The 151st Kentucky Derby Post Draw, Odds and 2025 Top Win Contenders

Post positions and odds for the 151st Kentucky Derby

It’s Derby week, and the post position draw and odds are set a week before the 151st running of the Kentucky Derby. The opening parimutuel odds show Journalism (3/1) the favorite breaking from post No. 8 followed by Sovereignty (5/1), Sandman (6/1), Rodriguez (12/1), Burnham Square (12/1) and Luxor Cafe (15/1) as top win contenders. Last year's Breeders' Cup Juvenile winner and top 2-year-old Citizen Bull (20/1) is among the 14 horses with opening odds of 20/1 or greater. 

While the parimutuel odds will change as bets come in on the race as offered days ahead of the May 3rd Kentucky Derby, select leading online sportsbooks offer fixed rate odds to win the Kentucky Derby. Those can sometimes offer better odds as you lock in your bets, which I did in the 2022 Kentucky Derby when Rich Strike was a late addition to the race Friday from the also-eligible list just ahead of the Run for the Roses. Rich Strike stormed down the stretch to pull off the stunning upset at 80/1 parimutuel odds as the second-biggest longshot to ever win the Kentucky Derby. I bet Rich Strike to win at 125/1 at Circa Sports in Las Vegas, but I did not bet Mage (15/1) to win the 2023 Derby or Mystik Dan (18/1) as another longshot winner of the 2024 Kentucky Derby as favorite Fierceness was a big disappointment finishing 15th place. 

So before you figure you have a sure bet or focus in on only the favorites while reviewing all the 'experts' picks and predictions, understand that the huge 20-horse Kentucky Derby field can cause chaos for the jockeys and runners in the classic 1 1/4 mile race. It's America's biggest race, but still a horse race where the best horses or top speed figures don't always win as the pace can dictate the race.

You can review the Kentucky Derby Championship Series races, results and recaps in my coverage in Forbes to guide you towards potential winners additional information you can bet on.

Tune in on NBC Saturday, May 3 at 6:57 PM ET with additional coverage from Churchill Downs on FanDuelTV for Race 12 and the 2025 Kentucky Derby with a huge prize pool of $5 million. Live stream the Triple Crown race on NBCSports.com, Peacock and NBC Sports App.

The $1.5 million Kentucky Oaks is Race 11 on Friday, May 2 at 5:51 p.m. ET, with 14 3-year-old fillies looking to cash in. The overwhelming prohibitive favorite is Good Cheer (6/5) in post No. 11 with No. La Cara (6/1) the only other filly with odds below 10/1.  

Kentucky Derby Odds and Post Positions

Post Positions for the 151st Kentucky Derby presented by Woodford Reserve. pic.twitter.com/CGyJn9rmy2

— Kentucky Derby (@KentuckyDerby) April 26, 2025

Kentucky Derby Picks

I'll be reviewing and posting more updates including picks for the Kentucky Derby. One tip I'll add is if you like to bet the exotics and shoot for a bigger payoffs in the Exacta and Trifecta pools, focus on 1-2 horses to win, and add multiple horses underneath in 2nd and 3rd to place and show. 

I did that when isolating 2017 Kentucky Derby winner Always Dreaming (9/2), and added 8 horses to place and 9 horses to show for a bet of less than $45 on a $.50 cent trifecta. I hit the winning Exacta 5x separately at $168 when 33/1 Looking At Lee finished 2nd, but somehow fkd up and mis-bet him only to finish 3rd in the trifecta (not second) to miss the $4,000+ payout on the 50 cent trifecta. Huge longshot Battle of Midway (40/1) finished 3rd to trigger the monster payouts in the trifecta and superfecta.  

That's a story for another time, but I still don't know how horseplayers can beat the racing game long-term with the huge track takeouts and cheating and drugging in the Sport of Kings. After all, top trainer Bob Baffert returns to Churchill Downs for the first time following a 3-year suspension. He'll run a pair of horses in the 2025 Kentucky Derby after being suspended for cheating and drugging 2021 disqualified Derby winner Medina Spirit, who failed a post-race drug test. That didn't affect the payouts at the time, but many horse players got screwed while others celebrated victory that became a DQ.

Top Kentucky Derby Contenders Speed Figures

Equibase Speed Figures - check back for more.

- Journalism - 110 in San Felipe (1st), 108 in Santa Anita Derby (1st)
- Sovereignty - 95 Florida Derby (2nd), 98 Fountain of Youth (1st)
- Sandman - 104 in Arkansas Derby (1st), 101 Rebel Stakes (3rd)
- Rodriguez - 111 in Wood Memorial (1st), 101 Robert B. Lewis (2nd)
- Burnham Square - 104 Blue Grass (1st)
- Luxor Cafe - ESF not available in winning Fukuryu and Hyacinth Stakes in Japan

Note that Tappan Street, winner of the Florida Derby with a 97 ESF and another top Derby contender, will miss the Run for the Roses after suffering a condylar fracture to his right front leg during a workout Sat., April 26. 

To win more often in horse racing, you need to know top handicappers, trainers and understand the tracks and all variables from pace to performances and how races are run. I have contacts and handicappers who will pass along more information for the Kentucky Derby and other races. Some of the information is shared in my Kentucky Derby Championship Series races in Forbes. I'll try to chip-in more along the way as I don't spend time studying racing forms, video replays and trying to beat the Sports of Kings thinking there is a road to riches. It's still a horse race, and America's biggest race with huge wagering pools to take a shot at with entertaining and engaging watch and wager action. 

You can bet on it. 

FairwayJay is a proven sports handicapper and recognized as one of the sports industry's insightful analysts. He chips in additional sports betting coverage and reporting on industry news and events. Follow FairwayJay here at OSGA and on X @FairwayJay for more betting updates and insights.