The Kentucky Derby, known as the 'Run for the Roses,' is an esteemed horse racing event that combines sporting prowess with cultural festivities, drawing millions of viewers each year. The 2025 Derby features favorites like Journalism, with impressive speed and a strong racing record, and Sovereignty, noted for his closing ability. Sandman is recognized for his stamina and versatility, making him a top contender. The unpredictable nature of the Derby, highlighted by past upsets such as Mystik Dan's win, makes it a complex event for bettors. Post positions play a crucial role, with certain gates historically producing more winners, adding another layer of strategy to the race.

The Kentucky Derby is more than a race, serving as a cultural event with fashion, betting, and the world's fastest horses, drawing nearly 17 million viewers in previous years.

Journalism, trained by Michael McCarthy, is the 2025 favorite after winning four consecutive dirt-track races, including the Santa Anita Derby, showcasing elite speed and tactical ability.

Sovereignty, trained by Bill Mott, is known for his strong closing ability, with recent victories at Churchill Downs and Gulfstream Park, positioning him as a strong contender.

Sandman, another top contender, boasts superb tactical speed and stamina, with a notable win at the Arkansas Derby, indicating a strong combination of speed and endurance.

The Derby is notoriously difficult to predict, with past victories like Mystik Dan's 20-to-1 upset exemplifying the race's unpredictability and the importance of thorough preparation for bettors.

Post positions are critical, with inner gates offering shorter paths but potential drawbacks for skittish horses, while outer gates provide space for maneuvering, influencing race strategies.

Historically, the No. 5 gate has produced the most winners, while the No. 10 gate also has a strong track record, adding another strategic element for trainers and bettors to consider.

There's a lot going on in the world of sports right now — but at 6:57 p.m. ET on the first Saturday in May, one event will dominate the ratings: the 151st running of the Kentucky Derby.

The annual "Run for the Roses," the most popular and esteemed horse race in the world, is more than just a sporting event. It's more of a social festival at this point, celebrating culture, fashion, betting and, of course, the world's fastest horses.

There's nothing quite like the Derby. The picturesque 1 1/4-mile dirt track of Churchill Downs. The massive 20-colt field. The all-in mentality of in-person spectators and home viewers, from Derby hats to mint juleps. And, oh yeah, the bets, pools and parlay contests — we can't forget about those!

MORE: How much are Kentucky Derby tickets?

Last year's Derby drew nearly 17 million viewers, all of whom witnessed one of the closest finishes in the race's 150-year history. In the end, 20-to-1 sleeper Mystik Dan narrowly beat out Sierra Leone, one of the top two favorites, in a photo finish. An epic conclusion for an iconic event.

A horse at +2000 drawing the No. 3 post and ultimately beating a +300 powerhouse? Talk about a prime example of the Kentucky Derby being one of the most difficult sporting events to predict. So many variables exist on race day, so it's imperative for bettors to do their due diligence ahead of time. 

As always, bettors will be looking to back horses with good top speed, stamina and closing burst. The winner seems unlikely to be a true pace-setter, but you never know what you're going to get in a wide-open field such as "the Fastest Two Minutes in Sports."

Which horses should you add to your betting card ahead of the 2025 Kentucky Derby? The Sporting News breaks down the odds and best bets to win this year's Run for the Roses.

Who will win the Kentucky Derby in 2025?

The clear favorites in the 2025 Kentucky Derby field are Journalism (3-1), Sandman (8-1) and Sovereignty (8-1). Rodriguez and Tappan Street both sit at 10-1, while Burnham Square and Luxor Cafe opened at 15-1. 

Journalism (+300) opened as the odds-on favorite to win the 2025 Derby, having won four consecutive dirt-track races including the top Derby prep at Santa Anita Derby. The Michael McCarthy-trained colt has elite off-the-post quickness, tactical speed and closing ability. 

