2026 Kentucky Derby Best Picks & Predictions To Win
The 152nd running of the Kentucky Derby is scheduled for Saturday, May 2. The official post time is 6:57 p.m. ET, which is the 12th race on a 14-run slate. The race can be viewed on NBC and/or USA Network.
Late on Friday, Right to Party was scratched from the No. 5 post, which would have been a very favorable starting spot. Apparently Right to Party had right front lameness, or an abnormality or pain in the horse’s right front leg affecting the natural gait. The horse and/or jockey could have been in danger if the race was run without any precautions.
With Right to Party out less than 24 hours before post time, Robusta gets the unexpected call. Robusta will run from Post No. 23.
In addition, we saw Fulleffort scratched on Thursday, so Ocelli gets the starting nod from Post No. 20. Ocelli is a maiden, attempting to become just the fourth maiden to win the Kentucky Derby. The last horse to win its first race in the Kentucky Derby happened way back in 1933.
Earlier in the week, Silent Tactic was also scratched, giving way to Great White, who goes off from Post No. 19.
How to Bet on the 2026 Kentucky Derby >>
2026 Kentucky Derby Best Picks & Predictions to Win
Odds courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook | All bets are for 1 unit
Commandment To Win (6-1)
Commandment, trained by Brad H. Cox and ridden by Luis Saez, is tied with both Renegade and So Happy for the shortest odds, or chalk, at the time of publishing. The odds should change again on Saturday, when most bets come in.
This horse is owned by Wathnan Racing, with Lee Pokoik as the breeder. This horse might as well be owned by DJ Khaled, because all he does is win, win, win, no matter what. At the Curlin Florida Derby (G1) at Gulfstream Park in late March, Commandment strolled to the win with an Equibase score of 97. Prior to that, in the Coolmore Fountain of Youth Stakes (G2), also at Gulfstream, Commandment won. Before that, in early January, in the Mucho Macho Man Stakes (Listed), again at Gulfstream, Commandment was a winner. And, at Churchill Downs, in a Maiden Special Weight race on Nov. 1, 2025, yep, Commandment won. That’s four straight races and four consecutive victories.
What’s not to like about Commandment? Thou shalt cash tickets on Saturday.
Pick: Commandment To Win (+600)
Further Ado To Win (7-1)
A lot of money came in on Further Ado on Friday, perhaps due to the shrinking field with Right to Party becoming the third contender to get scratched.
Further Ado, the chestnut colt is also trained by Brad H. Cox, with John R. Velasquez aboard for the ride. Cox last picked up a win as trainer in 2021 with Mandaloun, and Florent Geroux was his jockey. Velasquez has taken Authentic to the winner’s circle at Churchill Downs in 2020, while also winning the Kentucky Derby aboard Always Dreaming, a Todd Pletcher-trained horse, in 2017. He was also aboard Animal Kingdom in 2011 for H. Graham Motion and Team Valor International.
With such a talented and decorated jockey aboard, no wonder the money is starting to flow en masse on Further Ado.
Pick: Further Ado To Win (+700)
Chief Wallabee (8-1)
Chief Wallabee goes off from Post No. 12, and jockey Junior Alvarado is looking to make history. He was aboard Sovereignty in 2025 with trainer Bill Mott. Now, that dynamic duo is looking to go back-to-back. Mott is also attempting to win consecutive races at the Kentucky Derby for the first time since Bob Baffert in 1997-98 with Silver Charm and Real Quiet.
Oh, and we haven’t had a jockey/trainer combo to win in back-to-back Kentucky Derbys since Ron Turcotte was aboard Riva Ridge in 1972, and Secretariat in 1973, with Lucien Laurin as the trainer for Meadow Stable.
Chief Wallabee finished third behind Commandment at the Curlin Florida Derby (G1) at Gulfstream. Wallabee was also second to Commandment at the Coolmore Fountain of Youth Stakes (G2) at Gulfstream in late February.
Go with Chief Wallabee not to win, but to place.
Pick: Chief Wallabee To Place (+600)
Joe Williams is a featured writer at BettingPros. For more from Joe, check out his archive and follow him @winwithjoe