QUINIX Sport News: Kentucky Derby 2025 predictions, horses, picks, time, odds: Best bets by expert who hit last year’s winner

The favorite has lost the last six years at the Kentucky Derby, one of the 2025 Kentucky Derby betting trends Journalism will hope to snap on Saturday. He is the 3-1 favorite in the 2025 Kentucky Derby odds following the 2025 Kentucky Derby post draw. Journalism will break from the No. 8 post at Churchill Downs, which has produced nine winners since the starting gate was first used in 1930. The 2025 Kentucky Derby post time is 6:57 p.m. ET. Should you back Journalism with your 2025 Kentucky Derby bets, or should you target one of the potential 2025 Kentucky Derby sleepers like American Promise (30-1), Grande (20-1) or Coal Battle (30-1)?

Mystik Dan won last year as an 18-1 longshot. Before making any 2025 Kentucky Derby picks, you’ll want to see what SportsLine horse racing expert Gene Menez has to say before making any 2025 Kentucky Derby picks or horse racing predictions.

A former reporter and editor at Sports Illustrated, Menez covered an array of sports, including horse racing, for the magazine and its website for almost 14 years. Between 2010 and 2012, he served as SI’s handicapper for the Triple Crown races and correctly predicted Super Saver to win the Kentucky Derby in 2010.

In 2015, Menez accurately gave out the Kentucky Derby superfecta, which paid $1,268.20 for $2. In 2017, he tweeted out his Kentucky Derby picks, including Always Dreaming to win, and hit the Pick 4, which paid almost $6,900 on a $1 bet.

In May of last year, Menez nailed 18-1 Mystik Dan as a live longshot in the Kentucky Derby. In November, he crushed the late Pick 4 on Breeders’ Cup Saturday for a $5,303 jackpot. This year, he hit the winner and exacta in the Holy Bull Stakes and the winner, trifecta and superfecta in the Florida Derby.

For the Run for the Roses, Menez has handicapped the 2025 Kentucky Derby field, made his picks and constructed his best bets. You can head to SportsLine now to see them.

Top 2025 Kentucky Derby predictions

One of Menez’ surprising 2025 Kentucky Derby picks: He is fading Sandman (6-1), even though he won the Arkansas Derby and is one of the top 2025 Kentucky Derby favorites. Sandman has run multiple races at Churchill Downs, but he hasn’t been successful at this track. He raced three times at Churchill Downs as a 2-year-old, but his best finish was a third-place showing in the Grade 3 Street Sense last October.

Sandman’s trainer has had Triple Crown race success, winning the Preakness Stakes and Belmont Stakes. However, Mark Casse has never trained a horse that went on to win the Kentucky Derby. Casse’s best finish at the Kentucky Derby came with Classic Empire (fourth) in 2017. At 6-1 odds, Menez doesn’t see value in Sandman in this field and doesn’t see him as the horse to break Casse’s winless streak at the Kentucky Derby.

Menez thinks a late charge to a third-place finish is the best-case scenario for Sandman, making him a horse to fade when finalizing how to bet the Kentucky Derby 2025. See which 2025 Kentucky Derby horses he likes at SportsLine.

How to make 2025 Kentucky Derby bets, picks

Menez’ top pick is a horse who “is bred to only get better with the added distance.” He’s also high on a double-digit longshot who owns “the most awesome turn of foot of any of the Kentucky Derby hopefuls.” Menez is sharing who he likes over at SportsLine.

Which horse wins the Kentucky Derby 2025, and which double-digit longshot is a must-back? Check out the latest 2025 Kentucky Derby odds below, then visit SportsLine to see Menez’ picks for the Kentucky Derby, all from the expert who called Mystik Dan as an 18-1 live longshot in last year’s race.

2025 Kentucky Derby odds, post positions