2025 Kentucky Derby Odds, Horses and Latest News
By TVG Staff
Updated March 19, 2025
The 2025 Kentucky Derby happens at Churchill Downs on Saturday, May 3, with the Kentucky Oaks happening just a day prior to that. The race features a full field of the best three-year-olds in the country, all of whom went through a challenging prep series to earn their spots in the Run for the Roses. They will be vying for their share of a $5 million purse and a place in horse racing history! It’s an exciting opportunity for bettors, as well, and staying up to date with the Kentucky Derby odds can help you make smarter plays.
Seeing as we’re still over a month away from the horses coming out the gate at Churchill Downs, it’ll be a while before the field begins to take shape as horses continue to race during prep season and all along the Kentucky Derby trail. In the meantime, you can help analyze the details from the 2024 race found on this page to help make any manner of Kentucky Derby future wager.
We also have more information on the Kentucky Oaks available at TVG.
Live Derby Week Coverage on FanDuel TV+
Tune in to FanDuel TV+ for Derby Week coverage featuring live racing and analysis. You can watch the live coverage of Kentucky Derby on NBC. FanDuel TV will also be on-site at Churchill Downs providing comprehensive coverage, including the latest news, analysis, and handicapping insights in the days leading up to the Derby.
2025 Kentucky Derby Morning Line Odds
This is the official field for the 2025 Kentucky Derby including post positions, trainers, jockeys, and morning-line odds. They also include early Kentucky Derby live odds as of 12:20 p.m Eastern on May 2. Churchill Downs opened live betting on the Kentucky Derby on Tuesday morning, meaning bettors can not only get wagers in early, but also track the live odds throughout the week.
| Post Position | Horse | Trainer | Jockey | ML |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Citizen Bull | Bob Baffert | Martin Garcia | 20-1 |
| 2 | Neoequos | Saffie Joseph Jr. | Flavien Prat | 30-1 |
| 3 | Final Gambit | Brad Cox | Luan Machado | 30-1 |
| 4 | Rodríguez | Bob Baffert | Mike Smith | 12-1 |
| 5 | American Promise | D. Wayne Lukas | Nik Juárez | 30-1 |
| 6 | Admire Daytona | Yukihiro Kato | Christophe Lemaire | 30-1 |
| 7 | Luxor Café | Noriyuki Hori | João Moreira | 15-1 |
| 8 | Journalism | Michael McCarthy | Umberto Rispoli | 3-1 |
| 9 | Burnham Square | Ian Wilkes | Brian Hernandez Jr. | 12-1 |
| 10 | Grande | Todd Pletcher | John Velázquez | 20-1 |
| 11 | Flying Mohawk | Whit Beckman | Joe Ramos | 30-1 |
| 12 | East Avenue | Brendan Walsh | Manny Franco | 20-1 |
| 13 | Publisher | Steve Asmussen | Irad Ortiz Jr. | 20-1 |
| 14 | Tiztastic | Steve Asmussen | Joel Rosario | 20-1 |
| 15 | Render Judgment | Kenny McPeek | Julien Leparoux | 30-1 |
| 16 | Coal Battle | Lonnie Briley | Juan Vargas | 30-1 |
| 17 | Sandman | Mark Casse | José Ortiz | 6-1 |
| 18 | Sovereignty | Bill Mott | Júnior Alvarado | 5-1 |
| 19 | Chunk of Gold | Ethan West | Jareth Loveberry | 30-1 |
| 20 | Owen Almighty | Brian Lynch | Javier Castellano | 30-1 |
| 21 | Baeza - ae | John Shirreffs | Flavien Prat | - |
What Kentucky Derby Odds Mean
Morning line odds are essentially a wagering forecast and can show us who is expected to run well in the Kentucky Derby. These odds help us wager and to decide whether or not a horse is a good value for money, given that you may really like a runner who is expected to go off at big odds.
Those with short odds are the horses with a bigger perceived chance of winning the race. The bigger the odds on a horse, the less chance it has of winning the Kentucky Derby according to the stats—though we should always remember horses aren’t machines and longshots do win!
A horse going off at 2-1 essentially has twice the chance of a horse at 4-1 according to the odds. Good value can be claimed when believing a chosen animal will win, even if it is not favored in the betting pools. When you have a good reason for your opinion, it can pay off to stick to your analysis!
