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The most-anticipated race of the year, the 2025 Kentucky Derby, will run Saturday at Churchill Downs with a post time of 6:57 p.m. ET. It’s the first leg of the horse racing Triple Crown, with the Preakness Stakes following on May 17 and the Belmont Stakes on June 7. A horse hasn’t won the Triple Crown since Justify in 2018, and the Kentucky Derby 2025 horse that appears to have the best shot to make a run is Journalism. He’s the 3-1 favorite in the 2025 Kentucky Derby odds, followed by Sovereignty (5-1) and Sandman (6-1).
No other horse in the Kentucky Derby 2025 field is getting lower than 12-1 odds, so bettors will have to make a stand with a favorite or target one of the 2025 Kentucky Derby sleepers. Before making any 2025 Kentucky Derby picks, you’ll want to see what SportsLine horse racing expert Gene Menez has to say before making any 2025 Kentucky Derby picks or horse racing predictions.
A former reporter and editor at Sports Illustrated, Menez covered an array of sports, including horse racing, for the magazine and its website for almost 14 years. Between 2010 and 2012, he served as SI’s handicapper for the Triple Crown races and correctly predicted Super Saver to win the Kentucky Derby in 2010.
In 2015, Menez accurately gave out the Kentucky Derby superfecta, which paid $1,268.20 for $2. In 2017, he tweeted out his Kentucky Derby picks, including Always Dreaming to win, and hit the Pick 4, which paid almost $6,900 on a $1 bet.
In May of last year, Menez nailed 18-1 Mystik Dan as a live longshot in the Kentucky Derby. In November, he crushed the late Pick 4 on Breeders’ Cup Saturday for a $5,303 jackpot. This year, he hit the winner and exacta in the Holy Bull Stakes and the winner, trifecta and superfecta in the Florida Derby. Anyone who has followed him on betting apps like TwinSpires and 1/ST BET could have been way up.
For the Run for the Roses, Menez has handicapped the 2025 Kentucky Derby field, made his picks and constructed his best bets. You can head to SportsLine now to see them.
Top 2025 Kentucky Derby predictions
One of Menez’ surprising 2025 Kentucky Derby picks: He is fading Sandman (6-1), even though he won the Arkansas Derby and is one of the top 2025 Kentucky Derby favorites. Sandman has hit the board in five straight races. That includes a win at an Oaklawn Park allowance race last December and the Arkansas Derby win just one month ago.
Menez, however, told SportsLine that the Arkansas Derby win was the result of “an enormous pace meltdown.” That’s unlikely to happen at the Kentucky Derby. Even if it does, Menez sees another horse in the field that is better suited to capitalize.
Menez thinks a late charge to a third-place finish is the best-case scenario for Sandman, making him a horse to fade when finalizing how to bet the Kentucky Derby 2025. See which 2025 Kentucky Derby horses he likes at SportsLine.
How to make 2025 Kentucky Derby bets, picks
Menez’ top pick is a horse who “is bred to only get better with the added distance.” He’s also high on a double-digit longshot who owns “the most awesome turn of foot of any of the Kentucky Derby hopefuls.” Menez is sharing who he likes 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 Menez’ picks for the Kentucky Derby, all from the expert who called Mystik Dan as an 18-1 live longshot in last year’s race.
2025 Kentucky Derby odds, post positions
