post at 6:57 p.m. ET on May 2 at Churchill Downs. Renegade currently tops the 2026 Kentucky Derby odds board as the 4-1 favorite, yet several strong challengers are right on his heels, including Commandment (6-1 odds), Further Ado (6-1) and Chief Wallabee (8-1). Two more horses are at 15-1 or lower odds for Kentucky Derby 2026. That includes The Puma at 10-1.
And then there are still four others at 20-1, including Potente, one of two horses in the field from legendary trainer Bob Baffert. Before making any 2026 Kentucky Derby picks, be sure to see the 2026 Kentucky Derby predictions from SportsLine's elite horse racing expert Jody Demling.
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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 hit a $1,682 supefecta, and then went on to nail 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, expert analysis
One of Demling's surprising 2026 Kentucky Derby picks: He's completely fading Renegade, the morning-line favorite at 4-1. In fact, Demling says Renegade will barely finish inside the top 10 on Saturday. Renegade comes to Churchill Downs off wins at the Arkansas Derby and the Sam F. Davis Stakes. He drew the challenging inside rail position, however, and 1986 was the last time a horse won the Kentucky Derby breaking from Post No. 1. The favorite also hasn't won the Kentucky Derby since 2018, so Demling sees too much working against Renegade this year. See who to back at SportsLine.
Demling also locked in his 2026 Kentucky Derby prediction for Commandment, who is the half-brother of Renegade and is listed at 6-1 in the Kentucky Derby odds. Commandment comes to Churchill Downs on a four-race winning streak, including winning back-to-back graded-stakes races: the Florida Derby and the Fountain of Youth Stakes. The Florida Derby has produced more Kentucky Derby winners than any other prep race, but it's been nearly a decade since the most recent one, so that's a trend to keep in mind when betting on Commandment. Bet the Kentucky Derby with the latest FanDuel Racing promo, which lets users bet $5 and get $25 in bonuses:
Demling has also locked in his 2026 Kentucky Derby picks for Further Ado (6-1). One interesting note from Demling's advanced Kentucky Derby scouting report: While he does have the highly regarded Further Ado as part of his exotics picks, it's not as the potential winner. The Brad Cox-trained Further Ado has won three of his last four races, including the Grade 1 Blue Grass at Keeneland in Lexington.
Further Ado's 127 Speed Score in that Blue Grass victory was elite, as he demolished the field. But it also raised some eyebrows, as it was well ahead of his previous two scores in graded races (109 and 104). It has Demling questioning what to take out of it. We do know the horse as the pedigree. Further Ado is the son of Hall of Famer Gun Runner, the 2017 Horse of the Year and Breeders' Cup champion. See which other horses to back at SportsLine, and you can make 2026 Kentucky Derby bets at TwinSpires here with the offer code CBSSPORTS:
How to make 2026 Kentucky Derby picks, bets
Demling is also high on a longshot who "demolished the field" in his last start. Anyone who backs this colt 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 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.
