The 152nd Kentucky Derby will take place on Saturday as 20 horses vie for the coveted blanket of roses
By Gene Menez Apr 28, 2026 at 2:40 pm ET • 3 min read 
Imagn Images The country's oldest continuously held sporting event returns for the 152nd time on Saturday when the starting gate opens for the 2026 Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky. Held every year since 1875, the Derby features the nation's best 3-year-olds competing to win the first leg of horse racing's Triple Crown.
This year's race features a deep and wide-open field of 20 horses. The field is so deep, in fact, that there is a question over what horse will leave the starting gate as the favorite. Arkansas Derby winner Renegade, who is conditioned by two-time Kentucky Derby-winning trainer Todd Pletcher, is the lukewarm 4-1 morning-line favorite. But Renegade, who drew the No. 1 post position, will be trying to overcome 40 years of Derby history; no horse from the No. 1 post has won the race since Ferdinand did so in 1986.
That leaves open the possibility of another horse becoming the betting favorite. Florida Derby winner Commandment (6-1) has won four straights races and has showed heart in doing so, winning his last two starts by a neck and a nose. Meanwhile, Further Ado (6-1) owns the best speed figures in the field and is coming off an 11-length romp in the Blue Grass Stakes. Both Commandment and Further Ado are trained by Louisville native Brad Cox.
Trainer Bill Mott, who won last year's Kentucky Derby with Sovereignty, is back with another strong contender in the lightly raced but talented Chief Wallabee (8-1). To get to the winner's circle, Mott will not only have to beat Pletcher, Cox and Bob Baffert, he also will have to beat his own son, Riley, who is the trainer of two Derby longshots: Incredibolt (20-1) and Albus (30-1).
And once again, the race has an international flavor. Two horses based in Japan, Danon Bourbon (20-1) and Six Speed (50-1), and one from the United Arab Emirates, Wonder Dean (30-1), have come from across the world to race. But history says they face a difficult task. Horses from Japan are 0-for-10 and horses from the UAE are 0-for-20 in the Derby.
But no horse would produce more tears in the winner's circle than So Happy (15-1) winning the Run for the Roses. This California-based colt is trained by Mark Glatt, who earlier this year lost his wife of 25 years, Dena, from cardiac arrest. Moments after So Happy won the Santa Anita Derby four weeks ago to give the 53-year-old Glatt the first Kentucky Derby starter of his career, the trainer told SportsLine's Michelle Yu in the winner's circle, "[Dena] got that horse there today."
Which horse wins the Kentucky Derby, and which huge double-digit longshot is a must-back? Visit SportsLine to see Jody Demling's picks for the Kentucky Derby, all from the expert who has nailed the $1,682 superfecta in last year's race.
Below is all the information you need to know about the 152nd Kentucky Derby.
Where to watch the 2026 Kentucky Derby
Date: Saturday, May 2 Post time: 6:57 p.m. ET Location: Churchill Downs -- Louisville, Ky. TV: NBC | Stream: FuboTV (try for free)
2026 Kentucky Derby odds, listed by program number
1 Renegade (4-1) 2 Albus (30-1) 3 Intrepido (50-1) 4 Litmus Test (50-1) 5 Right to Party (30-1) 6 Commandment (6-1) 7 Danon Bourbon (20-1) 8 So Happy (15-1) 9 The Puma (10-1) 10 Wonder Dean (30-1) 11 Incredibolt (20-1) 12 Chief Wallabee (8-1) 13 Silent Tactic (20-1) 14 Potente (20-1) 15 Emerging Market (15-1) 16 Pavlovian (30-1) 17 Six Speed (50-1) 18 Further Ado (6-1) 19 Golden Tempo (30-1) 20 Fulleffort (20-1)
Also eligible: 21 Great White (50-1) 22 Ocelli (50-1) 23 Robusta (50-1) 24 Corona de Oro (50-1)
Where is the Kentucky Derby?
The Kentucky Derby takes place at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky., every year on the first Saturday in May.
How long is the Kentucky Derby?
Since 1896, the race has been 1 1/4 miles.
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