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Kentucky Derby 2026 Scheduled May 2; Renegade, 20-1 Fulleffort Favored

4/28/2026

29 6 Full Breakdown

Summary

Renegade Eyes Derby

The 2026 Kentucky Derby will be run on Saturday, May 2 at Churchill Downs.
Analyst Jody Demling backs Renegade and longshot Fulleffort at 20-1, while fading Chief Wallabee.
Renegade and Commandment each have a 35-day rest after March 28 prep wins, matching a recent champion pattern.
USA TODAY Network ranks the entries as Commandment, Renegade, The Puma, Further Ado and Emerging Market.

Summary

Puma Enters Derby

The Puma, entered in the Kentucky Derby, is owned by the same group that owned 2023 winner Mage and is sired by champion Essential Quality.
Post-position data show the No. 5 gate has produced ten Derby winners, while only 2.1% of No. 6 starters have ever won.
Jockey Luis Saez will ride The Puma in his 13th Derby start despite no prior top-two finishes, joining 29 jockeys with at least 12 starts.

History

Historical Context

Since its 1875 debut at Churchill Downs, the Kentucky Derby has prized strategic rest and post position; Secretariat’s 1973 win—recorded at 1:59.4 after a 35-day layoff and a last-gate start—illustrates this pattern. Today’s 2026 field mirrors that legacy, with Renegade and The Puma also benefiting from 35-day prep wins and a 2.1 % success rate for No. 6 starters.

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Renegade Eyes Derby

The 2026 Kentucky Derby will be run on Saturday, May 2 at Churchill Downs.
Analyst Jody Demling backs Renegade and longshot Fulleffort at 20-1, while fading Chief Wallabee.
Renegade and Commandment each have a 35-day rest after March 28 prep wins, matching a recent champion pattern.
USA TODAY Network ranks the entries as Commandment, Renegade, The Puma, Further Ado and Emerging Market.

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