Kentucky Derby 2026: Field, odds and late scratches

The Kentucky Derby is the oldest continuously held sporting event in the United States. Over time, what began as a simple horse race has evolved into a large-scale, multi-day spectacle that goes far beyond sport.

On the eve of the main race, the Kentucky Oaks takes place, featuring three-year-old fillies. In addition, Louisville residents and visitors celebrate for two weeks during a festival dedicated to the event.

The main race itself - a contest for three-year-old thoroughbreds held on the first Saturday in May - lasts only about two minutes, yet for decades it has been known as “the greatest two minutes in sports.”

This year, the 152nd Kentucky Derby will be held on May 2 at Churchill Downs in Louisville. The main race is scheduled for 6:57 p.m. ET, while coverage on NBC begins at 2:30 p.m. ET. The early favorite is a horse named Renegade.

The race typically features 20 three-year-old horses competing for a $5 million purse, with the winner of the 1¼-mile contest earning $3.1 million. This year, however, the field has been reduced to 19 runners.

Four horses have been scratched ahead of the race. Silent Tactic withdrew due to a foot injury and was replaced by Great White. Fulleffort was sidelined with an ankle injury and replaced by Ocelli. Right to Party was scratched because of right front lameness, making way for Robusta. The Puma was withdrawn less than 12 hours before post time due to a swollen left front pastern and a skin infection; it will not be replaced as the deadline had already passed.

Confirmed runners and odds:

Renegade (Irad Ortiz Jr.) 5-1

Albus (Manny Franco) 50-1

Intrepido (Hector Berrios) 55-1

Litmus Test (Martin Garcia) 34-1

Right to Party (Chris Elliott) SCRATCHED

Commandment (Luis Saez) 7-1

Danon Bourbon (Atsuya Nishimura) 14-1

So Happy (Mike Smith) 6-1

The Puma (Javier Castellano) SCRATCHED

Wonder Dean (Ryusei Sakai) 20-1

Incredibolt (Jaime Torres) 27-1

Chief Wallabee (Junior Alvarado) 9-1

Silent Tactic (Cristian Torres) SCRATCHED

Potente (Juan Hernandez) 23-1

Emerging Market (Flavien Prat) 11-1

Pavlovian (Edwin Maldonado) 52-1

Six Speed (Brian Hernandez Jr.) 40-1

Further Ado (John Velasquez) 7-1

Golden Tempo (Jose Ortiz) 36-1

Fulleffort (Tyler Gaffalione) SCRATCHED

Great White (Alex Achard) 29-1

Ocelli (Joe Ramos) 50-1

Robusta (Cristian Torres) 50-1

Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert returns for just his second Kentucky Derby appearance following a four-year suspension. His record-setting seventh win in 2021 was later disqualified after a failed drug test.

Cherie DeVaux could make history as the first woman to train a Kentucky Derby winner with Golden Tempo. The last female trainer represented at the race was Vicki Oliver in 2021, while the best-ever result by a woman remains a second-place finish by Shelley Riley in 1992.

Veteran jockey Mike Smith, riding So Happy, is aiming to become the oldest Kentucky Derby winner at 59. The current record is held by Willie Shoemaker, who was 54 when he won aboard Ferdinand in 1986.

Earlier, Qazinform News Agency reported on the Dubai Racing Carnival, which has been held at Meydan Racecourse since 2010. The venue is the world’s largest integrated racing facility, with a capacity of over 60,000 spectators.