Another option is going with the analysis of horse betting experts. Keep up to date on all of our expert picks and visit our picks page.
While the odds alone (especially the morning line odds) cannot tell us who the most likely winner of the Kentucky Derby will be, they can be used as a helpful guide to tell us where the class is in the field and which horses are likely to gain the public’s interest.
2025 Kentucky Derby Odds Trends
On Saturday, May 3, we will witness the 151st Kentucky Derby, which is the first jewel in the Triple Crown of horse racing. It takes place in the scintillating arena that is Churchill Downs, in Louisville, Kentucky.
Often the top Kentucky Derby horses with the shortest odds win major prep races like the Florida Derby, Louisiana Derby, Arkansas Derby, Santa Anita Derby, and the newly anointed Virginia Derby, making the Kentucky Derby trial an exciting series of races to behold. The horses who perform best in the Kentucky Derby in recent years typically win or finish second in their final prep races, suggesting that they are in good form coming into the race and they are already able to prove themselves against top-level company, hence their odds.
Since the Road to the Kentucky Derby was established leading into the 2013 race, the Run for the Roses saw six winning favorites in a row. Then, Country House, with his 65-1 longshot odds, got his famous and controversial win in 2019 via disqualification. But, with non-favored horses winning in 2020, 2021, and 2022 as well, it proves that the points system did not automatically make the Kentucky Derby a race for favorites and those with the shortest odds.
Return here during Kentucky Derby week for the official morning line odds of the Run for the Roses!
Kentucky Derby Prep Race Winners
This is where the derby trail comes into its own, with Kentucky Derby qualifying points awarded for first, second, third, and fourth in major going back to last year’s juvenile events.
In all, 48 races are usually taken into consideration, mostly in the US but also in Japan, Europe, and the UAE. Heading toward the Kentucky Derby, it can be enlightening to look at the odds at which prep race winners won their points races. Well-bet horses who win preps are likely to be well-bet if they make it along to the Kentucky Derby. For longshots who win their preps, think critically about whether that win seemed like a fluke, or if you are willing to perhaps take shorter odds on Derby Day.
These are the most significant races on the road to the 150th Kentucky Derby. Here are the 2023 horses who won each of the races.
| Date | Race | Track | Points | Winner | Odds |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| February 15 | Risen Star Stakes (G2) | Fair Grounds | 50-25-15-10-5 | Magnitude | Magnitude |
| February 23 | Rebel Stakes (G2) | Oaklawn Park | 50-25-15-10-5 | Coal Battle | Coal Battle |
| March 1 | Fountain of Youth Stakes (G2) | Gulfstream Park | 50-25-15-10-5 | Sovereignty | Sovereignty's |
| March 1 | Gotham Stakes (G3) | Aqueduct | 50-25-15-10-5 | Flood Zone | Flood Zone |
| March 1 | San Felipe Stakes (G3) | Santa Anita Park | 50-25-15-10-5 | Journalism | Journalism |
| March 8 | Tampa Bay Derby (G3) | Tampa Bay Downs | 50-20-15-10-5 | Owen Almighty | Owen Almighty |
| March 22 | Jeff Ruby Steaks | Turfway Park | 100-50-25-15-10 | Final Gambit | Final Gambit |
| March 22 | Louisiana Derby (G2) | Fair Grounds | 100-50-25-15-10 | Tiztastic | Tiztastic |
| March 29 | Florida Derby (G1) | Gulfstream Park | 100-50-25-15-10 | Tappan Street | Tappan Street |
| March 29 | Arkansas Derby (G1) | Oaklawn Park | 100-50-25-15-10 | Sandman | Sandman |
| April 5 | UAE Derby (G2) | Meydan Racecourse | 100-50-25-15-10 | TBA | Admire Daytona |
| April 5 | Wood Memorial (G2) | Aqueduct | 100-50-25-15-10 | TBA | Rodriguez |
| April 5 | Blue Grass Stakes (G1) | Keeneland | 100-50-25-15-10 | TBA | Burnham Square |
| April 5 | Santa Anita Derby (G1) | Santa Anita Park | 100-50-25-15-10 | TBA | Journalism |
How Kentucky Derby Odds are Formulated
In futures wagering and even in the morning line, anticipated Kentucky Derby odds are formulated using a mix of juvenile form, prep race form, and even breeding and reputation of the horses. The morning line is a forecast for how the betting odds will look on race day at Churchill Downs.