Sovereignty (+800) has also turned heads as a strong closer, with past wins at Churchill Downs as well as Gulfstream Park. The Bill Mott-trained Kentucky colt has recent wins at Fountain of Youth and Street Sense, as well as runner-up finishes at the Florida Derby and MSW at Aqueduct. 

Another Grade-1 closer out of Kentucky, Sandman (+800) has superb tactical speed, impressive stamina and fantastic graded-stakes form. He might have the best combination of stalking speed, versatility and endurance in this field, and he's coming off a big win at the Arkansas Derby (G1) at Oaklawn Park.

Rodriguez and Tappan Street (both +1000) also have awesome speed profiles, and Burnham Square and Luxor Cafe (both +1500) will likely be popular semi-sleepers and trifecta picks.

Below are the full opening odds for the Kentucky Derby, as well as each horse's post position as of Saturday evening's draw.

Kentucky Derby 2025: Odds to win

All odds courtesy of FanDuel Racing.

Kentucky Derby 2025 expert picks

The Kentucky Derby is a 1 1/4-mile race, so stamina is the most important trait to identify in a winning horse. It's better not to trust a pace-setter in this environment, as they tend to start the race well but fade down the stretch since the Run for the Roses is longer than the average race.

That makes it better to target stalking horses, ones that hang back early and can finish with the burst and energy needed to win the race. Here's a look at some of the top horses that check those boxes:

Best bets to win the Kentucky Derby 2025

• Journalism (+300)
• Sovereignty (+800)

Journalism is expected to prevail in 2025, and frankly it's hard to bet against the colt from Kentucky. With an impressive pedigree, an esteemed trainer in Michael McCarthy, and the fastest and most dominant speed profile in the field, this is the horse to beat.

The recent form of Journalism speaks for itself, having won four races in a row including famed Derby prep race Santa Anita. He's 4-for-4 on dirt tracks and 3-for-3 in stakes races, with great off-the-post quickness and tremendous tactical speed. 

Sovereignty has distinguished himself as a strong closer, with past wins at Churchill Downs as well as Gulfstream Park. The Bill Mott-trained Kentucky colt has recent wins at Fountain of Youth and Street Sense, and runner-up finishes at the Florida Derby and MSW at Aqueduct.

Bettors backing Sovereignty will enjoy rooting for an elite dirt racer who can make up ground quickly, outpace the field and finish with a burst. The odds may seem short, but +800 might actually wind up looking like solid value.

Sleeper picks for the Kentucky 2025

• Coal Battle (+3000)
• Owen Almighty (+5000)

Coal Battle stands above the mid-tier options thanks to powerful off-the-gate acceleration, underrated tactical speed and elite closing speed. He's the best sleeper in this field, and he enters in strong recent form. 

With five wins on dirt tracks since last July and a strong third in the recent Arkansas Derby, Coal Battle could follow Mystik Dan as the second in a row to win the Run for the Roses with odds of +2000 or longer.

Looking for a long-shot sleeper? Check out Owen Almighty, a speedster who knows how to keep pace when he gets a good opening break. Owen recently won the Tampa Bay Derby, and he just seems to keep looking better the more races he enters.

Many question if this horse can perform the lengthy track at Churchill Downs, suggesting that he probably has a better profile for the Pat Day Mile than the Derby main event.  However, he's worth at least a modest wager at +5000, and he could be a fun leg to add into a superfecta. 

What is the best post position in horse racing?

The best post position in horse racing typically varies by race and the type of horse running from each gate.

Horses that like more space prefer to be in the higher-numbered posts. That allows them to load into the starting gate later before the race — an advantage for skittish horses who don't like being in the enclosed space — while also allowing them more space to the outside in which to execute maneuvers during the race.

That said, the shortest path to victory comes on the inner posts. Getting the No. 1 gate, also known as the rail, can be an advantage from a distance perspective. However, if a claustrophobic horse draws that honor, it can be problematic; they have to wait longer in the gate before starting the race and will be bunched up in a tightly packed group of horses as they jockey for positioning along the rail.

