The field for the 152nd Kentucky Derby is set. JASON SZENES FOR THE NEW YORK POST The field for the 2026 Kentucky Derby is set, and as expected, No. 1 Renegade was installed as the 4-1 morning-line favorite by oddsmaker Nick Tammaro.
Renegade, trained by Todd Pletcher, checks into Churchill Downs off back-to-back wins at the Sam F. Davis at Tampa Bay Downs and the G1 Arkansas Derby at Oaklawn on March 28. Irad Ortiz Jr., who has yet to win a Kentucky Derby, is set to be aboard Renegade for the 152nd Run for the Roses.
No. 6 Commandment and No. 18 Further Ado, both trained by Brad Cox, are right behind Renegade at 6-1 and 5-1, respectively.
Commandment comes into the Kentucky Derby riding a four-race winning streak, with his two most recent triumphs coming at the Fountain of Youth by a neck and the Florida Derby by a nose. Luis Saez will be aboard Commandment on Saturday.
Further Ado’s last race was a stampeding win by 11 lengths at the Blue Grass Stakes on April 4. The son of Gun Runner has three wins in his last four starts, with the other being a runner-up finish at the Tampa Bay Derby. Three-time Derby winner John Velasquez is set to ride Further Ado.
With a lukewarm favorite at the top of the board, this year’s Derby figures to be wide open, and there are a couple of horses that figure to be trendy long shots as we get closer to post-time on Saturday.
No. 20 Fulleffort, another Cox-trainee, opened as a 20-1 long shot, but could be peaking at the right time after a rampant victory at the Jeff Ruby Steaks on March 21.
The statue of Barbaro during the morning training for the 152nd Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs on April 24, 2026 in Louisville, Kentucky. Getty Images Another price to keep an eye on is No. 15 Emerging Market. Chad Brown’s “other” horse is lightly raced, but undefeated in two career starts. His last effort was an eye-popping victory at the Louisiana Derby on March 21.
The 152nd Kentucky Derby will take place on Saturday, May 2, at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky. Post-time is set for 6:57 p.m. ET.
Michael Leboff is a long-suffering Islanders fan, but a long-profiting sports bettor with 10 years of experience in the gambling industry. He loves using game theory to help punters win bracket pools, find long shots, and learn how to beat the market in mainstream and niche sports.