Once wagering opens on the day before the Kentucky Derby, odds are determined by the pari-mutuel system. The final wagering odds are determined by the amount of cash in the pool overall from bettors around the country, divided by the number of wagers placed on each horse.
To put it another way, there may be millions in the pool with very few people betting your horse meaning potentially huge odds, but on the other hand, if the majority of people are going for your horse their final starting odds could be very small for the win.
Millions of dollars are wagered on the Kentucky Derby, both in the win/place/show pools and in exotic pools. The odds will fluctuate plenty on the pari-mutuel system during the build-up to the race, especially in the final few moments before post time so be prepared not to know what betting odds you will get on your horse using this method until go time.
Live Odds & Betting Favorites
On Kentucky Derby weekend, you will be able to follow live odds on the Kentucky Derby, the Kentucky Oaks, and other major races at Churchill Downs. With that information, expert picks, and up-to-the-minute information, you will be ready to place your Kentucky Derby bets with confidence.
Betting on the 2025 Kentucky Derby with TVG
Our team is always on hand to offer in-depth Kentucky Derby racing analysis and expert picks as we head towards post time at the Kentucky Derby, if you are new to horse racing and betting, review our Kentucky Derby betting guide.
Stay up-to-date on racing odds on the Kentucky Derby with TVG racing; your trusted one-stop destination for expert analysis, news and legal online betting!
We also recommend checking out the FanDuel Kentucky Derby website. This site offers additional valuable information on odds and exclusive betting promotions with America's #1 Sportsbook.
Live Derby Week Coverage on FanDuel TV+
Watch FanDuel Racing’s live, commercial-free, racing coverage of Derby Week on FanDuel TV+ beginning Saturday, 4/27 – Thursday 5/2. FanDuel TV will also be on-site at Churchill Downs providing comprehensive coverage, including the latest news, analysis, and handicapping insights in the days leading up to the Derby.
By TVG Staff
Updated March 19, 2025
The 2025 Kentucky Derby happens at Churchill Downs on Saturday, May 3, with the Kentucky Oaks happening just a day prior to that. The race features a full field of the best three-year-olds in the country, all of whom went through a challenging prep series to earn their spots in the Run for the Roses. They will be vying for their share of a $5 million purse and a place in horse racing history! It’s an exciting opportunity for bettors, as well, and staying up to date with the Kentucky Derby odds can help you make smarter plays.
Seeing as we’re still over a month away from the horses coming out the gate at Churchill Downs, it’ll be a while before the field begins to take shape as horses continue to race during prep season and all along the Kentucky Derby trail. In the meantime, you can help analyze the details from the 2024 race found on this page to help make any manner of Kentucky Derby future wager.
We also have more information on the Kentucky Oaks available at TVG.
Live Derby Week Coverage on FanDuel TV+
Tune in to FanDuel TV+ for Derby Week coverage featuring live racing and analysis. You can watch the live coverage of Kentucky Derby on NBC. FanDuel TV will also be on-site at Churchill Downs providing comprehensive coverage, including the latest news, analysis, and handicapping insights in the days leading up to the Derby.
2025 Kentucky Derby Morning Line Odds
This is the official field for the 2025 Kentucky Derby including post positions, trainers, jockeys, and morning-line odds. They also include early Kentucky Derby live odds as of 12:20 p.m Eastern on May 2. Churchill Downs opened live betting on the Kentucky Derby on Tuesday morning, meaning bettors can not only get wagers in early, but also track the live odds throughout the week.
