When is the Kentucky Derby 2025? Jody Demling revealed his 2025 Kentucky Derby picks for the Run for the Roses on Saturday, May 3 at Churchill Downs
The American horse racing Triple Crown gets underway on Saturday, May 3 with the 2025 Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs. The Kentucky Derby 2025 will mark the 151st edition of the Run for the Roses and the first year legendary trainer Bob Baffert is eligible to return from his three-year suspension. The 2025 Kentucky Derby field remains a work in progress, with the 2025 Kentucky Derby post draw set for Saturday, April 26. Journalism (3-1), Sandman (8-1), and Sovereignty (8-1) are the top three favorites in the latest 2025 Kentucky Derby odds. Should any of those 2025 Kentucky Derby horses be targets for your 2025 Kentucky Derby bets? Before making any 2025 Kentucky Derby picks, be sure to see the horse racing predictions and futures bets from SportsLine’s elite horse racing expert Jody Demling.
A fixture in the horse racing world who has been writing about, talking about and betting on races for years, Demling has nailed the Kentucky Oaks-Derby double 11 times in the last 16 years. He also predicted the winner of the Belmont Stakes four of the last seven years and called 10 of the last 20 Preakness winners, including in 2023, when he hit the winner, exacta, trifecta and superfecta, as well as the trifecta in 2024. Anyone who has followed him on those picks is up huge.
Now, with the 2025 Kentucky Derby futures already on the board, Demling is sharing his picks and 2025 Kentucky Derby predictions over at SportsLine. Go here to see them.
Top 2025 Kentucky Derby predictions
One of Demling’s surprising 2025 Kentucky Derby picks: He is fading Rodriguez, even though he’s one of the favorites. In fact, Demling says Rodriguez doesn’t even hit the board in his 2025 Kentucky Derby projections. Rodriguez is trained by Bob Baffert and was widely considered to be the legendary trainer’s top contender in the 2025 Run for the Roses. Rodriguez won the Santa Anita MSW and the Wood Memorial in 2025. He also has a second place finish in the Robert B. Lewis and a third place in the San Felipe Stakes.
However, Demling has concerns about the three-year-old colt’s performance at the San Felipe Stakes in March. He finished well behind Derby favorite Journalism on a track similar to Churchill Downs. Demling isn’t considering Rodriguez among his top 2025 Kentucky Derby horses or longshot picks. See which other 2025 Kentucky Derby horses to avoid at SportsLine.
Another stunner: Demling is high on Luxor Cafe, even though he is a 15-1 longshot in the latest Kentucky Derby odds 2025. The colt is 2-for-2 with victories in Japan over his career, most recently winning the 2025 Fukuryu Stakes on March 29. Although Luxor Cafe hasn’t competed against the top American horses, he has the pedigree of American greatness. Luxor Cafe is the son of American Pharoah, who won the 2015 Triple Crown and is in the conversation for the greatest horse of all time.
Luxor Cafe will draw betting interest from that fact alone, but his victories prove he’s capable of making a name for himself. The Fukuryu Stakes runs at the same 1 1/8-mile distance of races like the Florida Derby and Arkansas Derby, so distance shouldn’t be an issue for Luxor Cafe. Forever Young finished third at last year’s Kentucky Derby, becoming the first Japanese horse to place in the top three at Churchill Downs, as international horses continue to prove they can compete with the top American 3-year-olds. See which other horses to back at SportsLine.
How to make 2025 Kentucky Derby picks, bets
Demling is especially high on a double-digit longshot who “has a legit shot.” Demling is sharing which horse it is, along with his entire projected 2025 Kentucky Derby leaderboard, 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 Demling’s picks for the Kentucky Derby, all from the expert who has nailed 11 Derby-Oaks doubles.
2025 Kentucky Derby odds, futures
| Horse | Odds | Projection |
|---|---|---|
| Journalism | 3-1 | SEE PICKS |
| Sandman | 8-1 | SEE PICKS |
| Sovereignty | 8-1 | SEE PICKS |
| Rodriguez | 10-1 | SEE PICKS |
| Tappan Street | 10-1 | SEE PICKS |
| Burnham Square | 15-1 | SEE PICKS |
| Luxor Cafe | 15-1 | SEE PICKS |
| Citizen Bull | 20-1 | SEE PICKS |
| East Avenue | 20-1 | SEE PICKS |
| Grande | 20-1 | SEE PICKS |
| River Thames | 20-1 | SEE PICKS |
| Tiztastic | 20-1 | SEE PICKS |
| American Promise | 30-1 | SEE PICKS |
| Chunk of Gold | 30-1 | SEE PICKS |
| Coal Battle | 30-1 | SEE PICKS |
| Final Gambit | 30-1 | SEE PICKS |
| Publisher | 30-1 | SEE PICKS |
| Admire Daytona | 50-1 | SEE PICKS |
| Flood Zone | 50-1 | SEE PICKS |
| Flying Mohawk | 50-1 | SEE PICKS |
