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 6:03 pm ET • 3 min read 
Imagn Images Most Run for the Roses races are fairly close, and the 2026 Kentucky Derby edition figures to be no different. Last year, Sovereignty defeated Journalism by just 1½ lengths, and in 2024 Mystic Dan shaded Sierra Leone by a nose. It has been nearly two decades since a horse won by more than six lengths, with Mine That Bird last doing it in 2009 by 6¾ lengths over Pioneer of the Nile. Renegade is the morning-line favorite at 4-1, followed by Further Ado (6-1), Commandment (6-1) and Chief Wallabee (8-1). The 152nd running of the Kentucky Derby goes to post at 6:57 p.m. ET on Saturday. 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:
Trainer Bill Mott is aiming for a historic victory at the Kentucky Derby 2026. A win with Chief Wallabee would make Mott the first trainer to achieve back-to-back Kentucky Derby wins since Bob Baffert did it in 1997 with Silver Charm and in 1998 with Real Quiet. Unlike last year's sloppy track victory with Sovereignty, Mott's horse will be running on a dry and cool Churchill Downs this year.
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 a big 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.
