While many will immediately look to the top of the 2026 Kentucky Derby odds board when making horse racing picks, others will look towards the bottom. There are three thoroughbreds tied for being the biggest longshots, all priced at 50-1. Intrepido, Six Speed and Great White could return quite the investment with Kentucky Derby bets if they were to emerge victorious come Saturday. The Kentucky Derby 2026 will go to post at 6:57 p.m. ET at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky. Bet the Kentucky Derby with the exclusive TwinSpires offer code CBSSPORTS to receive up to $400 in bonus bets here, double what’s available to the general public:

As for those favorites, Renegade is chief among them at 4-1. Then, both Further Ado and Commandment are at 6-1 in the Kentucky Derby odds, with Chief Wallabee (8-1) the only other colt at single digits. The favorite hasn’t prevailed at The Run for the Roses since 2018, which could affect your horse racing betting strategy. The Puma, who was 10-1 on the morning line, scratched on Saturday, leaving 19 horses in the field. Before making any 2026 Kentucky Derby picks, be sure to see the 2026 Kentucky Derby predictions and best bets from SportsLine’s elite horse racing expert Jody Demling.

A fixture in the horse racing world who has been writing about, talking about and betting on races for years, Demling has nailed the Kentucky Oaks-Derby double 12 times in the last 17 years. He also predicted the top three 2025 Kentucky Derby finishers in the correct order, helping him cash a $1,682 superfecta, and called the exacta in last year’s Preakness. Anyone who has followed him on horse racing betting sites could be way up. 

Now, with the 2026 Kentucky Derby approaching and horse racing futures odds on the board, Demling is sharing his 2026 Kentucky Derby betting picks and 2026 Kentucky Derby predictions over at SportsLine. Go to SportsLine to see them.

Top 2026 Kentucky Derby predictions

One of Demling’s surprising 2026 Kentucky Derby picks: Demling is fading Renegade, the morning-line favorite at 4-1. Renegade has history, in multiple aspects, working against him for Saturday’s race. One is by simply being the favorite, as it has been eight years since the favored horse prevailed at The First Jewel of the Triple Crown. Another is by having the No. 1 post which hasn’t produced a winner since 1986, and over the last eight years, the horse from the 1-post has an 8.7 average finishing position.

Renegade’s connections include trainer Todd Pletcher, a two-time Derby champion. However, Pletcher’s last win came nearly a decade ago, and he hasn’t seen any of his last 13 Derby starters even hit the board. Renegade will be ridden by jockey Irad Ortiz, who has seemingly excelled everywhere except at Churchill Downs. He has over 4,000 career wins but is 0 for 9 with previous Derby rides, never finishing in the money even when riding the post-time favorite. See who to back at SportsLine.

Another stunner: Demling is high on Danon Bourbon, a 3-year-old colt who qualified for the Kentucky Derby via the Japan Road. He won the Fukuryu Stakes in March of this year by an astounding 10 lengths, and looks to become the first horse based out of Japan to win the Kentucky Derby after eight others have tried and come up short. 

“Of the two Japanese horses, Danon Bourbon has more speed than Wonder Dean, which is why I have him ranked higher,” Demling said. “This son of Maxfield was bred in Kentucky and is generating a bit of buzz on the backside.” See which other horses to back at SportsLine, and you can sign up for FanDuel Racing for the Kentucky Derby here and get $25 in bonus bets with a $5 wager:

How to make 2026 Kentucky Derby picks, bets

Demling is also high on a stunning longshot who “could be a freak.” Anyone who backs this sleeper pick could hit it big. Demling is sharing which horse it is, along with his entire projected 2026 Kentucky Derby leaderboard, over at SportsLine.

Which horse wins the Kentucky Derby 2026, and which stunning longshot is a must-back? Check out the latest 2026 Kentucky Derby odds below, then visit SportsLine to see Demling’s picks for the Kentucky Derby, all from the expert who has nailed 12 Derby-Oaks doubles.

2026 Kentucky Derby odds

Judgement day beckons for Arne Slot. Not directly on Sunday, even if Liverpool and Manchester United can always judge themselves against each other and a showdown at Old Trafford provides an easy opportunity for a comparison between teams who were separated by 42 points last season.

It may not even relate to Slot’s employers, with the sense he will remain at Anfield for next season. Speculation has swirled around Slot but Liverpool have not generated it or given indications they are considering a change. If many of the fanbase came to a definitive conclusion about a title-winning manager months ago, perhaps after a run of nine defeats in 12, and if the Dutchman refused to complain, saying it is up to others to determine if he is harshly judged, there is one verdict which is still to be delivered. His own.

