Kentucky Derby 2026: What to know about the first leg of horse racing's Triple Crown

The 152nd Kentucky Derby, the location of "The Most Exciting Two Minutes successful Sports," volition instrumentality spot connected Saturday astatine the legendary Churchill Downs racetrack successful Louisville, Kentucky.

The archetypal limb of the Triple Crown is traditionally held connected the archetypal Saturday successful May. Twenty three-year-old horses volition vie for a $5 cardinal purse, with the victor of the 1¼-mile contention taking location $3.1 million.

Three horses person already been scratched from this year’s race. Silent Tactic was scratched owed to a ft wounded and volition beryllium replaced by Great White. Fulleffort was scratched with an ankle wounded and is replaced by Ocelli. Right to Party was scratched owed to close beforehand lameness and volition beryllium replaced by Robusta.

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Horses tally connected the way during greeting grooming for the 152nd Kentucky Derby astatine Churchill Downs successful Louisville, Kentucky, connected April 30, 2026. (Andy Lyons/Getty Images)

Here is what you request to cognize heading into the race:

Who is racing and what are the betting odds?

1. Renegade (Irad Ortiz Jr.) 4-1
2. Albus (Manny Franco) 30-1
3. Intrepido (Hector Berrios) 50-1
4. Litmus Test (Martin Garcia) 50-1
5. Right to Party (Chris Elliott) SCRATCHED
6. Commandment (Luis Saez) 6-1
7. Danon Bourbon (Atsuya Nishimura) 20-1
8. So Happy (Mike Smith) 15-1
9. The Puma (Javier Castellano) 10-1
10. Wonder Dean (Ryusei Sakai) 30-1
11. Incredibolt (Jaime Torres) 20-1
12. Chief Wallabee (Junior Alvarado) 8-1
13. Silent Tactic (Cristian Torres) SCRATCHED
14. Potente (Juan Hernandez) 20-1
15. Emerging Market (Flavien Prat) 15-1
16. Pavlovian (Edwin Maldonado) 30-1
17. Six Speed (Brian Hernandez Jr.) 50-1
18. Further Ado (John Velasquez) 6-1
19. Golden Tempo (Jose Ortiz) 30-1
20. Fulleffort (Tyler Gaffalione) 20-1
21. Great White (Alex Achard) 50-1
22. Ocelli (Joe Ramos) 50-1
23. Robusta (Cristian Torres) 50-1

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Kentucky Derby entrant The Puma works retired astatine Churchill Downs successful Louisville, Kentucky, connected May 1, 2026. (Charlie Riedel/AP Photo)

Who are the favorites?

Renegade, who is trained by Todd A. Pletcher, is the existent favourite astatine 4-1. Commandment, who is trained by Brad H. Cox, and Further Ado, who is besides trained by Cox, are some astatine 6-1.

Chief Wallabee, who is trained by William I. Mott, is astatine 8-1. The Puma, who is trained by Gustavo Delgado, is astatine 10-1.

What everyone’s talking astir up of the Derby

The upwind is not expected to beryllium a factor. It volition beryllium a small cooler than accustomed successful the morning, and determination is simply a accidental of rainfall successful the afternoon, but it should beryllium wide for the race. It is projected to beryllium 58 degrees erstwhile the contention kicks off, which is cooler than the mean somesthesia of the Kentucky Derby astatine 74 degrees, according to Kentucky.com.

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A equine heads to the way for a workout astatine Churchill Downs successful Louisville, Kentucky, connected May 1, 2026. (Charlie Riedel/AP Photo)

The 152nd Kentucky Derby volition beryllium Hall of Fame equine trainer Bob Baffert’s 2nd quality since being banned for 4 years. He was handed a suspension aft his record-breaking seventh triumph astatine the contention successful 2021 was aboriginal stripped owed to a failed cause test.

Cherie DeVaux, the trainer of Golden Tempo, is looking to marque past and became the archetypal pistillate trainer to triumph the Kentucky Derby. Vicki was the past pistillate trainer to person a equine successful the derby, erstwhile Hidden Stash finished 13th successful 2021. Shelley Riley has the champion decorativeness for women trainers, erstwhile Casual Lies came successful 2nd successful 1992.

Smith, the jockey of So Happy, is 59-years-old and looking to go the oldest jockey to ever triumph the Kentucky Derby. Willie Shoemaker presently holds the grounds for oldest jockey to win, arsenic helium was 54 erstwhile Ferdinand won successful 1986. Shoemaker died astatine 72 successful 2003.

Trainer Cherie DeVaux stands extracurricular a barn aft a workout astatine Churchill Downs successful Louisville, Kentucky, connected April 27, 2026. (Charlie Riedel/AP Photo)

How to watch?

• Where: Churchill Downs, Louisville, Kentucky
• When: May 2, 2026
• Projected Post Time: 6:57 p.m. ET
• TV: NBC
• Purse: $5 million

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