2026 Kentucky Derby Odds, Post Positions, Picks: Golden Tempo Posts Upset
Kentucky Derby odds for the 2026 event are now in the rearview mirror, as the 152nd Run for the Roses is over. The Triple Crown opener took place on May 2.
And it was a gem of a race. Golden Tempo, a 23/1 shot, rallied from dead last to win at the wire, edging Renegade, who closed as the 5/1 co-favorite.
Check back for updates on odds to win the Kentucky Derby, and use our FanDuel Racing promo code to get the most out of your action in 2026.
(Feature image: Matt Stone/Imagn Images)
2026 Kentucky Derby Odds
Saturday Update
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POSTRACE UPDATE: Golden Tempo closed at 23/1 and was at the back of the 19-horse field heading to the final turn. But under jockey Jose Ortiz, the horse steadily gained ground until ultimately overtaking favorite Renegade in the final strides.
Interestingly, Ortiz's brother Irad Ortiz Jr. was the jockey atop Renegade, creating a thrilling 1-2 finish for the siblings.
Golden Tempo paid $48.24 on a $2 win bet. And with 70/1 long shot Ocelli finishing third, a $1 trifecta bet paid a hefty $11,250.78.
It's now on to the second leg of the Triple Crown. Check out Patrick Everson's 2026 Preakness Odds report.
LATE UPDATE: Thirty minutes before post time, Renegade is back to the 5/1 favorite, along with Commandment. So Happy, Further Ado and Chief Wallabee are 6/1, and Emerging Market is 9/1.
"You've got five horses between 5/1 and 6/1. It is a total coin flip as to who will be the favorite," TwinSpires Racing's Jared DeRossett said. "Emerging Market continues creeping, and I wouldn't be shocked to see him go shorter, as [trainer] Chad Brown goes for the Oaks/Derby double.
"I was and am still fairly high on Chief Wallabee, but not at 6/1. I think I'm going to look elsewhere and take a stab with No. 7 horse Danon Bourbon (14/1). The Japanese have been knocking at the door, and I think this one can do it."
EARLY UPDATE: This morning brought another scratch, and it was from one of the favorites. The Puma, who was 7/1, bowed out with leg swelling, and there's not a replacement horse, so the field is down to 19.
Between The Puma's exit and betting so far today, there's a logjam in Kentucky Derby odds. Renegade has slipped a tick, from 5/1 co-favorite to 6/1 co-second choice, with Commandment and So Happy still at 5/1.
Further Ado is also 6/1, and Chief Wallabee has surged to 7/1. Then comes another trendy pick in Emerging Market, who's 9/1 as of 5:30 p.m. ET. Post time is 6:57 p.m. ET.
"It's an incredibly flat board. This is trending toward the first time since 2018 that six horses will be less than 10/1," said Ed DeRosa, horse race betting expert for Horse Racing Nation. "So Happy Seems to be the sentimental buzz horse."
So Happy opened 15/1 after last Saturday's post draw, in which he drew the No. 8 gate. He moved into 6/1 Tuesday and 5/1 today.
So who's DeRosa like, and is there a longer shot worth a look?
"I'm on Further Ado. The bettors are getting this right, that it's a top-heavy race," DeRosa said. "Wonder Dean is the only horse greater than 20/1 that I'm excited about."
Friday Update
LATEST UPDATE: Right To Party, who would've broken from the fifth post and opened 30/1, scratched with a right front leg issue, the third horse to bow out. Taking Right To Party's place is Robusta (50/1), who will start from the 20th gate.
As of 4 p.m. ET Friday, Renegade remains the 5/1 favorite, just ahead of 6/1 So Happy. Commandment, Further Ado and The Puma are all still 7/1.
Christina Blacker, a horse racing expert and a host/analyst/reporter for FanDuel TV, noted this race was wide open during Derby prep season and remains so ahead of Saturday's 6:57 p.m. ET post time. She's on board with Renegade as the favorite in Kentucky Derby odds, with a caveat.
