2025 Kentucky Derby horses, futures, odds, preview, date: Expert who hit 10 Derby-Oaks Doubles lists picks​on March 13, 2025 at 3:26 pm

The most-watched horse race of the year is approaching, with the 2025 Kentucky Derby set for Saturday, May 3. It is the first leg of the Triple Crown and is colloquially known as the most exciting two minutes in sports, hosted by Churchill Downs. The 2025 Kentucky Derby field is starting to take shape, as the top 20 horses on the “Road to the Derby” leaderboard will participate in the annual Run for the Roses. Bob Baffert-trained Barnes is the 8-1 favorite, according to the latest 2025 Kentucky Derby odds.

There are plenty of other three-year-olds who will be joining the field as 2025 Kentucky Derby contenders in the coming weeks. Which 2025 Kentucky Derby horses should you target with your 2025 Kentucky Derby bets? 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 in the Sam F. Davis Stakes. He earned 20 points in the Road to the Kentucky Derby standings with his win at Tampa Bay Downs last month, claiming the victory in wire-to-wire fashion. John Hancock finished in 1:42.27 under the guidance of jockey Flavien Prat.

He debuted at Tampa Bay on Jan. 8, posting a three-length win in a six-furlong maiden special weight event. The son of Constitution is extremely inexperienced though, as those are the only two races of his career. Demling needs to see more from John Hancock before he is willing to pull the trigger, so he is a horse to avoid for the time being. 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 Kentucky Derby odds 2025. Burnham Square has proven he can compete with some of the best 3-year-olds expected to be in the 2025 Kentucky Derby field.

Burnham Square won the Holy Bull Stakes in February before finishing fourth at the Coolmore Fountain of Youth Stakes on March 1. In his Holy Bull Stakes victory, Burnham Square closed from last to defeat Tappan Street by 1 3/4 lengths at Gulfstream Park, advancing up the inside down the backstretch. He is built to run well at longer distances, and his experience overcoming a poor start and crowded track bodes well for his future success. 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 has “lots and lots of potential.” 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