| Post Position | Horse | Trainer | Jockey | ML |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Citizen Bull | Bob Baffert | Martin Garcia | 20-1 |
| 2 | Neoequos | Saffie Joseph Jr. | Flavien Prat | 30-1 |
| 3 | Final Gambit | Brad Cox | Luan Machado | 30-1 |
| 4 | Rodríguez | Bob Baffert | Mike Smith | 12-1 |
| 5 | American Promise | D. Wayne Lukas | Nik Juárez | 30-1 |
| 6 | Admire Daytona | Yukihiro Kato | Christophe Lemaire | 30-1 |
| 7 | Luxor Café | Noriyuki Hori | João Moreira | 15-1 |
| 8 | Journalism | Michael McCarthy | Umberto Rispoli | 3-1 |
| 9 | Burnham Square | Ian Wilkes | Brian Hernandez Jr. | 12-1 |
| 10 | Grande | Todd Pletcher | John Velázquez | 20-1 |
| 11 | Flying Mohawk | Whit Beckman | Joe Ramos | 30-1 |
| 12 | East Avenue | Brendan Walsh | Manny Franco | 20-1 |
| 13 | Publisher | Steve Asmussen | Irad Ortiz Jr. | 20-1 |
| 14 | Tiztastic | Steve Asmussen | Joel Rosario | 20-1 |
| 15 | Render Judgment | Kenny McPeek | Julien Leparoux | 30-1 |
| 16 | Coal Battle | Lonnie Briley | Juan Vargas | 30-1 |
| 17 | Sandman | Mark Casse | José Ortiz | 6-1 |
| 18 | Sovereignty | Bill Mott | Júnior Alvarado | 5-1 |
| 19 | Chunk of Gold | Ethan West | Jareth Loveberry | 30-1 |
| 20 | Owen Almighty | Brian Lynch | Javier Castellano | 30-1 |
| 21 | Baeza - ae | John Shirreffs | Flavien Prat | - |
What Kentucky Derby Odds Mean
Morning line odds are essentially a wagering forecast and can show us who is expected to run well in the Kentucky Derby. These odds help us wager and to decide whether or not a horse is a good value for money, given that you may really like a runner who is expected to go off at big odds.
Those with short odds are the horses with a bigger perceived chance of winning the race. The bigger the odds on a horse, the less chance it has of winning the Kentucky Derby according to the stats—though we should always remember horses aren’t machines and longshots do win!
A horse going off at 2-1 essentially has twice the chance of a horse at 4-1 according to the odds. Good value can be claimed when believing a chosen animal will win, even if it is not favored in the betting pools. When you have a good reason for your opinion, it can pay off to stick to your analysis!
Another option is going with the analysis of horse betting experts. Keep up to date on all of our expert picks and visit our picks page.
While the odds alone (especially the morning line odds) cannot tell us who the most likely winner of the Kentucky Derby will be, they can be used as a helpful guide to tell us where the class is in the field and which horses are likely to gain the public’s interest.
2025 Kentucky Derby Odds Trends
On Saturday, May 3, we will witness the 151st Kentucky Derby, which is the first jewel in the Triple Crown of horse racing. It takes place in the scintillating arena that is Churchill Downs, in Louisville, Kentucky.
Often the top Kentucky Derby horses with the shortest odds win major prep races like the Florida Derby, Louisiana Derby, Arkansas Derby, Santa Anita Derby, and the newly anointed Virginia Derby, making the Kentucky Derby trial an exciting series of races to behold. The horses who perform best in the Kentucky Derby in recent years typically win or finish second in their final prep races, suggesting that they are in good form coming into the race and they are already able to prove themselves against top-level company, hence their odds.
Since the Road to the Kentucky Derby was established leading into the 2013 race, the Run for the Roses saw six winning favorites in a row. Then, Country House, with his 65-1 longshot odds, got his famous and controversial win in 2019 via disqualification. But, with non-favored horses winning in 2020, 2021, and 2022 as well, it proves that the points system did not automatically make the Kentucky Derby a race for favorites and those with the shortest odds.
Return here during Kentucky Derby week for the official morning line odds of the Run for the Roses!
Kentucky Derby Prep Race Winners
This is where the derby trail comes into its own, with Kentucky Derby qualifying points awarded for first, second, third, and fourth in major going back to last year’s juvenile events.
In all, 48 races are usually taken into consideration, mostly in the US but also in Japan, Europe, and the UAE. Heading toward the Kentucky Derby, it can be enlightening to look at the odds at which prep race winners won their points races. Well-bet horses who win preps are likely to be well-bet if they make it along to the Kentucky Derby. For longshots who win their preps, think critically about whether that win seemed like a fluke, or if you are willing to perhaps take shorter odds on Derby Day.
