Ultimate Kentucky Derby Betting Guide. Learn how to bet on the Kentucky Derby. Here are some simple bets anyone can learn. We’ll cover the race in detail, complete with last minute race updates right until post time.
Kentucky Derby 151 Schedule 2025
Date & Time: Saturday, May 3, 2025. Post Time 6:57 PM ET
Place: Churchill Downs, Louisville, KY
TV: NBC
Live Stream: NBC Live Stream
The Kentucky Derby is always the first Saturday in May.
Kentucky Derby Betting Odds
Kentucky Derby 2025 –
|
Horse |  TwinSpires |
|---|---|
| Journalism | 7/2 Bet |
| Sovereignty | 6/1 Bet |
| Luxor Cafe | 10/1 Bet |
| Sandman | 10/1 Bet |
| Citizen Bull | 12/1 Bet |
Recent US Graded Stakes Won by Kentucky Derby Entrants
| Horse | Races |
|---|---|
| Journalism | Santa Anita Derby (2025 G1), Preakness Stakes (2025 G1), San Felipe Stakes (2025 G2), Los Alamitos Futurity (2024 G2) |
| Sovereignty | Fountain Of Youth Stakes (2025 G2), Kentucky Derby (2025 G1), Belmont Stakes (2025 G1), Street Sense Stakes (2024 G3) |
| Sandman | Arkansas Derby (2025 G1) |
| Citizen Bull | Breeders' Cup Juvenile (2024 G1), Robert B. Lewis Stakes (2025 G3), American Pharoah Stakes (2024 G1) |
| Burnham Square | Blue Grass Stakes (2025 G1), Holy Bull Stakes (2025 G3) |
Kentucky Oaks Betting Odds
Kentucky Oaks 2025 –
|
Horse | TwinSpires |
|---|---|
| 8. Tarifa | 9/2 Bet |
| 14. Leslie's Rose | 21/4 Bet |
| 11. Ways and Means | 11/2 Bet |
| 13. Just F Y I | 11/2 Bet |
| 5. Thorpedo Anna | 6/1 Bet |
Recent US Graded Stakes Won by Kentucky Oaks Entrants
| Horse | Races |
|---|---|
| Tarifa | Mother Goose Stakes (2024 G2), Fair Grounds Oaks (2024 G2), Rachel Alexandra Stakes (2024 G2) |
| Leslie's Rose | Ashland Stakes (2024 G1) |
| Ways and Means | Test Stakes (2024 G1), Bed O' Roses Stakes (2025 G2), Gallant Bloom Stakes (2024 G2) |
| Just F Y I | Frizette Stakes (2023 G1), Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies (2023 G1) |
| Thorpedo Anna | Kentucky Oaks (2024 G1), Acorn Stakes (2024 G1), Coaching Club American Oaks (2024 G1), Fantasy Stakes (2024 G2), Cotillion Stakes (2024 G1), Apple Blossom Handicap (2025 G1), Breeders' Cup Distaff (2024 G1), Azeri Stakes (2025 G2) |
Table of Contents
- Best Bets
- Churchill Downs Odds
- Kentucky Derby Replay
- Best Derby Race Call
- Betting Tips
- Race Trends
- Long-shot Winners
- Tables/Reference
Kentucky Derby Betting Sites
| Bonus | |
|---|---|
 #1 TwinSpiresREVIEW | New Customers - $200 Signup Bonus - Code: BET200 Bet Now 21+ Play from any approved state Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-522-4700 |
How to Win Kentucky Derby Betting
Profit from these Kentucky Derby bets.
Oaks-Derby Daily Double Bet
Pick both the Kentucky Oaks and Kentucky Derby winners. Make your picks before the Kentucky Oaks begins. Post time time is 6:12 PM the Friday before Derby Day.
The 1 1/8 mile Oaks is for 3 year old fillies. Each horse must qualify during the Oaks Prep Race period between September and April.
Racebooks determine Oaks-Derby payouts from a horse’s odds of winning its respective event.
Review the Oaks-Derby will-pays after the Oaks has concluded. Payouts include the Oaks winner paired with each Derby horse. Odds may change up until Derby post time.
Tip
Review each horse’s most recent race results. Also review Prep Race results. The Kentucky Derby and Kentucky Oaks Prep Races begin in September.
Win-Place-Show Bet – Also called “Across the Board”
Pick a likely top 3 finisher. Place $2 Win, Place and Show bets on this horse. $2 x 3 bets. The entire bet costs $6 total.
Ask your track teller for $2 “Across the Board”. Or select this wager from your online race book.
Race results determine your payout. There are 4 distinct outcomes. The following lists payouts from highest to lowest.
| Horse Finishes | Winning Bets | Losing Bets |
|---|---|---|
| First | Win,Place,Show | None |
| Second | Place,Show | Win |
| Third | Show | Win,Place |
| Fourth or worse | None | All |
All Win-Place-Show bets lose if horse finishes fourth or worse. Also called “out of the money”.
