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In preparing for the 2026 Kentucky Derby, horse racing enthusiasts are keenly observing a developing trend related to the rest period between a horse’s final prep race and the Derby itself. Notably, the last four Derby champions each enjoyed exactly 35 days of rest before clinching victory at Churchill Downs. This year, those who last competed on March 28 are banking on this pattern holding true when the race unfolds on Saturday, May 2. Among them are two of the top contenders: Renegade, with odds of 9-2, and Commandment, at 6-1. They will break from post positions No. 1 and No. 6, respectively.
Other horses expected to benefit from the five-week break include The Puma and Chief Wallabee, both at 10-1 odds, along with Wonder Dean at 25-1. However, not all contenders fit this 35-day mold; Emerging Market, with 20-1 odds, will have had a 42-day rest, whereas Potente, at 15-1, will enter the race with just 28 days of downtime. Before making any betting decisions for the 2026 Kentucky Derby, it’s advisable to consult the predictions and best bets from Jody Demling, SportsLine’s esteemed horse racing expert.
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Jody Demling is a well-respected figure in the horse racing community, renowned for his extensive experience in analyzing, discussing, and wagering on races. He has successfully predicted the Kentucky Oaks-Derby double 12 times over the past 17 years and accurately forecasted the top three finishers in the 2025 Derby, as well as the exacta in last year’s Preakness. Those who have heeded his advice on various horse racing betting platforms have seen significant returns.
With the 2026 Kentucky Derby on the horizon and futures odds available, Demling is now revealing his betting picks and predictions for this year’s race on SportsLine. To access his expert insights, visit the site.
Top 2026 Kentucky Derby predictions
In a surprising twist, Demling advises caution regarding Chief Wallabee, despite his 10-1 odds and status as a favorite. Trained by the seasoned Bill Mott, whose first Derby entrant dates back to 1984, Chief Wallabee might not live up to expectations. While Mott boasts two Derby wins, his record across 14 starters is somewhat lackluster, with an average finish position of 9.1. Moreover, more than double his entries have finished 11th or worse compared to those that placed in the money.
Also, Chief Wallabee’s last race was a third-place finish at the Florida Derby. Historically, it hasn’t been an encouraging sign to finish outside the top two in Florida. Not since 1994 has a horse finished outside the top two of the Florida Derby and then gone on to win the Kentucky Derby. Chief Wallabee, who drew post No. 12, is fighting history as each of the last nine Kentucky Derby champions who competed at the Florida Derby placed first or second at the latter. See who to back at SportsLine.
Another stunner: Demling is high on Fulleffort, even though he’s a longshot at 20-1 and will start from out wide at post No. 20. Sired by Liam’s Map, Fulleffort’s father won multiple G1 races in his thoroughbred career. Fulleffort also has impressive genes on his mom’s side as his damsire, Awesome Again, also won multiple G1 races. Fulleffort has participated in just one graded stakes race, but he won that in his last start at the Jeff Ruby Steaks.
The horse appears to be following the route that 2022 Kentucky Derby winner Rich Strike took. Both horses only competed on a synthetic surface in their 3-year-old seasons prior to the Derby, and the two even raced the same three races in the Ruby Steaks, Battaglia Memorial and Leonatus. But while Rich Strike never finished in the top two in any of those, Fulleffort has one victory and two runners-up across them. So, the latter is already ahead of the 2022 Derby champion and shouldn’t be overlooked with your horse racing bets. See which other horses to back at SportsLine, and you can make 2026 Kentucky Derby picks at TwinSpires here with the offer code CBSSPORTS:
How to make 2026 Kentucky Derby picks, bets
Demling is also high on a longshot who “demolished the field” in his last start. Anyone who backs this colt could hit it big. Demling is sharing which horse it is, along with his entire projected 2026 Kentucky Derby leaderboard, over at SportsLine.
Which horse wins the Kentucky Derby 2026, and which longshot is a must-back? Check out the latest 2026 Kentucky Derby odds below, then visit SportsLine to see Demling’s picks for the Kentucky Derby, all from the expert who has nailed 12 Derby-Oaks doubles.
