Kentucky Derby week has arrived, and we’re less than a week away from “the greatest two minutes in sports.”
As the first stop of the Triple Crown of American horse racing, the Kentucky Derby is the most watched and attended horse racing event in the United States. This year’s game at historic Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky will be the 152nd in the game’s illustrious history.
advertise
The Arkansas Derby winner and pre-race favorite Rebel will start off the rails after claiming first place. The Disciples and Cougars, fresh off their Florida Derby wins, are also top contenders.
Here’s everything you need to know before the 152nd Run of the Roses.
Kentucky Derby 2026: TV, streaming and where to watch
-
coverage begins: 2:30 p.m. ET
-
Where: Churchill Downs; Louisville, Kentucky
How are the starting spots decided for the 2026 Kentucky Derby?
Each year, Churchill Downs draws lots to determine where each horse will start. One official pulled a piece of paper with the horse’s name from one pile, while another pulled a piece of paper with the door number from another pile.
advertise
This year’s Kentucky Derby drawing will be held on Saturday, April 25.
2026 Kentucky Derby Job Locations
Here’s where each horse will start on Saturday, along with its trainer, jockey and odds:
1. Renegade, Todd Pletcher, Irad Ortiz Jr., 4-1
2. Albus, Riley Mott, Manny Franco, 30-1
3. Intrepido, Jeff Mullins, Hector Berrios, 50-1
4. Litmus Test, Bob Baffert, Martin Garcia, 30-1
5. Right to Party, Kenny McPeak, Chris Elliott, 30-1
6. Discipline, Brad Cox, Luis Saez, 6-1
7. Danone Bourbon, Ikezo Manabu, Nishimura Atsunya, 20-1
8. Pleasure, Mark Glatt, Mike Smith, 15-1
advertise
9. Pumas, Gustavo Delgado, Javier Castellano, 10-1
10. Wonder Dean, Daisuke Takayanagi, Ryusei Sakai, 30-1
11.Incredibolt, Riley Mott, Jaime Torres, 20-1
12. Big Bag Than Chief, Bill Mott, Junior Alvarado, 8-1
13. Silent Tactics, Mark Cass, Christian Torres, 20-1
14. Potente, Bob Baffert, Juan Hernandez, 20-1
15. EM, Chad Brown, Flavien Platt, 15-1
16. Pavlov, Doug O’Neill, Edwin Maldonado, 30-1
17. Six-speed, Bupat Simar, Brian Hernandez Jr., 50-1
18. Further Addo, Brad Cox, John Velasquez, 6-1
19. Golden Rhythm, Cherie DeVoe, Jose Ortiz, 30-1
advertise
20. Fullerford, Brad Cox, Tyler Gaffarion, 20-1
Also suitable when scratches appear:
21. Jaws, John Ennis, Alex Archard, 50-1
22. Ochelli, Whit Beckman, Joe Ramos, 50-1
23. Robusta, Doug O’Neill, Emisael Jaramillo, 50-1
24. Corona de Oro, Dallas Stewart, Brian Hernandez Jr., 50-1
Renegade works on the track during morning practice on April 26, 2026 at Churchill Downs in preparation for the 152nd Kentucky Derby.
Kentucky Derby Winners (ranked by position)
History shows that the inside horse from 1st to 10th is more likely to win the Derby than the outside horse. Here is the ranking of all-time Derby winners:
How many horses are in the Kentucky Derby?
Twenty horses compete in the annual Kentucky Derby. They qualified from the United States as well as the Road to Kentucky Derby Japan and Road to Kentucky Derby Europe, according to the official race website.
advertise
How long does the Kentucky Derby last?
The annual Kentucky Derby is a 1 1/4 mile race, or 10 furlongs. It’s about two kilometers.
What is the Kentucky Derby record?
Secretariat set the record of 1 minute, 59.4 seconds in 1973 at Churchill Downs.
When is the Kentucky Festival of the Oaks in 2026?
The Kentucky Oaks, a sister race to the Derby, is an event for three-year-old thoroughbred mares or mares. This year’s Kentucky Oaks will be held the day before the Kentucky Derby, Friday, May 1, 2026.
2026 Kentucky Derby Odds
Here are the 2026 Kentucky Derby odds provided by the Louisville Courier-Journal, listed in order of post rank.
advertise
Who won last year’s Kentucky Derby?
Sovereignty, under jockey Junior Alvarado, won the 2025 Kentucky Derby in 2:02:31 over a 19-horse field in thick mud at Churchill Downs after a full day of showers.
When the game started, Sovereignty came out of gate 16 with the fourth-best odds of 7-1. Journalism is the favorite with 3-1 odds, coming in second, with Baeza (13-1 odds) rounding out the top three.
Bob Baffert, competing in the Kentucky Derby for the first time since 2021, was held back from becoming the winningest trainer in Kentucky Derby history due to suspension, with Citizen Bull ranking 15th. Baffert’s six Kentucky Derby wins tie him with Ben Jones.
advertise
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: 2026 Kentucky Derby posts locations, odds, TV channels, how to watch