2025 Kentucky Derby: Ultimate Betting Guide, Latest Updates

The 151st Kentucky Derby will be run on Saturday May 3 at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky. 

Post-time for the first leg of horse racing’s Triple Crown is 6:57 p.m. ET. The race will air on NBC. The Derby is the most-watch, most-attended, and most-bet horse race in the country. 

The Kentucky Derby and its sister race run on Friday, the Kentucky Oaks, are the two oldest continuously contested sporting in the United States. Both were run for the first time in 1875. 

Here's what you need to know ahead of the "Run For The Roses." 

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What You Need To Know About The 2025 Kentucky Derby

What Horses Will Run In The 2025 Kentucky Derby?

The Derby field is limited to 20 horses, all of whom are considered to be 3-year-olds. Those horses have qualified for the race by amassing enough points in previous races. There will likely be some horses scratched before the race for various reasons. Here is a look at the likely field, with the projected odds for each horse. Horses are listed by post position with their win-place-show record (and a number of starts), current odds, trainer, and jockey.

What Are The Favorite Horses In The Kentucky Derby?

One major story on and off the track is the return of trainer Bob Baffert (above) to Churchill Downs and Kentucky Derby after a 3-year suspension. Baffert has two horses, Citizen Bull and Rodriguez running in the race, Journalism is the favorite for many reasons. He owns the top speed figure of 130, according to Horse Racing Nation. He has won 4 of his 5 starts after running 3rd in his debut. His win in the Santa Anita Derby solidified his status as the clear favorite in the Derby. He barely broke his breath with a 3/4-length win that was far from perfect over 1 1/16ths of a mile. The Derby distance of 1 1/4 will be longest run to today, but he hasn't run his best rece yet, either. Sandman and Sovereignty are slotted to be the place and shoe horses.  Sovereignty has run first or second in 4 of his 5 starts and finished second in the Florida Derby behind fellow Derby entrant Tappan Street. Sandman picked up the support of Metallica - the band - after his 2-1/2 length win over fellow Derby horse Publisher in the Arkansas Derby. 

How Long Is The Kentucky Derby?

Known as the “Fastest 2 Minutes In Sports,” the Kentucky Derby is 1 ¼ miles (or 10 furlongs). It’s run on a dirt track and the horses run counterclockwise. The race was run at 1 ½ miles from 1875 through 1895. 

How Much Money Is At Stake In The Kentucky Derby?

The winner gets $3.1 million of the $5 million purse. That's up from $1.86 million in 2023. Second place earns $1 million, third $500,000, fourth $250,000 and fifth gets $150,000. In 2023, the Kentucky Derby recorded a handle of $188.7 million.

What Horse Won The Kentucky Derby Last Year?

18-1 longshot Mystik Dan took the roses after a three-way photo finish. He edged out the No. 2 overall pick Sierra Leone (3-1) and Forever Young (7-1) by a nose. Mystik Dan paid $39.22, $16.32 and $10. 

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What Are The Biggest Mistakes People Make When Betting On The Kentucky Derby?

FanDuel TV host Todd Schrupp offers the following perspective: “"Exotically speaking, meaning wagers outside of Win, Place & Show, there are more wagering options on the Kentucky Derby than ever before. There are at least a dozen pools for different wagers tied into the Derby. Narrow your focus on which ones you want to play. The Skill Set for playing 'Horizontally' into the Derby, i.e.; Double, Pick Three, Pick Five, or a Pick Six, is vastly different  than trying to hit the Derby 'Vertically'. Exotic Vertical options are Exacta, Trifecta, Superfecta, and Super Hi-5. Be a Horizontal or Vertical player on the Kentucky Derby, not both."

What Is The No. 1 Pick Of Advice For Bettors Heading Into The Derby?

"Avoid the temptation to be 'the smartest person in the room’,” Schrupp advises. “ We'd all like to be the only person to pick the Derby winner, and upsets do happen; but there is nothing wrong with consistently identifying solid 9-1 shots that can win versus the rarity of a 50-1 shot. Also, your first instinct about who can win the Derby is usually the best one. Don't be swayed by the deluge of information put out leading up to the Derby. There's nothing worse than being moved off a horse you always liked, because of someone else's opinion. Trust yourself, you got this."

Are There Any Major Misconceptions About Horse Racing Betting In General?

It’s not rocket science. But it does take work. “THE biggest misconception about betting on horses is that it's completely random,” Schrupp says. “There is a sophistication and cerebral component to handicapping a horse's past performances and trying to find a winner. Over time makes you realize it's more than just 'horses running in a circle'. Couple that with the challenge of which pool to bet into and constructing your play; and you have not just the greatest challenge in the gambling world, you have the most rewarding." 

What Is Up With All The Hats?

Hats were long been a sign of social standing in the late 19^th and early 20^th centuries. Often, the bigger and more ostentatious, the better. The Kentucky Derby has long been a magnet for cameras, and eventually film and TV. So the hats and fashion statements became a way to attract attention. Thus, the size and style of hats expanded along with the Derby’s wider audience. 

Why Is The Kentucky Derby Called “The Run For The Roses”?

The winning horse of the Kentucky Derby has been draped in a blanket of 554 roses since it moved to its current length in 1896. Why 554 roses? According to Derby historians: “Each rose in the garland represents the renewal of life and the endurance required to win the demanding 1 1/4-mile race.” 

What Horse Is The Fastest Kentucky Derby Winner Of All Time?

The great Secretariat won the 1973 Kentucky Derby in a time of 1:59.4. 

What Horse Is The Slowest Kentucky Derby Winner Of All Time?

Kingman took 2:52.25 to cover what was a 1 ½-mile run back in 1891. 

What Are The Other Races In The Triple Crown?

The other two races in the Triple Crown at the Preakness – run at Pimlico in Baltimore – and the Belmont Stakes – run at Belmont Park in New York. The Preakness is the shortest of the Triple Crown races at 1 3/16 miles (9.5 furlongs). The Belmont is the longest at 1 ½ miles (12 furlongs). This year, the Preakness will be run on May 17. The Belmont is scheduled for June 7.

What Horses Have Won The Triple Crown?

The Triple Crown is bestowed upon the winners of the Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes, and Belmont Stakes. Since the three races began being run in the same year in 1875, 13 horses have won them all. None was better than Secretariat (above). Here’s the list: