Meet the horses running in the Kentucky Derby
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The 2026 Kentucky Derby will feature a full field of 20 horses competing at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky, as the first leg of horse racing's Triple Crown. Renegade is the morning-line favorite with 4-1 odds and will be ridden by jockey Irad Ortiz Jr., who is seeking his first Derby win in his 10th appearance. Horses qualified for the race through a points system based on performances in designated prep races held since last September.
- ▪The 2026 Kentucky Derby will take place at Churchill Downs with a 6:57 p.m. ET post time for the 12th race of the day.
- ▪Renegade, with 4-1 morning-line odds, drew the No. 1 post position, historically a challenging spot in the starting gate.
- ▪Two horses, Fulleffort and Silent Tactic, scratched from the race, allowing Great White and Ocelli to enter the field.
- ▪Irad Ortiz Jr., Luis Saez, and John Velazquez are among the top jockeys riding contenders, each with prior experience in Triple Crown races.
- ▪The last Triple Crown winner was Justify in 2018, and no horse has completed the feat since.
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U.S. Meet the Kentucky Derby horses running in the 2026 race By Alex Sundby Alex Sundby Senior Editor Alex Sundby is a senior editor at CBSNews.com. In addition to editing content, Alex also covers breaking news, writing about crime and severe weather as well as everything from multistate lottery jackpots to the July Fourth hot dog eating contest. Read Full Bio Alex Sundby May 1, 2026 / 5:00 AM EDT / CBS News Add CBS News on Google The Kentucky Derby will see a full field of 20 horses Saturday in the first leg of the 2026 competition for horse racing's Triple Crown.The Run for the Roses in Louisville, Kentucky, is the opening race for the Triple Crown, the series for 3-year-olds that's traditionally followed by the Preakness Stakes in Maryland and the Belmont Stakes in New York.
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