2025 Kentucky Derby horses, futures, odds, date, preview: Expert who hit 11 Derby-Oaks Doubles shares picks

The Kentucky Derby 2025 takes off from Churchill Downs on Saturday, May 3, and the 2025 Kentucky Derby horses are becoming clearer. By winning the Florida Derby, Tappan Street is now victorious in two of three career races. Tappan Street is the son of Into Mischief, who finished top two in all three of his career races, including two Grade 1 stakes, so should you include the Brad Cox-trained horse in your 2025 Kentucky Derby prediction? Journalism is the 5-1 favorite, followed by Sovereignty (7-1) and Citizen Bull (9-1) in the latest 2025 Kentucky Derby odds. 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 Final Gambit, even though he is one of the top favorites and just won the Jeff Ruby Stakes. The colt has yet to win, or even run, in a race higher than a Grade III stakes and Final Gambit failed to win his first two races before claiming a victory, including finishing third at Churchill Downs in his debut.

The winner of that race, Maui Strong, has failed to win any of his other four races, so the talent jump Final Gambit will witness at the Kentucky Derby will be enormous. Final Gambit is trained by Brad Cox, and although Cox is considered one of the elite horse trainers in the world, Cox has yet to have that horse cross the finish line first. Tappan Street is a Cox horse, and after his Florida Derby victory he may get more of Cox’s focus. At 10-1 odds, Demling doesn’t see value in backing Final Gambit. See which other 2025 Kentucky Derby horses to avoid at SportsLine.

Another stunner: Demling is high on Coal Battle, even though he is a 14-1 longshot in the latest Kentucky Derby odds 2025. Owner Robbie Norman, trainer Lonnie Briley and jockey Juan Vargas have already got more than they bargained for with their 3-year-old colt, who has clinched a spot in the Kentucky Derby after winning the Rebel Stakes last month.

Coal Battle has surpassed $1 million in career earnings and has a chance to secure his first Grade 1 victory in the Arkansas Derby. He has shown an ability to win in various ways, taking command early in his Smarty Jones Stakes victory before rallying from the back in the Rebel Stakes. Demling likes the versatility that Coal Battle brings to the table, especially at his current price. See which other horses to back at SportsLine.

How to make 2025 Kentucky Derby picks, bets

Demling is especially high on an epic double-digit longshot who “could be a superstar.” 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.