For the 2025 Kentucky Derby, the current consensus among experts and betting odds points to several top contenders:
- Journalism is the morning-line favorite with odds around 3-1 to 4-1. The horse has a strong recent winning streak and is trained by Michael McCarthy, making it a top pick for many experts
- Sovereignty is another highly regarded contender with odds near 5-1, considered a strong challenger to Journalism
- Sandman is also a favorite with odds around 6-1, making it a solid choice for betting
- Burnham Square and Luxor Cafe are noted as interesting picks, with odds ranging from 12-1 to 15-1. Luxor Cafe is notable for being a progeny of American Pharoah, a Triple Crown winner
Expert analysts Kevin Kilroy and Kaitlin Free include these horses among their top picks, with Kilroy ranking Burnham Square and Luxor Cafe highly, and Free favoring Journalism, Sovereignty, and Luxor Cafe
. If you want to bet strategically, Journalism is the safest favorite to back, while Sovereignty and Sandman offer good value as strong contenders. For longshots with potential upside, Burnham Square and Luxor Cafe are worth considering. In summary, the top horses to bet on for the 2025 Kentucky Derby are:
- Journalism (3-1 to 4-1 odds)
- Sovereignty (5-1 odds)
- Sandman (6-1 odds)
- Burnham Square (12-1 odds)
- Luxor Cafe (15-1 odds)