"He looks like the best selection coming into Kentucky Derby week. But he drew the rail, which is one of the most difficult positions in Kentucky Derby history," Blacker said, noting wins are rare from the No. 1 post.
"You're starting to see money shift away from Renegade to horses with similar form, but better post positions. I think money will continue to come in for Further Ado. Emerging Market is shortening, but I think you'll still see value from him."
Further Ado keeps the No. 18, but will now break from the 16th post, due to the scratches. Emerging Market drew the 15th slot and is now moving to the 13th slot, while still being No. 15 for betting purposes.
Emerging Market's odds have shifted this week from 15/1 to 12/1, and Blacker thinks he could be a dark horse.
"For me, Emerging Market would be that horse, because I think you're still gonna get around 10/1 at post time," Blacker said, while noting she doesn't foresee a long-shot winner. "There are probably seven to eight horses I could really make a case for, up to 12/1."
Blacker also noted that the favorite in Kentucky Derby odds has finished in the exacta – first or second place – in 11 of the past 14 years. So the favorite closer to race time – be it Renegade or Further Ado or whomever – along with a second horse you like could be a prudent exacta box.
Thursday Update
PREVIOUS UPDATE: As of 1:30 p.m. ET Thursday, two horses have dropped out, both in the past 24 hours. Silent Tactic, who opened 20/1 after drawing the 13th post, exited Wednesday with a bruised hoof.
Fulleffort fell out Thursday morning with a hind-leg bone chip. He was in the 20th and last post, also opening 20/1. Great White (41/1) and Ocelli (50/1) are now in the field.
Renegade remains the 5/1 favorite, with So Happy 6/1, and Commandment, Further Ado and The Puma all 7/1. DraftKings Racing's director of operations Johnny Avello discussed parimutuel action so far.
"Danon Bourbon took quite a bit of money early, going from 20/1 to 7/1, and he's now 14/1," Avello said. "So Happy has been steady. He took some money early, and that money continues to come in."
So Happy, in the No. 8 gate, opened 15/1 following Saturday's post draw. But Avello leans more toward other horses at the top of Kentucky Derby odds.
"I think Renegade, Commandment, Chief Wallabee and Further Ado are horses that are probably the best coming into the race. But that doesn't mean any of them will be the winner," Avello said. "The break from the gate could determine whether you win.
"You won't necessarily win from the break, but you could lose."
Favorites and Dark Horses
LATEST UPDATE: So how does DraftKings' Avello, a respected horse racing oddsmaker and avid fan of the sport, see things evolving over the final 48 hours or so?
"You'll see the odds change a couple races before the Derby, and the true favorite will be established then," he said. "I still think the public will bet Renegade. But no horse should be shorter than 5/1 in this race. There'll be no short favorite of 5/2 or 3/1."
Avello also noted potential dark-horse prospects.
"A couple that could be a little dangerous: The Puma could have a shot, and Six Speed on the outside. There's a good chance Six Speed goes and takes the lead. Brian Hernandez knows how to ride. Six Speed could be on the lead and create a little excitement.
"And Golden Tempo, too. If the pace is really fast and he gets good position, he could have a good trip and get a piece of the action."
Six Speed and Golden Tempo are both 45/1, breaking from the 16th and 18th posts, respectively.
Previous Kentucky Derby Updates
Click here to see our prior Kentucky Derby odds and action updates
Renegade Modest Favorite
PREVIOUS UPDATE: Parimutuel betting opened Tuesday, and there's already been some shuffling around in odds to win the Kentucky Derby. Five horses in the full field are at 10/1 or shorter, with Renegade still leading the way, though he's slipped from 4/1 to 5/1.
As of Wednesday afernoon, Further Ado remains the 6/1 co-second choice. But he's now joined by So Happy, who's made a sizable early move from Saturday's 15/1 opener.