Tip
Pick from the top 6-8 contenders. Don’t bet longshot horses unless you’re extremely confident. Avoid placing multiple Win-Place-Show bets. Consider a Trifecta or Superfecta box bet instead.
Kentucky Derby Quinella Box
The 20 horse Kentucky Derby field makes picking a winner difficult. Bettors must carefully manage risk to profit. Play multiple horses at once with the Quinella Box Bet.
Pick 3 or more horses to finish in the first or second position. Final order doesn’t matter.
- Your bet wins if 2 of your selections finish first and second.
- Bet loses if one or none of your selections finish top two.
Quinella Box bets cost $2 per combination. The following table lists costs per number of horses boxed.
| Horses | Combinations | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| 3 | 3 | $6 |
| 4 | 6 | $12 |
| 5 | 10 | $20 |
| 6 | 15 | $30 |
| 7 | 21 | $42 |
Tip
Keep Quinella Box to 6 horses or less. Larger quinella boxes are both expensive and inefficient. Consider using an Exacta Wheel bet for 6 or more horses. Key small sets of horses into each finishing position.
Kentucky Derby Show Bet
Your horse doesn’t have to win to turn a profit. The show bet rewards bettors for making a good-enough prediction. It manages risk like the Quinella Box. But it costs less and pays out more.
How to place a Kentucky Derby Show Bet
- Visit your online race book.
- Pick your favorite horse.
- Select Show Bet.
- Minimum bet is usually $2.
The show bet wins if your horse finishes first, second or third. Also called “in the money”. Payouts are smaller than successful win or place bets.
- Show bets on longshots pay the most.
- Show bets on favorites or “odds on” horses pay the least.
Tip
Consider placing Show bets on multiple horses. The 20 horse Kentucky Derby field is notoriously unpredictable. Don’t hang your hat on one selection. Diversify your bets. You’ll increase the likelihood of profiting.
Churchill Downs Entries and Odds
| P# | TwinSpires Bet |
|---|---|
| 5 Sweet Note | 2/1 Bet |
| 1 Spotaway | 5/2 Bet |
| 3 Brooklynn Drew | 7/2 Bet |
| 7 Musical Prayer | 4/1 Bet |
| 4 Nursekringledances | 10/1 Bet |
Hitch Abernathy's Free Churchill Downs Picks
Like these picks? Please support us with a donation. Thanks very much!| Race | Pick |
|---|---|
| 1 | W 7 Musical Prayer P 5 Sweet Note S 4 Nursekringledances |
| 2 | W 5 Estrella Silver P 9 Nuts And Bolts S 6 Givemethebeat |
| 3 | W 6 Busk P 3 Cowan S 7 Shape Note |
| 4 | W 3 Super Pachi P 1 It Ain't Like That S 4 Diamond N Dress |
| 5 | W 7 Tap The Champagne P 4 Two Turntables S 1 Scarletta Carpetta |
2023 Kentucky Derby Replay
Best Kentucky Derby Race Call
Larry Collmus, 2011 Kentucky Derby for Animal Kingdom
Kentucky Derby Betting Tips
- Deposit early Kentucky Derby week. You’ll avoid last minute credit card processing glitches.
- Monitor Kentucky Derby Betting odds carefully. Visit your online race book’s odds page regularly. Odds will change up until post time.
- Shop Kentucky Derby betting odds at multiple sportsbooks.
- Novice bettors stick to simple +EV horse bets. Research and bet longshots carefully. Leave trifectas and superfectas to expert handicappers.
Kentucky Derby Race Stats 1973 to Present
Kentucky Derby Historic Trends
| Item | Date | Value |
|---|---|---|
| Highest Purse | May 1, 2004 | $6,184,800 |
| Largest Field | May 4, 1974 | 23 |
Kentucky Derby Averages
| Item | Value | Results |
|---|---|---|
| Most Common Purse | $3,000,000 | 5 |
| Average Purse | $1,621,894 | 53 |
| Most Common Field | 19 | 5 |
| Average Field | 17.5 | 53 |
Top Kentucky Derby Longshot Winners
2009 Mine That Bird 50 to 1
Jockey: Calvin Borel
Mine that Bird’s 2009 Kentucky Derby win was the most stunning upset in recent memory. He was the second gelding to ever win the derby, just one of nine to ever enter. It seems this unruly horse knew how to run!
A muddy start against a formidable field offered little hope. Then, as the horses broke for home, Mine that Bird surged ahead. He confidently dispatched frontrunners and late closers alike. His final time was 2:02.66, some 6+ lengths ahead of the second finisher.
Jockey Calvin Borel and trainer Bennie Woolley, Jr. were the only two people confident in this horse’s ability. Their beliefs paid off. A $2 bet paid an incredible $103.20.
Mine that Bird later finished second at the Preakness and third at the Belmont Stakes.
