<p>This year's edition of the race will be held on Saturday, May 2, with Australian viewers able to see it at around 08:57 AEST on Sunday, May 3, 2026.</p><h2>&nbsp;</h2><h2>Quick Picks</h2><p><strong>Our pick:</strong> Renegade to win</p><p><strong>Value bet:</strong> Each-Way on Commandment</p><p><strong>Long shot:</strong> Each-Way on Further Ado</p><h2>&nbsp;</h2><h2>Betting Preview</h2><p>The Kentucky Derby is America's longest continuously running sporting event, a premier Grade I stakes race for three-year-old Thoroughbred horses held annually at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky.</p><p>It ranks among the <a href="https://www.sportsbet.com.au/huddle/horse-racing/news/richest-horse-races-in-world-2025">highest prize money horse races</a> in the world.</p><p>It covers 1¼ miles (10 furlongs) on dirt, typically lasting about two minutes, earning nicknames like "The Most Exciting Two Minutes in Sports" or "The Run for the Roses" after the victor's rose blanket.</p><p>Colts and geldings carry 126 pounds, fillies 121 pounds (5-pound sex allowance), with a maximum field of 20 horses determined by qualifying points from prep races.</p><p>As the first leg of the U.S. Triple Crown, it precedes the Preakness Stakes (two weeks later) and Belmont Stakes (early June); only 13 horses have won all three.</p><h2>&nbsp;</h2><h2>Betting Markets to Watch</h2><p>The odds are already available at Sportsbet, with the each-way market offering 3 places at ¼ odds for those who like to have a "safer" bet option.</p><p>Of course, there's no guarantee that you'll have a winner, but with an each-way bet, the horse you select can finish 1st, 2nd, or 3rd, for a payout. If you're new to the sport, our <a href="https://www.sportsbet.com.au/huddle/punter-iq/guide/how-to-bet-on-horses-a-horse-racing-betting-guide">guide to betting on horse racing</a> covers the basics.</p><p>If you're looking at the outright winner, <strong>Renegade</strong> is considered the main contender to win the 2026 Kentucky Derby.</p><p>He is the Arkansas Derby winner for Todd Pletcher, and has won both of his starts as a 3-year-old. He is a dominant closer with rising speed figures.</p><p><strong>Commandment</strong> offers value as another legitimate contender to win the race. He is the Florida Derby champ and has a top points total.</p><p>He possesses a class edge and strong late pace, which make him a win threat in this race on the dirt.</p><p><strong>Further Ado</strong> is a very interesting Derby horse because his profile is built on a huge ceiling rather than steady, grind-it-out form. He broke his maiden by 20 lengths at Keeneland, then won the Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes at Churchill Downs, and later blew away the Blue Grass Stakes by 11 lengths.</p><p>That sequence matters because it shows both raw talent and the ability to handle two-turn races and the Churchill track.</p><h2>&nbsp;</h2><h2>Our Prediction</h2><p>Check the latest <a href="https://www.sportsbet.com.au/futures/horse/kentucky-derby-9810063">Kentucky Derby betting odds</a> at Sportsbet.</p><p><strong>Renegade is the betting favourite,</strong> and we think he will be the <strong>most likely to win the race</strong>.</p><p>His recent form makes him look like the strongest blend of class, speed, and Derby readiness out of all of the horses set to compete in this race. For more <a href="https://www.sportsbet.com.au/racing-tips">horse racing tips</a>, check out our dedicated section.</p>