2025 Kentucky Derby horses, futures, odds, date, preview: Expert who hit 10 Derby-Oaks Doubles gives picks​on February 21, 2025 at 3:38 pm

The 2025 Kentucky Derby is still over two months away, but the groundwork is already being laid for this year’s Run for the Roses at Churchill Downs. There have been 20 races awarding points on the Road to the Kentucky Derby 2025, and one horse has likely already earned enough points to qualify for the first leg of the Triple Crown at Churchill Downs on Saturday, May 3. Citizen Bull is trained by Bob Baffert and has already racked up 60 points after winning the American Pharoah Stakes as a two-year-old and Robert B. Lewis Stakes earlier this month.

The latest 2025 Kentucky Derby odds list Citizen Bull at 9-1, while Barnes, another Baffert colt, is the 8-1 favorite in the 2025 Kentucky Derby futures. Other potential 2025 Kentucky Derby horses include Sovereignty (17-1), East Avenue (18-1) and Chancer McPatrick (23-1). 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 John Hancock, even though he is undefeated and coming off a win at the 2025 Sam F. Davis Stakes. John Hancock’s was sired by Constitution, a two-time Grade 1 winner who likely would have been one of the favorites at the 2014 Kentucky Derby if not for injury.

John Hancock didn’t run as a juvenile, but broke his maiden at Tampa Bay Downs on Jan. 8 before collecting 20 points in the Road to the Kentucky Derby standings with his win at the Sam F. Davis Stakes, also run at Tampa Bay Downs. He hasn’t been tested in the same way as several other 2025 Kentucky Derby contenders and Demling wants to see more growth before including him in any 2025 Kentucky Derby best bets. See which other 2025 Kentucky Derby horses to avoid at SportsLine.

Another stunner: Demling is high on Burnham Square, even though he is a 15-1 longshot in the latest 2025 Kentucky Derby futures. This son of Liam’s Map out of Scat Daddy mare Linda has already run three times, including a start at Churchill Downs as a two-year-old when he finished third. He broke his maiden in December at Gulfstream Park and also won the Holy Bull Stakes at Gulfstream Park earlier this month.

Now, Burnham Sqaure is likely to be a factor just like his grandsire. Scat Daddy won the 2007 Fountain of Youth Stakes and Florida Derby to earn his way into that year’s Kentucky Derby field. Additionally, Burnham Square has gotten better in every start. Australian trainer Ian Wilkes won the 2012 Breeders’ Cup Classic with Fort Larned and was an assistant for Carl Nafzger when Street Sense won the Kentucky Derby in 2007. 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 “keeps getting better and better.” 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.

2025 Kentucky Derby odds, futures