Favored Renegade draws rail in Kentucky Derby * The Racing Biz

Favored Renegade draws rail in Kentucky Derby

Arkansas Derby winner is 4-1 on the morning line

Press Release
April 25, 2026

Robert and Lawana Low and Repole Stable’s Renegade has been installed as the 4-1 morning line favorite in a field of 20 plus four also-eligibles for next Saturday’s 152nd running of the $5 million Kentucky Derby (G1) presented by Woodford Reserve.

The 1 ¼-mile classic headlines a 14-race program beginning at 11 a.m. (all times Eastern) with the Derby going as the 12th race with a 6:57 p.m. post time. The winner will receive $3.1 million.

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Trained by two-time Kentucky Derby winner Todd Pletcher, Renegade has posted two overpowering victories in his 2026 starts, a 3 ¾-length win in the Sam F. Davis (L) at Tampa Bay Downs and a 4-length score in the Arkansas Derby (GI).

Irad Ortiz Jr., seeking his first Kentucky Derby victory, has the mount on Renegade who could join Super Saver (2010) and Always Dreaming (2017) as Pletcher Derby winners. Renegade will exit post 1.

*Renegade was much the best in the Arkansas Derby. Photo by Coady Media.*

Co-second choices on the morning line at 6-1 are Wathnan Racing’s Commandment and Spendthrift Farm’s Further Ado. Both are trained by Brad Cox, who won the 2021 Derby with Mandaloun

Commandment has won four consecutive races highlighted by the Fountain of Youth (GII) and Florida Derby (GI), Commandment will be ridden by Luis Saez from post 6.

Further Ado comes into the Derby off an 11-length victory in the Blue Grass Stakes (GI) at Keeneland on April 4. Three-time Derby-winning rider John Velazquez has the mount from post 18.

Cox also will send out Fulleffort (20-1) for St. Elias Stable and Starlight Racing. Tyler Gaffalione has the mount from post 20.

Fourth choice on the morning line at 8-1 is Mike and Kay Kay Ball’s Chief Wallabee, the third-place finisher in the Florida Derby.

Chief Wallabee will attempt to make Bill Mott the first trainer to win the Derby in back-to-back years since six-time Derby winner Bob Baffert completed the double in 1997-1998 with Silver Charm and Real Quiet. Runner-up in the Fountain of Youth before his Florida Derby run, Chief Wallabee will be ridden by Junior Alvarado from post 12.

Mott and Alvarado teamed up last year with Sovereignty to win the Run for the Roses en route to a Horse of the Year campaign. The last trainer/jockey combination to win consecutive Kentucky Derbys was Ron Turcotte and Lucien Laurin, who teamed together with Derby winners Riva Ridge (1972) and Secretariat (1973).

Bill Mott’s son Riley will be represented by his first two starters in Pin Oak Stud’s Wood Memorial (GII) winner Albus (30-1) and Virginia Derby winner Incredibolt (20-1).

The Motts will be the second father-son duo to saddle horses in the same Derby. In 1964, Red Wingfield saddled Dandy K to an eighth-place finish behind Northern Dancer while son Bobby’s Wil Rad finished 10th.

Manny Franco has the mount on Albus from post 2 while Jaime Torres will pilot Incredibolt from post 11.

Three other riders, Mike Smith, Flavien Prat and Javier Castellano, will be looking to add to their Derby victory totals.

Smith, who won aboard Giacomo in 2005 and Justify in 2018, has the mount on Norman Stables and Saints or Sinners’ Santa Anita Derby (GI) winner So Happy (15-1). Trained by Mark Glatt, So Happy will exit post 8.

Prat, who rode Country House for Mott, has the call on undefeated Louisiana Derby (GII) winner Emerging Market (15-1). Owned by Klaravich Stables and trained by Chad Brown, Emerging Market will leave from post 15.

Castellano teams up again with trainer Gustavo Delgado seeking to duplicate some Mage magic from 2023 with The Puma. Second in the Florida Derby and 10-1 on the morning line, The Puma will exit post 9 for the ownership group of OGMA Investments, JR Ranch and High Step Racing.

Baffert will be seeking a record seventh victory when he sends out two runners in Speedway Stables’ Santa Anita Derby runner-up Potente (20-1) and Los Alamitos Futurity (GII) winner Litmus Test (30-1). Juan Hernandez has the mount on Potente from post 14 with Martin Garcia riding Litmus Test from post 4.

Two-time Derby winner Doug O’Neill, who saddled I’ll Have Another (2012) and Nyquist (2016) to victories for Reddam Racing, brings another Reddam runner to Churchill Downs in Pavlovian (30-1). Edwin Maldonado has the mount from post 16.

Kenny McPeek is seeking a second Derby victory to go with the Mystik Dan triumph in 2024. McPeek will send out Chester Broman’s Right to Party (30-1), the runner-up in the Wood Memorial.

Chris Elliott, the 20-year-old son of Stewart Elliott who rode Smarty Jones to Derby glory in 2004, has the mount from post 5.

The field for the 152^nd running of the Kentucky Derby from the rail out (with jockey, trainer and morning line odds):