He is still unsure what the finding will be. “It depends on the outcome,” he said. “I will judge myself in four games.” And if that is a hint that Champions League qualification has a significance beyond the financial consequences for Liverpool and the psychological importance of playing in the European elite, Slot’s eventual decision would be instructive. He has said it would be unacceptable for Liverpool to miss out on the Champions League. Secure the top-five finish that looks likely, however, and instead of a failure, does he deem it a damage-limitation job, given the mitigating circumstances?

But a manager who often sounds dissatisfied by elements of victories felt a perfectionist in success last season. Given some of the vitriol directed towards him, he is probably not his own sternest critic now. But he may find fault.

“Of course, I am judging myself constantly,” he added. “Was it the right decision to play five at the back in Paris? Was it the right decision to play him, play him, play him? These are the questions you are asking yourself. It is an ongoing process. You have to make 30, 40, 50 choices every single day and you try to judge them but, in the end, you can say, ‘okay, how was this season?’ I already have a certain opinion about that but the outcome of the next four games could make a massive difference in the way I judge myself over this season.”

Slot arguably merits credit in the bank, as the head coach who won only Liverpool’s second league title in 35 years. The man who dropped Mohamed Salah in November nevertheless pointed out that past deeds are not alone enough to keep a player in the team, or a manager in the dugout.

“Do I have to prove myself as Virgil [van Dijk] does?” he asked. “Yes, he has proven himself as one of the best and Mo [has] and we all have to prove ourselves but we’ve already shown in the past what we’re able to do. It doesn’t mean that is enough to keep playing every three days or stay in your job.”

Liverpool’s season has contained 17 defeats in all competitions. They are 15 points off the Premier League summit. They are 24 points down on this stage this season, when they had become champions. Slot does not believe the past can offer infinite protection.

“If a player won the last five years the Premier League, he needs to show up every week to stay in the team. That is how this industry works, so yeah, we – and I am part of ‘we’ – have to prove ourselves the week after and the week after,” he said.

“That is the football world. Every day we have something to prove. But it is up to others to judge if a quarter-final place in the Champions League has been good or bad. Losing to Paris Saint-Germain twice in a row; they are the best team in Europe in my opinion. Is it a reality to go through the league and the cups having the amount of players we have [out]?”

He will be without Salah at Old Trafford on Sunday, perhaps Alisson too. The winger’s imminent departure is a sign an era is ending; that will appear still more the case if the goalkeeper goes, too. “The players that won the Champions League and Premier League with Jurgen, I think if you look now, might only be Virgil and Joe [Gomez] contracted to the club [next year],” said Slot; omitting Alisson may have been a moment of forgetfulness or a broader indication of the Brazilian’s future. Liverpool have spent £450m, but part of Slot’s verdict on himself seems based on a sense they are in transition, albeit a particularly expensive version of it.

“I think the transition hasn’t been completed yet,” he added. “Again this summer, as a minimum of two will leave.” The sense is the manager will remain. Part of his argument for why next season will be better is that he expects fewer injuries, even though Hugo Ekitike will miss the start of the campaign. Part of his explanation for this year lies on the treatment table.

“What makes it hard is trying to win the next game with so many players unavailable,” he said. “That is hard. But that you get criticised in a job like this, that is not hard. I get to hear a few things but if I say I hear 10 per cent of what has been said I would say that has been a lot. But the last time I checked, the Strait of Hormuz being closed is not my fault, is it?”

John Wall’s new role brings him back to the city where his NBA career began. On Thursday, officials at Howard University, a historically Black university in Washington, D.C., confirmed to ESPN that Wall was named the school’s president of basketball operations.

Wall joins a standout program that recently became the latest HBCU to reach an NCAA Division I men’s tournament game — a rare feat among mid-majors.

Wall was the No. 1 overall pick in the 2010 NBA Draft and spent his first nine seasons with the Washington Wizards. He was named Howard’s honorary captain on Jan. 31 and has expressed interest in pursuing a front-office role in the NBA.

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Former Washington Wizards guard John Wall looks on before a game against the Milwaukee Bucks at Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C., on Jan. 29, 2026. (Daniel Kucin Jr./Imagn Images)

Wall hasn’t wasted time getting involved, already taking part in team meetings, evaluating recruits and helping identify potential transfer targets, ESPN reported. Wall’s role also includes shaping the program’s strategic vision, mentoring players and playing a central role in name, image and likeness deals — responsibilities he is already believed to be handling.

RUTGERS BASKETBALL COACH MOCKS NCAA’S ELIGIBILITY RULES AS DEBATE REIGNITES OVER NBA-EXPERIENCED PLAYERS

Howard general manager Daniel Marks and coach Kenny Blakeney are expected to work closely with Wall in his new role.