2005 Giacomo 50 to 1
Jockey: Mike E. Smith
It was still anyone’s race down the homestretch of Kentucky Derby 131. Afleet Alex, Giacomo and Closing Argument were jockeying for the win. Ultimately Giacomo persevered in the final seventy yards defeating Closing Argument, another 50 to 1 longshot.
This improbable victory has been the only Derby win for both jockey Mike E. Smith and trainer John Shirreffs.
Giacomo’s official time was 2:02.75. He later finished third at the Preakness and seventh at the Belmont Stakes. He came back to win the 2006 San Diego Handicap, then finished fourth in the 2006 Breeders’ Cup Classic.
1940 Gallahadion 36 to 1
Jockey: Carroll Bierman
Bimelech was the odds on favorite at 2 to 5 in the 1940 Kentucky Derby. Few had interest in Gallahadion, owned by the Mars candy company family.
But this 36 to 1 longshot seized the day, driving past Bimelech and Dit at the finish. He clocked a respectable 2:05.00 while time was still being marked in 1/5 seconds.
After a third place Preakness finish, Gallahadion’s luck ran out. He didn’t finish the Belmont Stakes, officially recorded as “unplaced”. Attempts to win subsequent summer races were unsuccessful.
Still, this one hit wonder makes the record books for his incredible win. Jockey Carroll Bierman and trainer Roy Waldron never won another Derby.
1913 Donerail 91 to 1
Jockey: Roscoe Goose
Donerail is the biggest longshot winner of the Kentucky Derby in history. His odds were 91 to 1.
Donerail started slowly and hung with the leaders until the final stretch. There he surged to take the lead. He made his break in the final 1/16 mile leading Ten Point and Gowell to the finish.
His 2:04.8 was a record at the time. Equally impressive was the $184.90 payoff for a $2 Win bet. A Greek man named Elias Dimakos was the prescient and lucky winner.
Donerail started 62 races and won 10 before retiring in 1917. Other notable wins included the Canadian Sportsmen’s Handicap and Hamilton Cup. He appeared once again in 1918 for a turf race but dropped out before the finish.
1999 Charismatic 31 to 1
Jockey: Chris Antley
Perhaps Charismatic should have been a favorite. His pedigree included Secretariat. His jockey was future hall of famer Chris Antley, who won the 1991 Derby riding Strike the Gold. Charismatic’s trainer D. Wayne Lukas had already captured 3 Derby wins. Would 1999 be his 4th?
Running to the finish, it was Cat Thief on the rail with Charismatic charging ahead. Menifee caught up on the outside, attempting to close on both horses. But Charismatic held off both as Menifee’s late surge ran out of track.
Charismatic’s 2:03.20 win cemented the legacies of both Antley and Lukas in horse racing history. He later won the Preakness.
Charismatic’s Triple Crown dreams ended painfully at the Belmont Stakes. He slowed suddenly with about 1/8 mile to go after taking the lead. Jockey Antley eased him up and dismounted, quickly grabbing Charismatic’s front-left leg. A veterinarian determined it was fractured.
Subsequent surgery returned use of the leg. But Charismatic could no longer race. He became a stud until retirement in October 2016. He died in 2017.
Kentucky Derby Winners 1900 to Present
| Year | Horse | Jockey | Trainer | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Sovereignty | Junior Alvarado | Bill Mott | 2:02.31 |
| 2024 | Mystik Dan | Brian Hernandez Jr. | Kenneth G. McPeek | 2:03.34 |
| 2023 | Mage | Javier Castellano | Gustavo Delgado | 2:01.57 |
| 2022 | Rich Strike | Sonny Leon | Eric Reed | 2:02.61 |
| 2021 | Mandaloun | Florent Geroux | Brad Cox | 2:01.02 |
Kentucky Derby Resources
- Kentucky Derby Betting Odds – Odds to win this year’s Kentucky Derby and Kentucky Oaks. Learn how to bet on the Kentucky Derby.
- Kentucky Derby Trifecta Picks – See our trifecta picks for this year’s Kentucky Derby, with prerace commentary and updates before the Derby.
- Kentucky Derby Betting Sites – Best legal online horse betting sites that accept Kentucky Derby wagers, plus last minute race picks.
- How to bet on Horses – We’ve made horse racing betting easy, giving you a basic rundown of the win, place, show, and win-place-show bet. You’ll also learn how place a trifecta, superfecta, exacta, or quinella bet.
- Horse Betting Sites – We’ve reviewed the finest legal US horse racing betting sites, offering our own insights and guidance on where to place a bet. Don’t forget to claim your bonus code.
- Horse Racing Betting Tracks – Complete list of today’s thoroughbred horse races and harness races from major United States tracks and raceways, plus a select list of Canadian and Latin American tracks.
References
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kentucky_Oaks
drf.com/news/will-pays-kentucky-oaksderby-double
newyork.cbslocal.com/2017/05/04/kentucky-derby-long-shot-winners/
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charismatic_(horse)
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Donerail
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mine_That_Bird
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gallahadion
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Giacomo_(horse)
kentuckyderby.com/history/kentucky-derby-winners