Well, it’s here.

After all the two-year-old races in 2025 and the preps in 2026, we have our Kentucky Derby field. I feel it’s a competitive group with no overwhelming favorite, and like most Derbies, excellent value exists. There are (4) colts (The Puma, Chief Wallabee, Potente & Emerging Market) that have never raced as 2-year-olds and (2) colts (Danon Bourbon & Wonder Dean) shipping in from Japan. Then there’s Pavlovian, who has already raced 10 times in his young career. If you’re looking for more imperfections, Renegade (very talented) has Post 1, which isn’t great. Commandment has won 4 of 5 starts, but two of the top jockeys (Irad Ortiz Jr & Flavien Prat) who have piloted him, jumped ship to ride other horses.

The two horses to the left of Further Ado (Six Speed & Pavlovian) may both try to make the lead, which may give him a chance to be forwardly placed.

The start of this 1 ¼ mile contest is notoriously chaotic, which won’t necessarily win the race for one of these horses but can certainly lose it for them.

2026 Kentucky Derby best bet, pick

My Selections:

Win/Place/Show – Further Ado

Exactas & Trifectas – Further Ado keyed in the first & second position using the following horses: Renegade, Commandment, The Puma, Chief Wallabee, Pavlovian, Golden Tempo & Litmus Test

Remember to OPT-IN Saturday on either DK Horse or DraftKings Racing and play the finest promotion you’ll find anywhere for this year’s Derby. It’s called” King of The Track” and here’s how it works: Opt-In and bet $5 to Win on any one Kentucky Derby horse in the field. If your horse wins The Kentucky Derby, not only do you get paid based on the pari-mutuel odds, but you also share in the 1 MILLION DOLLAR pool with others who also selected that winning horse. Last year, Sovereignty won the Derby and went off at 8-1. The $5 pari-mutuel payout was $44.90 plus an additional $291 from King of The Track Promotion! Doesn’t this sound like an offer you can’t refuse? Best of luck to everyone!

Betting on horse racing online has never been easier or more fun than with DK Horse. Add to the excitement of watching a race live by placing a wager on your picks and cheer them on to victory! Check out the upcoming horse racing schedule and bet on horse racing events, including the Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes, and Belmont Stakes, the premier races that make up the Triple Crown.

Johnny Avello is an employee of DraftKings. Personal views on the races and strategies above do not necessarily reflect the view(s) of DraftKings and do not constitute a representation that any particular strategy will guarantee success. All customers should use their own skills and judgment in selecting their horses to wager upon. DraftKings employees may also deploy different strategies than what is recommended above. DraftKings employees do not have access to any non-public information.