Howard has advanced to the NCAA tournament three times in the past four years, earning the program’s first tournament victory this past March with a First Four win over University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC).

Los Angeles Clippers guard John Wall drives past Frank Ntilikina of the Dallas Mavericks during the second quarter at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, California, on Jan. 10, 2023. (Katelyn Mulcahy/Getty Images)

Wall last appeared in an NBA game during the 2022-23 season. He officially retired in August 2025 after playing 34 games with the Los Angeles Clippers. Wall also spent one season with the Houston Rockets and was named to five consecutive All-Star teams.

John Wall of the Washington Wizards looks on against the Miami Heat during the first half at Verizon Center in Washington, D.C., on Jan. 3, 2016. (Patrick Smith/Getty Images)

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Wall’s move mirrors Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry’s jump to an assistant general manager role at his alma mater, Davidson College. Curry is the first active athlete in one of the four major U.S. professional sports leagues to take on an administrative role with a college program.

Weeks after Curry was named assistant general manager, Trae Young was also named to the same role at his alma mater, Oklahoma.

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Alessandro “Alex” Zanardi, a decorated Italian race driver and later para-cyclist, has died suddenly at the age of 59, his family said in a statement on Saturday. 

“Alex fell asleep peacefully, surrounded by the affection of his loved ones,” the statement said.

The family didn’t go into details on the cause of death, but the double amputee suffered severe cranial injuries in a road accident when riding his handbike in Siena in northern Italy in 2020. 

Who was Alex Zanardi? 

Zanardi was considered one of the brightest prospects of his generation in motorsport, but the stars never aligned for him in Formula 1.

The Jordan, Minardi and Lotus teams he drove for in his first F1 stint were all uncompetitive when he was in the cockpit, and his best career finish was sixth.

Still, Zanardi made enough of a name for himself that he was offered a good drive with Chip Ganassi Racing in the now defunct CART (Championship Auto Racing Teams) single-seater series in North America.

He was immediately among the front runners and won the championship in 1997 and 1998, before returning for another roll of the dice in F1 with Williams, alongside Ralf Schumacher. Here, too, his timing was off — reaching the Woking-based team just one year before they would once again have a competitive car and engine. 

On his return to the CART series in 2001, Zanardi suffered a life-changing crash at the Lausitzring in Germany.

He spun, slid back across the track and was then struck by another oncoming car moving at full speed, shearing off the front of his car completely and severely damaging his legs. Zanardi barely survived the crash, almost bleeding out at the scene. Both legs had to be amputated, one at the hip and the other at the knee. 

Zanardi would return to the cockpit in specially modified cars in the World Touring Car Championship and some other events, still showing race-winning pace at times despite his disadvantages. 

A cycling enthusiast prior to his injuries, Zanardi also moved into Paralympic competition as a hand-cyclist, winning four gold medals and two silvers for Italy in 2012 and 2016. 

What did Zanardi’s friends and admirers say in tribute?

Zanardi’s peers, admirers and even Italy’s prime minister rushed to pay tribute to the famously gregarious and upbeat racer and his relentless positivity.

The FIA World Motorsport Federation called him an “enduring symbol of courage and determination.”

The president and CEO of F1, Stefano Domenicali, hailed his “dear friend” Zanardi in an statement online. 

“He was truly an inspirational person, as a human and as an athlete. I will always carry with me his extraordinary strength. He faced challenges that would have stopped anyone, yet he continued to look forward, always with a smile and a stubborn determination that inspired us all,” Domenicali said. 

“No words can express my feelings about this guy,” Zanardi’s old team boss Chip Ganassi wrote after the pair shared back-to-back championships in the late 90s. “I like winners.” 

Even Prime Minster Giorgia Meloni lauded Zanardi’s spirit and character. 

“Italy has lost a great champion and an extraordinary man, capable of turning every trial of life into a lesson in courage, strength, and dignity,” she wrote.

Italy’s Olympic Committee (CONI) asked all sporting bodies in the country to hold a minute’s silence in Zanardi’s honor at sporting events this weekend. 

Edited by: Louis Oelofse

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The Real Madrid has been linked with making a summer move to Manchester United

Paul Pogba has given an insight into what Manchester United would be getting if they sign Real Madrid star Aurelien Tchouameni.

The Frenchman is reportedly near the top of the club’s midfield shortlist and could be offloaded by the 15-time European champions, provided they can secure a quality replacement. Los Blancos have linked with Manchester City’s Rodri, whom president Florentino Perez is said to admire.

Signing a player entering his prime years would be a real statement of intent by United, who have been linked with a host of other midfield options, including Nottingham Forest’s Elliot Anderson and Adam Wharton of Crystal Palace.

