Kentucky Derby 2026 Projected Prize Money Earnings, Order of Finish and More

The Kentucky Derby is the most prestigious event in horse racing and Saturday, fans from around the globe will descend upon Churchill Downs for its 152nd running.

The field is loaded with talent and a gigantic prize purse for the winner.

What is the expected payout and what might the top five finishers look like?

Find out in this preview of the annual spectacular from Louisville.

Lineup

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1. Renegade (4-1)

2. Albus (30-1)

3. Intrepido (50-1)

4. Litmus Test (50-1)

5. Right to Party

6. Commandment (6-1)

7. Danon Bourbon (20-1)

8. So Happy (15-1)

9. The Puma

10. Wonder Dean (30-1)

11. Incredibolt (20-1)

12. Chief Wallabee (8-1)

13. Silent Tactic

14. Potente (20-1)

15. Emerging Market (15-1)

16. Pavlovian (30-1)

17. Six Speed (50-1)

18. Further Ado (6-1)

19. Golden Tempo (30-1)

20. Fulleffort

21. Great White (50-1)

22. Ocelli (50-1)

23. Robusta (50-1)

Odds via Kentucky Derby

Projected Payouts

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The total purse for the 2026 Kentucky Derby is $5 million and will be broken down as follows:

First Place	$3.1 million
Second Place	$1 million
Third Place	$500,000
Fourth Place	$250,000
Fifth Place	$150,000

Credit: The Sporting News

The Kentucky Derby compares to the other two Triple Crown races as follows:

Kentucky Derby	May 2	$5 million
Preakness Stakes	May 16	$2 million
Belmont Stakes	June 6	$2 million

Credit: The Sporting News

Projected Top Five

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1. Chief Wallabee

2. Danon Bourbon

3. Renegade

4. Further Ado

5. Wonder Dean

Can trainer Bill Mott and jockey Junior Alvarado run it back at Churchill Downs?

Last year's winning duo lead Chief Wallabee into this year's race, with an opportunity to make history by becoming the first pair to go back-to-back since 1973, when Lucien Laurin and Ron Turcotte accomplished the feat.

Chief Wallabee is a most inexperienced runner, with just three races on his resume, but his conditioning is great and he has competed in Derby-length races head of Saturday's prestigious event.

Renegade is the race favorite and the most complete runner of the bunch, while Further Ado has momentum on his side.

Commandment, conspicuous in his absence from the top five, has struggled with endurance down the stretch, which could hurt him late in Saturday's high-intensity final sprint.