Field Set for 2026 Kentucky Derby and Kentucky Oaks at Churchill Downs
- 4 days ago
- 2 min read
Post positions are finalized for the 152nd Kentucky Derby and the 2026 Kentucky Oaks at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky. The starting gates are now locked for two days of top-level racing that will feature leading contenders, promising mid-priced runners and several longshots in the 3-year-old ranks.
Race fans can review the full Derby post positions and separate Oaks draw details through Churchill Downs, which will host the Derby and Oaks on Saturday, May 2, 2026 and Friday, May 1, 2026, respectively.
Among the likely Derby favorites is Renegade, listed at 4-1 and trained by Todd A. Pletcher. Renegade has made five starts with two victories and multiple placings, and is by Into Mischief, a leading sire known for producing fast and competitive runners.
Commandment, trained by Brad H. Cox, opens at 6-1 and arrives as the top points-earner in the field after four consecutive wins. Those victories include the Florida Derby and Fountain of Youth Stakes, the same prep-race path used by last year’s Derby winner Sovereignty, and extend Cox’s record of success with Into Mischief progeny at Churchill Downs.
In the middle of the odds board, The Puma is 10-1 for trainer Gustavo Delgado. The chestnut colt is by Essential Quality, a Breeders’ Cup Juvenile winner who finished third in the Kentucky Derby, and he comes into the race off a stakes victory at Tampa Bay Downs at a mile and one-sixteenth.
Chief Wallabee, 8-1 on the morning line for Hall of Fame trainer William I. Mott, is a Kentucky-bred son of Constitution. With proven form at the Derby distance and a strong pedigree, he adds depth to the group of mid-priced contenders.
Longshot interest includes Japan-based runner Danon Bourbon, listed at 20-1 and trained by Manabu Ikezoe. The colt, campaigned by Danox Co. Ltd., has raced exclusively at Kyoto and Nakayama and is by Maxfield, an American Grade 1 winner who captured eight of 11 starts.
Litmus Test, a 30-1 chance trained by Bob Baffert, brings seven starts and two wins into the Derby. The colt is by Nyquist, a champion who won the Breeders’ Cup and Kentucky Derby, and also traces to Malibu Moon on the dam’s side, giving him a pedigree that has produced multiple top-level winners.
Fans can also participate in a national promotion tied to the event. Through the Ford Derby Sweepstakes, entrants have a chance to win a 2026 Bronco Badlands SUV or a trip to the 153rd Kentucky Oaks and Kentucky Derby. Full contest rules are available on the sweepstakes website.