Tue Apr 29 09:20:00 UTC 2025: **Kentucky Derby 2025: Expert Predicts Upset, Names Top Contenders**

LOUISVILLE, KY – With the 2025 Kentucky Derby field set and post positions drawn, horse racing expert Jody Demling is offering his predictions, identifying both favorites and potential longshots. Twenty top three-year-old horses will compete in the race at Churchill Downs on Saturday, May 3rd at 6:57 p.m. ET.

Journalism is the early favorite at 3-1 odds, starting from post position 8. Sovereignty (5-1, post 18) and Sandman (6-1, post 17) round out the top three contenders.

Demling, a renowned expert with a proven track record – including 11 Kentucky Oaks-Derby doubles in the last 16 years – is advising against betting on Rodriguez (12-1 odds), despite the horse’s trainer, Bob Baffert, being a six-time Kentucky Derby winner. Demling notes Rodriguez’s lack of Grade 1 stakes race experience and limited racing outside California as reasons for concern.

Conversely, Demling is surprisingly bullish on Luxor Cafe, a 15-1 longshot who boasts a four-race winning streak, including victories over UAE Derby winner Admire Daytona. He also highlights an unnamed colossal double-digit longshot as a must-back.

For Demling’s complete 2025 Kentucky Derby leaderboard, including his top picks and horses to avoid, visit SportsLine. He cautions that the content is for entertainment purposes only and that there is no gambling offered on the site.

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