Kentucky Derby Field 2026 and Pinpointing Contenders from All Horses and Jockeys

The 2026 Kentucky Derby lineup is one filled with talented race horses, some of which will dazzle fans with their speed and others with their endurance, all pursuing a victory in the most prestigious race in the sport.

What does the current lineup look like following several scratches and who are the contenders to keep an eye on?

Find out in this preview of the 152nd running of the Run for the Roses.

Schedule and Viewing Information

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Date: Saturday, May 2

Time: 6:57 p.m. EST

Location: Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky

TV: NBC

Streaming: Peacock

Lineup and Jockey Information

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1. Renegade (Jockey: Irad Ortiz)

2. Albus (Manny Franco)

3. Intrepido (Hector Berrios)

4. Litmus Test (Martin Garcia

5. Right to Party (Christopher Elliott)

6. Commandment (Luis Saez)

7. Danon Bourbon (Atsuya Nishimura)

8. So Happy (Mike Smith)

9. The Puma (Javier Castellano)

10. Wonder Dean (Ryusei Sakai)

11. Incredibolt (Jaime Torres)

12. Chief Wallabee (Junior Alvarado)

13. Silent Tactic (Christian Torres) Scratched

14. Potente (Juan Hernandez)

15. Emerging Market (Flavia Pratt)

16. Pavlovian (Edwin Moldanado)

17. Six Speed (Brian Hernandez Jr.)

18. Further Ado (John Velazquez)

19. Golden Tempo (Jose Ortiz)

20. Fulleffort (Tyler Gaffalione) Scratched

21. Great White (Alex Achard)

22. Ocelli (Joe Ramos)

23. Robusta (Emisael Jaramillo)

Contenders and Odds

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Renegade (4-1)

This year's favorite is the most complete horse in the race, with the speed and distance to emerge from the 152nd Run for the Roses with the win and a chance to become the first competitor since Justify achieved the feat in 2018.

He has competed in five races in his career and placed in all of them, with two firsts and two seconds, and securing $1,031,500 in winnings, per Equibase.

Great ownership, a top-tier trainer in two-time Kentucky Derby winner Todd Pletcher, and an adaptability other entrants do not have makes him a tough opponent for the rest of the field and the safest bet in this year's race.

Commandment (6-1)

Commandment has the most momentum of any horse in this year's race, with four wins in his five races and two stakes victories in January and February. Trainer Brad H. Cox is an elite coach and has a Kentucky Derby win on his resume.

The colt is still relatively inexperienced, and is facing the toughest competition of his young career, but he has proven himself consistently in the races leading into the Run for the Roses and would surprise no one if he jetted to the front of the pack as the 2026 winner.

A distance runner, keep an eye on him down the stretch.

Further Ado (6-1)

Another Cox trainee, Further Ado has competed in six races and placed in five of them, with three wins and career earnings of $1,146,328.

A winner at Churchill Downs last November, he has proven he can win at the track. On April 4, he exploded for an 11-length victory at Keeneland in the Toyota Blue Grass Stakes.

At his best on dry dirt, and running as well as he ever has, Further Ado is not as strong a candidate as Renegade and Commandment, but he could find himself in the winner's circle Saturday evening.

Odds via Kentucky Derby