These are the most significant races on the road to the 150th Kentucky Derby. Here are the 2023 horses who won each of the races.
| Date | Race | Track | Points | Winner | Odds |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| February 15 | Risen Star Stakes (G2) | Fair Grounds | 50-25-15-10-5 | Magnitude | Magnitude |
| February 23 | Rebel Stakes (G2) | Oaklawn Park | 50-25-15-10-5 | Coal Battle | Coal Battle |
| March 1 | Fountain of Youth Stakes (G2) | Gulfstream Park | 50-25-15-10-5 | Sovereignty | Sovereignty's |
| March 1 | Gotham Stakes (G3) | Aqueduct | 50-25-15-10-5 | Flood Zone | Flood Zone |
| March 1 | San Felipe Stakes (G3) | Santa Anita Park | 50-25-15-10-5 | Journalism | Journalism |
| March 8 | Tampa Bay Derby (G3) | Tampa Bay Downs | 50-20-15-10-5 | Owen Almighty | Owen Almighty |
| March 22 | Jeff Ruby Steaks | Turfway Park | 100-50-25-15-10 | Final Gambit | Final Gambit |
| March 22 | Louisiana Derby (G2) | Fair Grounds | 100-50-25-15-10 | Tiztastic | Tiztastic |
| March 29 | Florida Derby (G1) | Gulfstream Park | 100-50-25-15-10 | Tappan Street | Tappan Street |
| March 29 | Arkansas Derby (G1) | Oaklawn Park | 100-50-25-15-10 | Sandman | Sandman |
| April 5 | UAE Derby (G2) | Meydan Racecourse | 100-50-25-15-10 | TBA | Admire Daytona |
| April 5 | Wood Memorial (G2) | Aqueduct | 100-50-25-15-10 | TBA | Rodriguez |
| April 5 | Blue Grass Stakes (G1) | Keeneland | 100-50-25-15-10 | TBA | Burnham Square |
| April 5 | Santa Anita Derby (G1) | Santa Anita Park | 100-50-25-15-10 | TBA | Journalism |
How Kentucky Derby Odds are Formulated
In futures wagering and even in the morning line, anticipated Kentucky Derby odds are formulated using a mix of juvenile form, prep race form, and even breeding and reputation of the horses. The morning line is a forecast for how the betting odds will look on race day at Churchill Downs.
Once wagering opens on the day before the Kentucky Derby, odds are determined by the pari-mutuel system. The final wagering odds are determined by the amount of cash in the pool overall from bettors around the country, divided by the number of wagers placed on each horse.
To put it another way, there may be millions in the pool with very few people betting your horse meaning potentially huge odds, but on the other hand, if the majority of people are going for your horse their final starting odds could be very small for the win.
Millions of dollars are wagered on the Kentucky Derby, both in the win/place/show pools and in exotic pools. The odds will fluctuate plenty on the pari-mutuel system during the build-up to the race, especially in the final few moments before post time so be prepared not to know what betting odds you will get on your horse using this method until go time.
Live Odds & Betting Favorites
On Kentucky Derby weekend, you will be able to follow live odds on the Kentucky Derby, the Kentucky Oaks, and other major races at Churchill Downs. With that information, expert picks, and up-to-the-minute information, you will be ready to place your Kentucky Derby bets with confidence.
Betting on the 2025 Kentucky Derby with TVG
Our team is always on hand to offer in-depth Kentucky Derby racing analysis and expert picks as we head towards post time at the Kentucky Derby, if you are new to horse racing and betting, review our Kentucky Derby betting guide.
Stay up-to-date on racing odds on the Kentucky Derby with TVG racing; your trusted one-stop destination for expert analysis, news and legal online betting!
We also recommend checking out the FanDuel Kentucky Derby website. This site offers additional valuable information on odds and exclusive betting promotions with America's #1 Sportsbook.
Live Derby Week Coverage on FanDuel TV+
Watch FanDuel Racing’s live, commercial-free, racing coverage of Derby Week on FanDuel TV+ beginning Saturday, 4/27 – Thursday 5/2. FanDuel TV will also be on-site at Churchill Downs providing comprehensive coverage, including the latest news, analysis, and handicapping insights in the days leading up to the Derby.