The Kentucky Derby horses are the true rock stars at the highly anticipated yearly event. Close to 150,000 people will pack into Churchill Downs Racecourse on May 3 to see which horse will win the first leg of the prestigious Triple Crown.
The May classic brings in not just the best horses in the United States but elite thoroughbreds from around the world. With all of that in mind, we rank the 2025 Kentucky Derby horses.
Related: Horse racing insider details why Journalism will crush 2025 Kentucky Derby field on May 3
1. Journalism
Michael W. McCarthy-trained Colt Journalism is a sizable favorite heading into he 2025 Kentucky Derby. The three-year-old has been absolutely dominant in his first five races. After a third-place debut at Santa Anita, the horse has reeled off four straight wins. The most recent is coming early in April at the 2025 Santa Anita Derby. He is the horse to watch on May 3.
2. Sandman
Sandman, trained by Mark E. Casse, is one of the early favorites in May. The eight-race veteran has had a busy last five months. In Colt’s last four races, he has scored first, second, third, and first-place finishes. Sandman’s most recent victory was taking first just a month ago at the Arkansas Derby. He is one of Journalism’s biggest threats on Saturday.
3. Sovereignty
Sovereignty is sure to get a good amount of money put down on him to win this year’s Derby. He has had a first or second-place finish in all but one of his five starts, including wins at the Fountain of Youth and Street Sense. However, losing to fellow Derby competitor Tappan Street in March at the Florida Derby may make some question how serious a threat he is to win it all on May 3.
4. Burnham Square
Three-year-old Gelding Burnham Square could be a dark horse at the 2025 Derby. The Ian R. Wilkes-trained horse has won three of its five career races. Including two this year at the Blue Grass and the Holy Bull. Square seems to be peaking at the right time after winning just a few weeks ago.
5. Luxor Cafe
While Noriyuki Hori-trained Colt Luxor Cafe has just two career races, they were impressive first-place finishes on the Japanese circuit. It is always tough to gauge how international horses will do at the Triple Crown, but competitors from the land of the rising sun have fared much better in recent years. It is why Cafe is an intriguing dark horse at the Derby.
6. Baeza
After Rodriguez and Grande dropped out of this year’s event, Baeza is one of the late additions to the race. The John A. Shirreffs-trained colt has just four races on his resume. However, after a rough debut in December, the horse has looked strong in its next three, scoring one victory and two second-place finishes. What makes him an intriguing underdog option is that he finished second to Kentucky Derby favorite Journalism at the Santa Anita Derby last month.
7. Citizen Bull
Bob Baffert-trained Colt Citizen Bull is a bit of a sleeper at the Derby. He has four wins in his six races, including at the 2024 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile. However, the reason why he doesn’t have better odds at the Derby is a fourth-place finish at a 2025 Santa Anita that was won by Derby favorite Journalism.
8. Publisher
Steven M. Asmussen-trained horse Publisher gave reason for hope with an impressive second-place finish at the 2025 Arkansas Derby. However, no victories in seven career races is why his odds aren’t great heading into the event.
9. East Avenue
After a very rough start to the year (night and tenth place finishes), East Avenue looked very strong at the 2025 Blue Grass, where he finished second to Burnham Square. It is why the Brendan P. Walsh-trained Colt may be a popular dark horse pick on May 3.
Related: 2025 Kentucky Derby – Everything you need to watch the May 3 race, including the derby favorite
10. Tiztastic
While one of the more experienced horses in the race (eight previous duels), Tiztastic is not viewed among the favorites. The Colt has just three wins over his career and has not performed well in previous races against some of the other competitors he will see at the Derby.
11. American Promise
American Promise is the most experienced Colt at the Derby with nine races on his resume. Unfortunately, he has just two wins to show for it. Nevertheless, a win at the Virginia Derby in March is why he can’t be completely overlooked on May 3. Furthermore, Promise has landed the 5th post position, which is traditionally a great place to be in the Derby.
12. Render Judgement
Despite a second-place finish at the Virginia Derby in March, Render Judgement has struggled in recent races. The colt finished fifth at the 2025 Blue Grass and eighth at the 2025 Risen Star. In both, he went up against other Kentucky Derby horses and fared poorly. However, his odds have improved in recent days, and the horse has surprisingly emerged as a potential dark horse among some bettors.
13. Final Gambit
Despite a strong 2025 where he has won two of his three races, Final Gambit is among the long shots heading into the Kentucky Derby. He looked great at his most recent showcase at the end of March, but it was in a G3 race in Kentucky. Nevertheless, as a Brad H. Cox-trained horse, he can’t be underestimated.
14. Coal Battle
On the surface, Coal Battle, having five wins in eight career races, should be a reason to be among the favorites in Kentucky. Unfortunately, his wins at the Rebel Stakes and Smarty Jones came against lower-level competition. When he went up against some of the horses he saw on May 3 at the 2025 Arkansas Derby, he finished third.
15. Chunk of Gold
Terry L. Stephens’ horse Chunk of Gold has never finished below second in its four career races, including a second-place finish at the 2025 Louisiana Derby. But just one victory since his debut in December doesn’t give major reasons to expect Gold to be a serious contender at the Derby.
16. Flying Mohawk
Six race veteran Flying Mohawk is another huge underdog at this year’s Derby. While he scored two big wins in October and January, his second-place finish to fellow Derby competitor Final Gambit at a G3 race in March gives reason not to expect much from Mohawk on May 3.
17. Owen Almighty
While Owen Almighty has seven races on his resume, he has just three wins, and most of them came in lower-level duels. His sixth-place finish at the 2025 Blue Grass in April — a race won by Burnham Square — is why he is a long shot on May 3. However, getting the 20th post will help his chances of trying to be in the top three by the final turn.
18. Admire Daytona
Admire Daytona has some of the weakest odds heading into the race. Due to very limited action (two career races). However, the Japanese horse did score a win in early April at the 2025 United Arab Emirates Derby. Of the biggest long shots, Daytona could be one to watch.
19. Neoequos
In his six races since his rough debut, Neoequos has two first, second, and third-place finishes. However, a pair of third-place finishes in his last two races against competition he will see in the derby is why he is viewed the biggest long shot this weekend.
Odds for 2025 Kentucky Derby horses
Here are the current betting odds for the 2025 Kentucky Derby. The race takes place a 6:57 PM ET on May 3.
- Journalism: 3-1
- Sovereignty: 5-1
- Sandman: 6-1
- Burnham Square: 12-1
- Baeza: 12-1
- Luxor Cafe: 15-1
- Citizen Bull: 20-1
- Publisher: 20-1
- East Avenue: 20-1
- Tiztastic: 20-1
- American Promise: 30-1
- Render Judgement: 30-1
- Final Gambit: 30-1
- Coal Battle: 30-1
- Chunk of Gold: 30-1
- Flying Mohawk: 30-1
- Owen Almighty: 30-1
- Admire Daytona: 30-1
- Neoequos: 30-1
2025 Kentucky Derby prediction
There are some impressive three-year-olds in this year’s Kentucky Derby. But race favorite Journalism feels like the most special talent in the 2025 event. While it doesn’t mean he will go on to win the Triple Crown, expect Journalism to be in the winner’s circle on Saturday night.
2024 Kentucky Derby winner
Mystik Dan entered the 2024 edition of the Kentucky Derby with solid odds at 18-1. While he was not viewed as a favorite, he could be a dark horse (no pun intended) at the event. Well, he showed his potential when he battled Sierra Leone and Forever Young down to the last inch. In one of the closest Derby finishes in history, Dan one by a nose.