Excitement is building for the 151st Run for the Roses, which is scheduled for Saturday, May 3. An overflow field of 21 Kentucky Derby horses has been assembled following the post position draw.
Bookmark this page as Robert Criscola will soon rank all the contenders now that the Kentucky Derby odds have been revealed.
Kentucky Derby horses
A maximum of 20 horses can participate in the first jewel of the 2025 Triple Crown for three-year-old thoroughbreds. The final field and Kentucky Derby post positions were determined on April 26, with 21 horses entering.
Who is running in the 2025 Kentucky Derby?
Check back soon for full field analysis. In the meantime, here is the full list of Kentucky Derby runners with odds, trainer, and jockey information.
| Post | Cloth # | Horse | Trainer / Jockey | Odds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | Citizen Bull | Bob Baffert / Martin Garcia | 20/1 |
| 2 | 2 | Neoequos | Saffie Joseph, Jr. / Flavien Prat | 30/1 |
| 3 | 3 | Final Gambit | Brad Cox / Luan Machado | 30/1 |
| 4 | 4 | Rodriguez | Bob Baffert / Mike Smith | 12/1 |
| 5 | 5 | American Promise | D. Wayne Lukas / Nik Juarez | 30/1 |
| 6 | 6 | Admire Daytona | Yukihiro Kato / Christophe Lemaire | 30/1 |
| 7 | 7 | Luxor Cafe | Noriyuki Hori / Joao Moreira | 15/1 |
| 8 | 8 | Journalism | Michael McCarthy / Umberto Rispoli | 3/1 |
| 9 | 9 | Burnham Square | Ian Wilkes / Brian Hernandez Jr. | 12/1 |
| 10 | 10 | Grande | Todd Pletcher / John Velazquez | 20/1 |
| 11 | 11 | Flying Mohawk | Whit Beckman / Joseph Ramos | 30/1 |
| 12 | 12 | East Avenue | Brendan Walsh / Manny Franco | 20/1 |
| 13 | 13 | Publisher | Steve Asmussen / Irad Ortiz, Jr. | 20/1 |
| 14 | 14 | Tiztastic | Steve Asmussen / Joel Rosario | 20/1 |
| 15 | 15 | Render Judgement | Ken McPeek / Julien Leparoux | 30/1 |
| 16 | 16 | Coal Battle | Lonnie Briley / Juan Vargas | 30/1 |
| 17 | 17 | Sandman | Mark Casse / Jose Ortiz | 6/1 |
| 18 | 18 | Sovereignty | Bill Mott / Junior Alvarado | 5/1 |
| 19 | 19 | Chunk of Gold | Ethan West / Jareth Loveberry | 30/1 |
| 20 | 20 | Owen Almighty | Brian Lynch / Javier Castellano | 30/1 |
| AE 21 | 21 | Baeza | John A. Shirreffs / Flavien Prat | 30/1 |
Odds courtesy of FanDuel Racing.
Best Kentucky Derby betting sites
Where to bet on the Derby in the USA
Horse racing odds vary between FanDuel Racing, FanDuel Sportsbook, or both on a state-by-state basis.
See the list of states where FanDuel Racing is available.
New UsersBet $5, Get $250 in bonus bets! Claim Now
Available in CO, IL, IN, LA, MA, MD, MI, NY, OH, PA, VA, WV, WY.
New UsersGet a $500 No-Sweat First Bet! Claim Now
Available in AZ, AR, CA, CO, DE, FL, IL, IN, KY, LA, MA, MD, MI, MN, ND, NH, NY, NM, OH, OR, PA, RI, SD, WA, VA, WV, WY.
Bet on the Kentucky Derby in Canada
New UsersBet $5, get $150 in bonus bets! Claim Now
*Not available in Ontario.
21+. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER
How horses qualify for the Kentucky Derby
A series of qualifying races for eligible three-year-old horses, also known as the Road to the Kentucky Derby, begins in September and runs until early April. These races are mostly held in the United States. However, there are qualifying races in Japan, the UAE, and the UK that allow for automatic bids.
These races are part of a points system that will decide the starting field for the Kentucky Derby, with some races worth more points than others. Horses are awarded points based on their performances in these qualifying events. The Top 17 horses in the overall points standings are awarded starting spots in the Kentucky Derby, with three auto-bids rounding out the Top 20.
Types of Kentucky Derby horses
The Kentucky Derby isn’t open to just any horse. The “Run for the Roses” is limited to thoroughbred colts and fillies racing as three-year-olds.
Thoroughbred
Thoroughbred horses are predominantly used for racing, as they have a taller and slimmer build and are more athletic than standardbred horses, which are muscular and used in harness racing. Thoroughbred horses are able to sustain speeds over longer distances, with the Kentucky Derby raced at a 1 1/4 miles.
Age of horses
Three-year-old horses can be considered teenagers in terms of growth, nearly fully developed but not quite at the maturity or muscle build of the four-year-old horse. Limiting the field to three-year-old horses allows for only a handful of prep races and adds an aura of mystery to the Kentucky Derby field, serving as a coming-out party for the next generation of elite race horses.
Kentucky Derby Horses FAQs
The Kentucky Derby is capped at 20 horses but is often raced with fewer as horses drop out or get scratched closer to Derby Day.
There is only one official Kentucky Derby race held on the first weekend in May, however, there are 36 prep races leading up to the 2021 Kentucky Derby.
Horses qualify for the Kentucky Derby by racing in the designated qualifying races and recording enough points to rank among the Top 18 (if top points horses from Japan and UK opt in).
A thoroughbred is a particular breed of horse with a tall and slim build known for its athleticism.