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Ex-United midfielder Pogba knows all about Tchouameni, having played alongside him in the French national team. Speaking in 2021, Pogba raved about the then-21-year-old, telling RTL: “Very, very good. He’s not a boy, he’s a man. It’s a pleasure to play next to him.

“He brings a lot of energy. A lot of energy, extraordinary technical and physical quality. We wish him to play a lot more games and that I am always by his side.”

The pair’s time together in the national team was brief as Pogba hasn’t played for France since 2022, while Tchouameni has become a key figure in Didier Deschamps’ midfield.

Meanwhile, Tchouameni has already been told what to expect if he decides to swap the Bernabeu for Old Trafford. Raphael Varane made the switch in 2021, having won 18 trophies during his decade in Spain.

Having turned United down earlier in his career, Varane explained why he felt it was the right time to head to Manchester on The Bridge podcast with Tchouameni in March last year.

Despite an injury-hit spell at United, he has no regrets. Varane told him: “Madrid is indescribable, it’s exceptional, but I’ve already experienced it. And I said to myself, ‘I want to experience something else.’

“For me, England, and Manchester in particular, is where you feel the passion for football. You feel it, you live it every day. Now that some time has passed, I have no regrets because it was an incredible experience.”

United will hope those words of wisdom left a lasting impact on Tchouameni as he weighs up his future.

Sky Sports, HBO Max, Netflix and Disney+ with Ultimate TV package

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Sky has upgraded its Ultimate TV and Sky Sports bundle to now include HBO Max, Netflix, Disney+, discovery+ and Hayu, as well as 135 channels and full Sky coverage of the Premier League and EFL.

Sky broadcasts more than 1,400 live matches across the Premier League, EFL and more with at least 215 live from the top flight alongside Formula 1, darts and golf.

Texas Tech is not likely to have Brendan Sorsby for the 2026 season amidst an NCAA investigation.

Could the Red Raiders explore transfer portal QBs currently available?

On today’s episode of Locked On College Football, Spencer McLaughlin discusses USC and Michigan going into the 2026 season.

The Trojans should expect to remain ahead of the Wolverines after beating them in 2025.

Florida has one of the most compelling QB battles in the country between Aaron Philo and Trammel Jones. Did either one separate himself during Spring Practice?

00:00 Texas Tech’s quarterback decision
03:38 Discussing potential football lineup adjustments
09:25 Discussing Texas Tech’s strong roster
12:52 USC and Michigan football schedules
16:37 USC and Michigan football outlook
20:54 Unresolved quarterback battle
28:10 Evaluating Tramell Jones’s potential

/ @lockedoncollegefootball  

With the FIFA World Cup 2026 approaching fast across the United States, Mexico, and Canada, excitement is building globally. However, the buildup has also been overshadowed by a wave of injuries that could keep several top footballers out of the tournament. With just weeks remaining before kick-off in Mexico City on June 11, even minor setbacks are proving costly for players hoping to represent their nations.

Brazil’s Attacking Crisis

Brazil’s squad depth in attack is world-class, but injuries have disrupted their plans. Rodrygo is one of the biggest misses after suffering a serious ACL injury, ruling him out of the tournament. He had hoped to bounce back after earlier heartbreak but now faces a long recovery.

Defensive concerns also persist as Éder Militão is unlikely to recover in time following major surgery in April, while young talent Estevão remains doubtful due to a hamstring issue.

France Lose a Rising Star

Netherlands Without Xavi Simons

The Netherlands, semi-finalists at Euro 2024, have also been hit hard. Xavi Simons has been ruled out after tearing his ACL during a Premier League match. Known for his creativity and attacking spark, his absence leaves a major gap in Ronald Koeman’s midfield plans.

Germany Face Attacking Concerns

Germany’s attack has also suffered a setback with Serge Gnabry sidelined due to an adductor injury. His versatility and goal-scoring ability were expected to play a key role under Julian Nagelsmann, but he now misses another major international tournament.

USA Lose Home Advantage Boost

Co-hosts USA have been dealt a blow as striker Patrick Agyemang is ruled out with a serious Achilles injury. He had been a promising option after scoring against Portugal in recent internationals, but will now miss the chance to play on home soil.

Mexico’s Goalkeeping Setback

Mexico will also be without key goalkeeper Luis Ángel Malagón, who suffered an Achilles rupture during club duty. His absence opens the door for veteran Guillermo Ochoa, who could make history by appearing in a sixth World Cup.

As preparations continue for the global tournament, injuries are reshaping national team plans across continents. With several stars already ruled out, coaches will now be forced to rethink strategies ahead of football’s biggest stage.