Commandment was the 6/1 co-second choice and slipped a tick to 7/1, along with The Puma, who's improved from 10/1.
TwinSpires sports analyst Jared DeRossett still thinks the post-time favorite will come the original top three horses in the field.
"Renegade, Commandment and Further Ado should be duking it out for who goes off as post-time favorite," DeRossett said. "With Renegade getting that rail post, I wouldn’t be shocked to see Commandment or Further Ado take over as the favorite."
Further Ado is breaking from the No. 18 gate and Commandment from the No. 6 slot.
"Further Ado is the horse that took one of the bigger leaps from [the last Derby futures pool] to morning-line odds, 17/1 to 6/1," DeRossett said. "The futures pool closed on the April 4, prior to the running of the Blue Grass Stakes, in which Further Ado dominated by 11 lengths, albeit vs a weak field.
"So that is the main reason for the price drop."
Early Climber
PREVIOUS UPDATE: So Happy leapt from 93/1 in futures to 15/1 after Saturday's post draw, largely due to an impressive Santa Anita Derby victory on April 4. Since betting opened Tuesday, as noted above, So Happy has continued to climb the 2026 Kentucky Derby odds board.
After Saturday's post draw, Chief Wallabee opened as the 8/1 fourth choice. But since betting opened Tuesday, he's slid out to the 13/1 seventh choice.
"I'm kind of surprised by Chief Wallabee's move," DeRossett said. "He's a horse that I like. He’s been beaten by Commandment twice at Gulfstream. But I think with the addition of blinkers, plus the connections – jockey Junior Alvarado and trainer Bill Mott – this horse could pop."
DeRossett is also intrigued by Emerging Market, who will break from the No. 15 post. He's shortened from 15/1 to 12/1.
"He's certainly the greenest horse in the field, but ran a good race against a decent field, winning the Louisiana Derby in March," DeRossett said. "He draws a good position and has the potential to run a big one, with Flavien Prat on the mount.
"It's a big step up in class, but I think Emerging Market has some more upside left. Chief Wallabee and Emerging Market seem to be wise-guy horses early in the week. Especially Emerging Market, with Flavien's track record in Triple Crown races."
Indeed, in 16 Triple Crown mounts, Prat has two wins, two seconds, seven thirds and four fourth-place finishes.
OPENING ODDS UPDATE: Kentucky Derby futures were up for a few months, but those closed a few weeks ago. Saturday's post draw at Churchill Downs, a week before race day, led to fresh numbers on Kentucky Derby odds from TwinSpires Racing.
After the draw, Renegade opened as the 4/1 favorite, despite landing the No. 1 post. The last time a horse won from that position was 40 years ago, when Ferdinand did so in the 1986 Run for the Roses.
Still, Renegade's track record merits the tag of favorite. He's coming off back-to-back wins in a pair of Derby prep races, taking the Sam F. Davis on Feb. 7 and the Arkansas Derby on March 28.
"The No. 1 post has certainly been the kiss of death and may cause some reluctancy for bettors," TwinSpires analyst Jared DeRossett said. "However, I don't think that'll keep Renegade from remaining the favorite, just based on his connections and body of work.
"I think as we get closer to post time, people are gonna hammer the favorite."
Renegade is trained by Todd Pletcher, who has two Kentucky Derby wins to his credit, in 2010 with Super Saver and 2017 with Always Dreaming.
Further Ado and Commandment opened as the 6/1 co-second choice in odds to win the Kentucky Derby. Commandment drew the sixth post, while Further Ado will start from outside at No. 18 among the 20 entries.
Commandment is on a four-race win streak, including two Derby preps. On Feb. 28, he won the Fountain of Youth, then followed with a Florida Derby victory on March 28.
Further Ado has three firsts and a second in his last four starts. He ran in two Derby preps, taking second to The Puma in the March 7 Tampa Bay Derby, then winning the Blue Grass on April 4.
