What Are the Payout Odds if Sandman Wins This Year's Kentucky Derby
Sandman odds had shortened from 6-1 to 5-1 by Friday paying out $800 for every $100 bet should he win the 2025 Kentucky Derby. He is one of the most wagered on and searched for horses in this year's field, according to Gambling911.com internal data.
Sandman is a 3 year old colt and has raced from 2024 to 2025. He was sired by Tapit out of the Distorted Humor mare Distorted Music. He is the most expensive horse in the field. It sold for $1.2 million at the 2024 Ocala Breeders' Sales March 2-Year-Olds in Training Sale.
With Rodriguez scratched, Sandman moves off the dreaded No. 17 post, which has never yielded a Kentucky Derby winner. He will now start from the No. 15 spot with Grande scratched.
Sandman's most recent start resulted in a win at the Arkansas Derby.
Three horses have won the Arkansas Derby then went on to win the Kentucky Derby: Sunny's Halo, Smarty Jones, and American Pharoah.
He finished 3rd in his prior race, the Risen Stakes, and 2nd at the Southwest Stakes.
"No stranger to Churchill Downs, Sandman raced three times at the track as a 2-year-old and finished third in the Grade 3 Street Sense back in October," Caroline Makauskas of the Herald Leader offered. "The closer is hitting his stride, most recently winning the Arkansas Derby by 2 1⁄2 lengths over fellow Run for the Roses contender Publisher on March 29."
Sandman is trained by Mark Casse, who is yet to win a Kentucky Derby. Despite his success in other major races, including victories in the 2019 Preakness Stakes with War of Will and the 2019 Belmont Stakes with Sir Winston, the Kentucky Derby remains a title he has yet to secure.
Jockey José Ortiz won the 2017 Belmont Stakes and the 2022 Preakness Stakes, though he's never been victorious at the Kentucky Derby.
And there is more great news for Sandman as the track Saturday is expected to be wet.
In the 2025 Southwest Stakes (G3) at Oaklawn Park, he finished second over a sealed, wet-fast surface. In the 2025 Rebel Stakes (G2), also at Oaklawn Park, Sandman secured third place on a similarly wet track
2025 Kentucky Derby Updated Post Positions and Odds
- Gate 1: Citizen Bull (17-1)
- Gate 2: Neoequos (57-1)
- Gate 3: Final Gambit (17-1)
- Gate 4: American Promise (13-1)
- Gate 5: Admire Daytona (39-1)
- Gate 6: Luxor Cafe (15-1)
- Gate 7: Journalism (7-2)
- Gate 8: Burnham Square (19-1)
- Gate 9: Grande (19-1)
- Gate 10: Flying Mohawk (36-1)
- Gate 11: East Avenue (33-1)
- Gate 12: Publisher (30-1)
- Gate 13: Tiztastic (20-1)
- Gate 14: Render Judgment (13-1)
- Gate 15: Coal Battle (30-1)
- Gate 16: Sandman (8-1)
- Gate 17: Sovereignty (11-1)
- Gate 18: Chunk of Gold (33-1)
- Gate 19: Owen Almighty (44-1)
- Gate 20: Baeza (50-1)
Early Odds to Win the 2025 Kentucky Derby
*Listed in order of post position
| Kentucky Derby 2025 | Trainer | Jockey | Odds* |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Citizen Bull | Bob Baffert | Martin Garcia | 20-1 |
| 2. Neoequos | Saffie Joseph Jr. | Flavien Prat** | 30-1 |
| 3. Final Gambit | Brad Cox | Luan Machado | 30-1 |
| 4. Rodríguez | Bob Baffert | Mike Smith | 12-1 |
| 5. American Promise | D. Wayne Lukas | Nik Juárez | 30-1 |
| 6. Admire Daytona | Yukihiro Kato | Christophe Lemaire | 30-1 |
| 7. Luxor Café | Noriyuki Hori | João Moreira | 15-1 |
| 8. Journalism | Michael McCarthy | Umberto Rispoli | 3-1 |
| 9. Burnham Square | Ian Wilkes | Brian Hernandez Jr. | 12-1 |
| 10. Grande | Todd Pletcher | John Velázquez | 20-1 |
| 11. Flying Mohawk | Whit Beckman | Joe Ramos | 30-1 |
| 12. East Avenue | Brendan Walsh | Manny Franco | 20-1 |
| 13. Publisher | Steve Asmussen | Irad Ortiz Jr. | 20-1 |
| 14. Tiztastic | Steve Asmussen | Joel Rosario | 20-1 |
| 15. Render Judgment | Kenny McPeek | Julien Leparoux | 30-1 |
| 16. Coal Battle | Lonnie Briley | Juan Vargas | 30-1 |
| 17. Sandman | Mark Casse | Jose Ortiz | 6-1 |
| 18. Sovereignty | Bill Mott | Júnior Alvarado | 5-1 |
| 19. Chunk of Gold | Ethan West | Jareth Loveberry | 30-1 |
| 20. Owen Almighty | Brian Lynch | Javier Castellano | 30-1 |
| 21. Baeza - ae | John Shirreffs | Flavien Prat | 12-1 |
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