Power Ranking All 2026 Kentucky Derby Horses Ahead of 152nd Running
The Kentucky Derby has 20 horses in post and four extra eligible in case of a scratch. Check out the complete ranking of all 24 horses ahead of Saturday's 152nd running at Churchill Downs on May 2nd.
Peter Alexis - April 28, 2026, 5:35 PM EDT
4 Minute Read2026 Kentucky Derby Horses Ranked: All Kentucky Derby Horses Rated Ahead of 152nd Running on Saturday at Churchill Downs
The 2026 Kentucky Derby board is crowded, volatile, and much deeper than a typical year at the top. The favorites are clustered tightly, the post draw created very different paths for the main contenders, and there are enough live longshots that this feels more like a spread-out puzzle than a one-horse race.
Below is a full ranking of the horses from the odds board, with the current favorites first and the deep outsiders last.
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2026 Kentucky Derby Odds
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Kentucky Derby Date, Time, and Where to Watch
- Date: Saturday, May 2, 2026
- Time: 6:57 PM ET
- Where to Watch: NBC, Peacock
2026 Kentucky Derby Horses Ranked
1. Commandment (+500)
Post 6. Trained by Brad Cox for Wathnan Racing, Commandment enters off a Florida Derby win and owns more than $1 million in earnings. He is one of the most proven horses in the field and has the kind of stalking style that fits Churchill well, which is why he sits near the top of both the market and the contender lists.
2. Renegade (+500)
Post 1. Trained by Todd Pletcher for Mike Repole and Robert & Lawana Low, Renegade won the Arkansas Derby and brings 125 Derby points with over $1 million in earnings. The talent is obvious, but the rail draw is tough, and that is the main thing keeping him from feeling like a stronger standalone favorite.
3. Chief Wallabee (+600)
Post 12. Bill Mott trains this homebred for Mike and Katherine Ball, and the colt comes off a third-place finish in the Florida Derby. He has only raced three times, so the upside is there, but he is still much lighter on seasoning than most Derby winners.
4. Further Ado (+750)
Post 18. Another Brad Cox runner, owned by Spendthrift Farm, Further Ado rolled into the Derby off a Blue Grass Stakes win and has $1.14 million in earnings. He has elite connections and recent top-end form, but the wide draw adds a layer of difficulty.
5. The Puma (+1000)
Post 9. Trained by Gustavo Delgado for Ogma Investments, RJ Ranch, and High Step Racing, The Puma was second in the Florida Derby and is by Essential Quality. He looks like one of the most logical value horses among the second tier because he has experience, a favorable enough post, and winning connections.
6. So Happy (+1400)
Post 8. Mark Glatt trains So Happy for Norman Stables and Saints Or Sinners, and the colt arrives off a Santa Anita Derby win with Mike Smith aboard. He is one of the more intriguing midrange contenders because his prep win came late and his draw gives him options.
7. Emerging Market (+1400)
Post 15. Trained by Chad Brown for Klaravich Stables, Emerging Market won the Louisiana Derby despite having made only two career starts. That lack of experience is historically a major obstacle, but it is also part of what makes him one of the field’s most fascinating upside plays.
8. Danon Bourbon (+2000)
Post 7. The Japanese colt, trained by Manabu Ikezoe for Danox Co., comes in unbeaten after winning the Fukuryu Stakes and all three starts by more than 18 combined lengths. The talent is real, but this will be his first U.S. race, which adds uncertainty.
9. Incredibolt (+2000)
Post 11. Riley Mott trains Incredibolt for Pin Oak Stud, and he earned his spot by winning the Virginia Derby. His résumé is uneven, especially after getting blown out in the Holy Bull earlier in the season, but the rebound was sharp enough to keep him relevant at a price.
10. Wonder Dean (+2500)
Post 10. This Japanese runner is trained by Daisuke Takayanagi for Yoshinari Yamamoto and qualified by winning the UAE Derby. He has already handled travel well and owns over $770,000 in earnings, but horses exiting the UAE Derby rarely break through in Louisville.