Horses that don't like being in those tight, enclosed spaces can try to stray from the pack. Sometimes, that involves trying to get to the front of it, which might give the horse an early advantage. More often, those horses pull up a bit and fall behind while seeking space, which puts them at a disadvantage in the race.

The Kentucky Derby has seen a wide distribution of winners from each post since the starting gate was implemented in 1930. The only gate with double-digit wins is the No. 5 gate, which has seen 10 during its history. The No. 10 gate has accounted for nine victories over that same period.

The 2023 Kentucky Derby winner, Mage, came from the No. 8 gate. That marked the first win from that gate since Mine That Bird's surprise victory at the 2009 Run for the Roses. Last year's winner, Mystik Dan, came out of No. 3 — which hadn't produced a winner since 1998. 

Here is the complete list of Kentucky Derby winners at each post position since the starting gate was implemented in 1930:

The Kentucky Derby first implemented a starting gate in 1930. Since then, each of the 20 pole positions has produced a winning horse — save for the No. 17 slot.

Since 2000, 11 of the winning horses have run from Gates 5 to 10. Two posts have produced four winners over that time: Gates 5 and 15.

Below is a list of all the winners at each gate since 1930.

• 1 — (8) Ferdinand (1986); Chateaugay (1963); Needles (1956); Hill Gail (1952); Citation (1948); Gallahadion (1940); Lawrin (1938); War Admiral (1937)
• 2 — (7) Affirmed (1978); Bold Forbes (1976); Cannonade (1974); Dust Commander (1970); Tim Tam (1958); Ponder (1949) Assault (1946)
• 3 — (6) Mystik Dan (2024); Real Quiet (1998); Alysheba (1987); Spectacular Bid (1979); Foolish Pleasure (1975); Shut Out (1942)
• 4 — (5) Super Saver (2010); Seattle Slew (1977); Decidedly (1962); Pensive (1944); Whirlaway (1941)
• 5 — (10) Always Dreaming (2017); California Chrome (2014); Funny Cide (2003); War Emblem (2002); Silver Charm (1997); Strike the Gold (1991); Count Fleet (1943); Johnstown (1939); Bold Venture (1936); Twenty Grand (1931)
• 6 — (2) Sea Hero (1993); Iron Liege (1957)
• 7 — (8) Mandaloun (2021); Justify (2018); Street Sense (2007); Pleasant Colony (1981); Proud Clarion (1967); Northern Dancer (1964); Determine (1954); Gallant Fox (1930)
• 8 — (9) Mage (2023); Mine That Bird (2009); Barbaro (2006); Go for Gin (1994); Unbridled (1990); Majestic Prince (1969); Lucky Debonair (1965); Swaps (1955); Cavalcade (1934)
• 9 — (4) Riva Ridge (1972); Venetian Way (1960); Tomy Lee (1959); Count Turf (1951)
• 10 — (9) Giacomo (2005); Lil E. Tee (1992); Sunday Silence (1989); Spend a Buck (1985); Sunny’s Halo (1983); Genuine Risk (1980); Secretariat (1973); Dark Star (1953); Omaha (1935)
• 11 — (2) Winning Colors (1988); Brokers Tip (1933)
• 12 — (3) Canonero II (1971); Kauai King (1966); Hoop Jr. (1945)
• 13 — (4) Nyquist (2016) Smarty Jones (2004); Forward Pass (1968); Jet Pilot (1947); Burgoo King (1932)
• 14 — (2) Carry Back (1961); Middleground (1950)
• 15 — (6) Authentic (2020); American Pharoah (2015); Orb (2013); Fusaichi Pegasus (2000); Grindstone (1996); Swale (1984)
• 16 — (4) Animal Kingdom (2011); Monarchos (2001); Charismatic (1999); Thunder Gulch (1995)
• 17 — (0)
• 18 — (2) Country House (2019); Gato Del Sol (1982)
• 19 — (1) I’ll Have Another (2012)
• 20 — (2) Rich Strike (2022); Big Brown (2008)