With only three scratchings, 20 runners will feature in the 2026 Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs. The opening race in the US triple crown takes place on Saturday 2 May 2026. They will break from the gate at 11.57pm UK time.
Renegade and Commandment are the two vying to go off favourite. The former is drawn in stall 1 and has improved at three. He has won both starts so far in 2026 with authority, including the Grade 1 Arkansas Derby. His trainer Todd Pletcher last won this in 2017. Commandment represents Brad Cox, winning trainer in 2021, and has the winning knack despite small margins of victory. He is seeking a fifth win in succession.
Another for Cox is Further Ado, an 11-length winner last time out. Defending champion among the handlers, William Mott, has Chief Wallabee, a loser the last twice but potentially peaking at the right time.
There is a family feel among the Motts, as William’s son Riley sends out two contenders. Albus has a plum draw in stall 2, while Incredibolt won a Grade 3 at this track as a juvenile.
So Happy won a useful trial for this in the Santa Anita Derby. He beat Bob Baffert’s Potente, who may yet come on for that effort. Baffert’s other runner, Litmus Test looks less likely to give his trainer a record seventh Kentucky Derby, though.
There is an international flavour to the field too. The unbeaten Danon Bourbon represents Japan, as does Wonder Dean. The last-named beat Six Speed at Meydan last time, with that runner trained in the UAE by Bhupat Seemar.
2026 Kentucky Derby Runners
| Number | Horse | Trainer |
| 1 | Renegade | Todd Pletcher |
| 2 | Albus | Riley Mott |
| 3 | Intrepido | Jeff Mullins |
| 4 | Litmus Test | Bob Baffert |
| 5 | SCRATCHED | SCRATCHED |
| 6 | Commandment | Brad Cox |
| 7 | Danon Bourbon | Manabu Ikezoe |
| 8 | So Happy | Mark Glatt |
| 9 | The Puma | Gustavo Delgado |
| 10 | Wonder Dean | Daisuke Takayanagi |
| 11 | Incredibolt | Riley Mott |
| 12 | Chief Wallabee | William Mott |
| 13 | SCRATCHED | SCRATCHED |
| 14 | Potente | Bob Baffert |
| 15 | Emerging Market | Chad Brown |
| 16 | Pavlovian | Doug O’Neill |
| 17 | Six Speed | Bhupat Seemar |
| 18 | Further Ado | Brad Cox |
| 19 | Golden Tempo | Cherie De Vaux |
| 20 | SCRATCHED | SCRATCHED |
| 21 | Great White | John Ennis |
| 22 | Ocelli | D Whitworth Beckman |
| 23 | Robusta | Doug O’Neill |
| R24 | Corona De Oro | Dallas Stewart |
2026 Kentucky Derby Tips
There is juice in the price of Further Ado due to a wide draw, but that has not stopped some recent winners. His 11-length Grade 1 breakthrough last time out was impressive. Commandment has a great winning run, while Renegade looks to have come good at three and has the inside berth. Potente is an interesting outsider.
- Further Ado
- Renegade
- Potente