11. Silent Tactic (+2500)
Post 13. Trained by Mark Casse for John Oxley, Silent Tactic was second in the Arkansas Derby and already has more than $1 million in earnings. He is one of the more credible 20-1 to 30-1 range closers because he has legitimate prep-race class and a post that recent Derby history has liked.
12. Potente (+2500)
Post 14. Bob Baffert trains Potente for Speedway Stables, and the colt was second in the Santa Anita Derby after being bought for $2.4 million. He has pure talent and elite barn appeal, but he still feels a little more expensive upside than polished finished product.
13. Litmus Test (+3300)
Post 4. Also from the Baffert barn, Litmus Test races for SF Racing, Starlight Racing, and Madaket Stables and comes off a poor seventh in the Arkansas Derby. He has pedigree appeal as a son of Nyquist, but his recent form is much shakier than the top names.
14. Fulleffort (+3300)
Post 20. Another Brad Cox horse, owned by St. Elias Stable and Starlight Racing, Fulleffort won the Jeff Ruby Steaks and has earned respect as a turf-to-Derby type. The biggest questions are obvious: the outside post and the fact that he has never raced on dirt.
15. Albus (+4000
Post 2. Trained by Riley Mott for Pin Oak Stud, Albus qualified by winning the Wood Memorial and has 100 Derby points. He is a legitimate horse, but the inside draw and lighter profile relative to the top favorites make him more of a big-price board hit candidate than a likely winner.
16. Right to Party (+4000)
Post 5. Ken McPeek trains him for Chester Broman, and he arrives off a runner-up finish in the Wood Memorial. He is lightly raced, all his starts came at Aqueduct, and the ceiling is still unclear, but post 5 is historically one of the best gates in Derby history.
17. Intrepido (+5000)
Post 3. Trained by Jeff Mullins for Dutch Girl Holdings and Irving Ventures, Intrepido was fourth in the Santa Anita Derby but has drawn attention for a blistering 57-second five-furlong workout at Churchill. He looks more like a live underneath horse than a true win threat.
18. Pavlovian (+5000)
Post 16. Doug O’Neill trains this homebred for Reddam Racing, and Pavlovian enters after a second in the Louisiana Derby. He is one of the field’s more experienced horses and has evolved from a plodder into a front-runner, which gives him some intrigue if the pace scenario goes his way.
19. Golden Tempo (+5000)
Post 19. Trained by Cherie DeVaux for Phipps Stable and St. Elias Stable, Golden Tempo was third in the Louisiana Derby and is by Curlin. He is a deep closer from a difficult outside draw, so the trip will need to break perfectly.
20. Six Speed (+6600)
Post 17. The Dubai-based runner is trained by Bhupat Seemar for a partnership led by Brunetti Dugan Stables, and he was second in the UAE Derby. The wide gate and the historically poor UAE Derby-to-Kentucky Derby pipeline are two major strikes against him.
21. Robusta (+6600)
Also-eligible. Robusta is trained by Doug O’Neill and ridden by Emisael Jaramillo if he draws in, with listed odds around 50-1 in the official entry pool. He is on standby rather than in the main 20-horse gate right now, so his path starts with needing a scratch.
22. Great White (+10000)
Also-eligible. Great White is trained by John Ennis with Alex Achard listed to ride and sits in the deep longshot range if he gets a late opening. Like the other alternates, he is not currently assured a post in the Derby itself.
23. Corona De Oro (+10000)
Also-eligible. Trained by Dallas Stewart and listed with Brian Hernandez Jr., Corona De Oro is another backup entrant who would need help to get into the field. At this stage, he is more insurance horse than live contender.
24. Ocelli (+10000)
Also-eligible. Ocelli is trained by D. Whitworth Beckman and has Joseph Ramos listed in the TwinSpires entry sheet. He is another horse waiting on scratches, and until he draws in, it is hard to give him meaningful Derby win equity.
Horse Racing Odds
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