The 2025 Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs is set to start on Saturday at 6:57 p.m. ET.

Burnham Square leads the qualifying with 130 points along with three wins in the last four starts. His trainer, Ian Wilkes, aspires for his first victory in this prestigious race. Right now, the odds for Burnham Square sit at 12-1, while Journalism is favored at 3-1, followed by Sovereignty at 5-1, and Sandman at 6-1.

A whopping $3.1 million prize is on the line this Saturday. An unexpected scratch by Rodriguez means Baeza, now at 12-1, will join the Derby lineup. The Kentucky Derby, the 151st edition, is historically noted for close competitive outcomes.

Among the few that have won by a significant margin in its long history are the trio: Old Rosebud, Johnstown, and Whirlaway, all with wins before WWII. In more recent years, notable wins include Barbaro in 2009 and Mine That Bird in 2006.

With the stakes this high, it’s vital to have a strategy for winning bets such as exacta, trifecta, and superfecta bets. SportsLine expert Jody Demling has established a keen strategy for navigating these bets, helping you to maximize your picks for success.

Demling has an impressive record, scoring the correct winners of the Kentucky Oaks-Derby double 11 times over 16 years, and accurately predicting four Belmont Stakes winners within the last seven years. He has insights that could lead to substantial returns on bet placements through sites like FanDuel Racing, TwinSpires, and 1/ST BET.

As the race day nears, Demling will share detailed predictions and favored horses through SportsLine.

Expert Picks Breakdown

• Exacta: Choose the frontrunners in the precise order.
• Trifecta: Guess the first three finishers in the right sequence.
• Superfecta: Predict the top four horses correctly.

While Journalism might lead, Demling indicates he is stacking his bets more rigorously around Luxor Cafe (15-1) alongside an enticing yet unidentified longshot causing excitement in the backstretch. Check back for his detailed picks and insights.