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

Journalism has been the favorite in the 2025 Kentucky Derby odds for weeks and, after Saturday, expect the colt to draw even more wagers. Journalism won the Santa Anita Derby, one of the top prep races on the Road to the Kentucky Derby, for his fourth straight victory. Journalism is the 5-1 favorite in the latest Kentucky Derby odds 2025, followed by Sovereignty (7-1) and Citizen Bull (9-1), but Journalism's number could become even smaller leading into the running of the 151st Kentucky Derby on Saturday, May 3, from Churchill Downs.

Journalism isn't the only imposing horse in the 2025 Kentucky Derby field. Sovereignty, the son of Into Mischief who has been the most profitable sire each of the last six years, finished second in the Florida Derby and his pedigree could make him one of the popular 2025 Kentucky Derby horses. As the Kentucky Derby 2025 nears, could Sovereignty be the better value for 2025 Kentucky Derby bets if targeting one of the favorites? 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 Steaks. Final Gambit earned enough points from the Jeff Ruby Stakes alone to qualify for the 2025 Kentucky Derby, but he's still one of the most inexperienced horses in the Kentucky Derby field with only four career starts. That could hinder him when going against horses with five, six or more previous races.

Final Gambit is the son of Not This Time, who has never produced a Triple Crown winner. Not This Time also never ran in a Triple Crown and ran just four races in 2016 before retirement. The Jeff Ruby Stakes has produced just two Kentucky Derby winners, the last being Animal Kingdom who won as a 21-1 longshot in 2011, so Final Gambit's lack of experience and price point doesn't make him an appealing play for Demling. 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. Sire Coal Front was a five-time graded stakes winner most notable for wins at the Amsterdam Stakes in 2017 and Godolphin Stakes in 2019.

Meanwhile, grandsire Midshipman was a Breeders' Cup Juvenile winner in 2008 and likely would have been a leading Triple Crown contender if not for soft tissue injuries. Coal Battle had a four-race winning streak snapped late last month at the Arkansas Derbym but a third-place showing was enough for him to lock up a spot in the 2025 Kentucky Derby with 95 qualifying points. 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.

2025 Kentucky Derby odds, futures