Kentucky Derby 2025 Horses, Contenders and Race-day Overview for Entire Field

The horse that will chase the 2025 Triple Crown will be determined on Saturday at the 151st Kentucky Derby.

Journalism is the favorite to take home the first leg of the Triple Crown and potentially become the first Triple Crown winner since Justify in 2018.

However, recent history at Churchill Downs taught us to expect some unexpected results.

Contenders

Journalism, Sandman and Sovereignty have the best odds to win the Race for the Roses.

Journalism enters as the clear favorite among the 19-horse field because of his four consecutive victories.

Sandman and Sovereignty have been two of the most consistent horses in the buildup to the Derby with a handful of top-three finishes.

It wouldn't be a surprise to see any of those three horses end up in the winners' circle on Saturday evening.

Race Day Overview

The one variable that could throw off the entire race is the weather.

According to AccuWeather, rain is in the forecast for most of Saturday at Churchill Downs.

Certain horses are better equipped for sloppier conditions, so that might create an unexpected winner if the favorites can't handle the conditions.

History is on the side of the underdogs, though, as four straight Derby winners closed with odds above 10-1.

Authentic in 2020 had the lowest odds among the last five winners at 8-1.

At the moment, Journalism, Sandman and Sovereignty are all listed below 8-1. Those numbers could change throughout Saturday afternoon.

Picking a long-shot winner is difficult for the 2025 race because the top of the field is so strong.

You could look into the team behind a horse as a potential X-factor for their success. For example, Citizen Bull is trained by six-time Derby winner Bob Baffert.

Burnham Square, who starts next to Journalism, will be ridden by Brian Hernandez Jr., the winning jockey from a year ago with Mystik Dan.

If the conditions aren't great, the preparation for certain horses from the trainers and jockeys could ease their nerves and make them run better.