The Puma is the 10/1 fifth choice in 2026 Kentucky Derby odds, just behind 8/1 Chief Wallabee. The Puma will break from gate No. 9, and Chief Wallabee is in the 12th slot.
Kentucky Derby Post Positions 🏇
Post positions, followed by opening Morning Line odds from Saturday, April 25:
- Renegade (4-1)
- Trainer: Todd Pletcher
- Jockey: Irad Ortiz Jr.
- Albus (30-1)
- Trainer: Riley Mott
- Jockey: Manny Franco
- Intrepido (50-1)
- Trainer: Jeff Mullins
- Jockey: Hector Berrios
- Litmus Test (30-1)
- Trainer: Bob Baffert
- Jockey: TBD
- Right to Party (30-1)
- Trainer: Kenny McPeek
- Jockey: Chris Elliott
- Commandment (6-1)
- Trainer: Brad Cox
- Jockey: Luis Saez
- Danon Bourbon (20-1)
- Trainer: Manabu Ikezoe
- Jockey: Atsuya Nishimura
- So Happy (15-1)
- Trainer: Mark Glatt
- Jockey: Mike Smith
- The Puma (10-1)
- Trainer: Gustavo Delgado
- Jockey: Javier Castellano
- Wonder Dean (30-1)
- Trainer: Daisuke Takayanagi
- Jockey: Ryusei Sakai
- Incredibolt (20-1)
- Trainer: Riley Mott
- Jockey: Jaime Torres
- Chief Wallabee (8-1)
- Trainer: Bill Mott
- Jockey: Junior Alvarado
- Silent Tactic (20-1)
- Trainer: Mark Casse
- Jockey: Cristian Torres
- Potente (20-1)
- Trainer: Bob Baffert
- Jockey: Juan Hernandez
- Emerging Market (15-1)
- Trainer: Chad Brown
- Jockey: Flavien Prat
- Pavlovian (30-1)
- Trainer: Doug O'Neill
- Jockey: Edwin Maldonado
- Six Speed (50-1)
- Trainer: Bhupat Seemar
- Jockey: TBD
- Further Ado (18-1)
- Trainer: Brad Cox
- Jockey: John Velazquez
- Golden Tempo (30-1)
* Trainer: Cherie Devaux
* Jockey: Jose Ortiz - Fulleffort (20-1)
* Trainer: Brad Cox
* Jockey: Tyler Gaffalione
2026 Kentucky Derby Info
Race: 12
Purse: $5 million
Distance: 1 1/4 Miles
Surface: Dirt
Date: Saturday, May 2, 2026
Post-Time: 6:57 p.m. ET
TV: NBC
Venue: Churchill Downs
Location: Louisville, Ky.
The Kentucky Derby field has a maximum of 20 horses, who must qualify to enter. The qualifying process is often termed Road to the Kentucky Derby. Horses compete in set races to earn points toward qualification.
Kentucky Derby Online Betting 2026
Hundreds of thousands of fans look forward to betting on the Kentucky Derby. Odds and predictions will change as the 151st Kentucky Derby draws near.
Some prefer early Kentucky Derby online betting, perhaps in the futures market, before the draw is held. Others wait for the day of the Run for the Roses to place their bets.
From there, where should you place your bet? VegasInsider recommends official Kentucky Derby Betting Partner TwinSpires.
Morning Line Odds for the Kentucky Derby are available during race week. The official morning-line odds are announced after the post positions for the field have been set.
Types Of Kentucky Derby Betting
Futures Betting
Kentucky Derby futures wagering is a great option for all those who enjoy early betting. This type of bet is usually available throughout the Road to the Kentucky Derby prep races.
Win, Place & Show Bets
Win, place and show bets are types of wagers that new players usually stick to. Just like the name suggests, a win bet is a bet placed on the horse that you hope to win the Kentucky Derby.
With place bets, you can get a return if your selection finishes first, second, or sometimes even fourth or fifth depending on the bookie’s offer. It goes without saying that the odds are much lower, but this type of bet is more reassuring.
Show bet is the next in line. It’s quite simple - you win if your selection finishes in the top three. As you probably imagine, this bet comes with lower risk, but also a lower payoff.
Of course, it’s up to you to decide which one of these options is the best for you. There are also some other, maybe slightly more complicated types of wagers. But once you get familiar with them, you’ll see that they can be easily understood. So, let’s get started!
Exacta Bet
If you’ve already tried some of the previous types of bets and you’d like to try something new when it comes to Kentucky Derby online betting, exacta is the next one on our list we’d like to discuss.
In this type of bet, you have to choose two runners who you’ll think will finish first and second, but in exact order. That’s what makes this type of bet more complicated compared to those we discussed earlier. Of course, bigger risk means bigger potential payouts.
Trifecta Bet
Another type of bet that you can try is trifecta bet. It’s similar to an exacta, but just like the name suggests, this type of wager involves three horses. Choose three runners you think will finish in the top three, in the exact order, and wait for the outcome of the race.
If the “exact order” part of the bet is what bothers you, there’s another option called a boxed trifecta wager. With this modified trifecta bet, you also have to choose three horses, but the order is not important.
History Of The Kentucky Derby
Capping the two-week-long Kentucky Derby Festival, the race is also known as "the most exciting two minutes in sports".
Popularly called the Run for the Roses because of the blanket of roses draped over the Derby winner, the first Derby took place in 1875. Since then, it has been held annually in Louisville, Ky., without interruption – not even during the Great Depression and both World Wars.
The Kentucky Derby is the first leg of the American Triple Crown, followed by the Preakness Stakes, then the Belmont Stakes.
Only 13 horses have won all three races in the Triple Crown, in those 151 runnings. Justify was the last horse to win the Triple Crown, in 2018.
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152nd Kentucky Derby Betting Results
Golden Tempo, a 23/1 betting choice, won the 2026 Kentucky Derby under jockey Jose Ortiz, edging 5/1 favorite Renegade at the wire.
Cherie Devaux became the first woman trainer to have a Derby winner. Golden Tempo paid out $48.24 on a $2 bet, while the Golden Tempo/Renegade exacta paid $278.86 on a $2 bet.
The trifecta was huge, thanks not only to Golden Tempo, but to 70/1 shot Ocelli finishing third. A $2 bet paid $11,250.78.
2026 Kentucky Derby Results
(Win-Place-Show)
1) 19 Golden Tempo ($48.24, $19.14, $11.90)
2) 1 Renegade ($7.14, $5.46)
3) 22 Ocelli ($36.34)
2026 Kentucky Derby Payouts
- $2 Exacta (19-1): $48.24
- $1 Trifecta (19-1-22): $11,250.78
- $1 Superfecta (19-1-22-12): $94,489.95
2026 Kentucky Derby Finish Order
Finish order, with post in parentheses and each horse's odds:
- (19) Golden Tempo (23-1)
- (1) Renegade (5-1)
- (22) Ocelli (70-1)
- (12) Chief Wallabee (7-1)
- (7) Danon Bourbon (14-1)
- (11) Incredibolt (27-1)
- (6) Commandment (7-1)
- (10) Wonder Dean (20-1)
- (8) So Happy (6-1)
- (15) Emerging Market (11-1)
- (18) Further Ado (7-1)
- (14) Potente (23-1)
- (17) Six Speed (40-1)
- (23) Robusta (50-1)
- (2) Albus (50-1)
- (3) Intrepido (55-1)
- (4) Litmus Test (34-1)
- (16) Pavlovian (51-1)
Kentucky Derby Winners (Last 10)
2026 - Golden Tempo
2025 - Sovereignty
2024 - Mystik Dan
2023 - Mage
2022 - Rich Strike
2021 - *Medina Spirit (Mandaloun)
2020 - Authentic
2019 - Country House
2018 - Justify
2017 - Always Dreaming
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