2026 Kentucky Derby: Race updates and results from the 152nd derby
Chicago horse owner heads to Churchill Downs for Kentucky Derby weekend | ChicagoLIVE
Chris Block, president of the Illinois Thoroughbred Horsemen’s Association, joined ChicagoLIVE while on the road to Louisville to talk about having two horses running on the Kentucky Derby undercard. He also shared what goes into training racehorses, from pedigree and preparation to the excitement and intensity of competing during Derby weekend.
It's time to "Run for the Roses."
The 152 Kentucky Derby runs on Saturday, with everyone waiting for the annual Kentucky Derby race. That race is set for 5:57 p.m., CT.
Follow along here for race updates and results from the 152 Kentucky Derby from Churchill Downs.
2026 Kentucky Derby favorite
Commandment, in the No. 6 post position, and Renegade, in the No. 1 post position, are the derby favorites. Both share 5-1 odds to win the race.
So Happy is the second favorite to win the race with 6-1 odds.
The latest on Kentucky Derby participants
So far, five horses have been scratched from participating in the 2026 Kentucky Derby.
The Puma, Right to Party, Silent Tactic, Fulleffort and Corona de Oro have all been scratched from the lineup.
2026 Kentucky Derby Post Positions and Odds
Sorted by post, position, horse name, odds
1 - Renegade: 6-1
2 - Albus: 44-1
3 - Intrepido: 46-1
4 - Litmus Test: 26-1
5 - Right to Party SCRATCHED
6 - Commandment: 5-1
7 - Danon Bourbon: 14-1
8 - So Happy: 5-1
9 - The Puma: SCRATCHED
10 - Wonder Dean: 26-1
11 - Incredibolt: 24-1
12 - Chief Wallabee: 6-1
13 - Silent Tactic: SCRATCHED
14 - Potente: 19-1
15 - Emerging Market: 9-1
16 - Pavlovian: 46-1
17 - Six Speed: 33-1
18 - Further Ado: 6-1
19 - Golden Tempo: 24-1
20 - Fulleffort: SCRATCHED
21 - Great White: 22-1
22 - Ocelli: 80-1
23 - Robusta: 79-1
AE-24 - Corona de Oro: SCRATCHED
Kentucky Derby undercard race results
Race 1
- 1st place: Powershift
- 2nd place: Silentway
- 3rd place: Ingleborough
Race 2
- 1st place: Out of the Woods
- 2nd place: Sovereign Law
- 3rd place: Our Moneyman
Race 3
- 1st place: Vibe
- 2nd place: Bullard
- 3rd place: Who Dey
Race 4: Derby City Distaff
- 1st place: R Disaster
- 2nd place: Ways and Means
- 3rd place: Usha
Race 5: Twin Spires Turf Sprint
- 1st place: Yellow Card
- 2nd place: Joe Shiesty
- 3rd place: Litigation
Race 6: Knicks Go
- 1st place: Tour Player
- 2nd place: Moonlight
- 3rd place: Dragoon
Race 7: Churchill Distaff Turf Mile
- 1st place: Classic Q
- 2nd place: Portfolio Duration
- 3rd place: Pin Up Betty
Race 8: Pat Day Mile
- 1st place: Crude Velocity
- 2nd place: Englishman
- 3rd place: Stop the Car
Race 9: American Turf
- 1st place: Stark
- 2nd place: Remember Mamba
- 3rd place: Honey Dutch
Race 10: Churchill Downs
- 1st place: T O Elvis
- 2nd place: Disruptor
- 3rd place: Crazy Mason
Race 11: Old Forester Turf Classic
- 1st place: Rhetorical
- 2nd place: Make Me King
- 3rd place: Corruption
Race 12: Kentucky Derby
- 1st place:
- 2nd place:
- 3rd place:
2026 Kentucky Derby Schedule
Schedule is in Eastern Time.
- Race 1 - 11 a.m.
- Race 2 - 11:32 a.m.
- Race 3 - 12:05 p.m.
- Derby City Distaff- 12:38 p.m.
- Twin Spires Turf Sprint - 1:12 p.m.
- Knicks Go - 1:53 p.m.
- Churchill Distaff Turf Mile - 2:38 p.m.
- Pat Day Mile - 3:23 p.m.
- American Turf - 4:06 p.m.
- Churchill Downs - 4:50 p.m.
- Old Forester Turf Classic - 5:39 p.m.
- Kentucky Derby presented by Woodford Reserve - 6:57 p.m.
- Race 13 - 8 p.m.
- Race 14 - 8:33 p.m.
Behind the drink of the derby: the mint Julep
Mint juleps have been drunk at the Kentucky Derby since it began in the late 19th century, but they became its signature drink in the 1930s. That's when the Derby created a commemorative cup to serve them in, and people began sneaking them home as souvenirs, says Martha Dalton, co-founder of Never Say Die bourbon.
"Instead of kind of fighting against that, they embraced it. And so from then on, (the mint julep) really became completely synonymous with the Derby," says Dalton, whose company is named after a Derby-winning racehorse said to have been revived with a shot of whiskey as a foal.
The julep’s roots, she says, are in ancient Persia, where sweetened rose water tonic called "gulab" was used for its medicinal properties. It spread to medieval Europe, where alcohol was brought into the mix, and on into the American South, where there was an abundance of mint and bourbon distilleries.
Why does the drink maintain its Southern charm?
"Every sip is slightly different," says Angelos Bafas, bartender and co-founder of Cato bar in London. The bar is named after Cato Alexander, the 19th-century Manhattan bartender believed to have popularized juleps.
"The ice dilutes and the aromatics of the bourbon open up as the day proceeds," says Bafas. - Associated Press