Kentucky Derby 2025: Results, payouts, purse money for 151st ‘Run for the Roses’

Sovereignty is the winner of the 151st Kentucky Derby after a thrilling finish over favorite Journalism to cap the first leg of the 2025 Triple Crown. Baeza finished third and Final Gambit finished fourth.

Sovereignty came out post No. 18 after entering the race with 9-1 odds after opening the week with 5-1 morning line odds. Citizen Bull led until the final turn coming out of gate one. It came down to the final stretch, where Sovereignty and Journalism had an incredible two horse battle. Sovereignty won the race.

Junior Alvarado was the winning jockey on Sovereignty. Bill Mott was the winning trainer.

Here’s video of Sovereignty outlasting Journalism down the stretch at the 151st Kentucky Derby.

The weather conditions at Churchill Downs created a muddy, slow track than the one we’re used to. It rained overnight in Louisville and off-and-on throughout the day on race day. This was the longest race and deepest field of contenders any of the 19 horses in the field had ever competed in. It was one of the sloppiest tracks, too. East coast races are typically 9-10 horses, while West coast races are often 5-6 horses. The depth of the Kentucky Derby makes it perhaps the hardest race to win in the sport.

Journalism entered the race as the favorite at 7-2 after winning four straight starts entering the Kentucky Derby. The other favorites were Sandman (5-1 odds), Luxor Cafe (8-1 odds), Sovereignty (9-1 odds), and American Promise (11-1 odds).

Citizen Bull, a horse trained by infamous horse racing figure Bob Baffert, finished short after a strong start. Baffert made his return to the Kentucky Derby in 2025 after a three-year suspension from Churchill Downs for positive tests for banned substances five times, including 2021 Kentucky Derby winner Medina Spirit. Read our story on Baffert’s history of cheating. Baffert was supposed to have two horses in the race, but Rodriguez scratched, which opened up a spot for Baeza.

1st: 18 Sovereignty $17.96 $7.50 $5.58

2nd: 8 Journalism $4.94 $3.70

3rd: 21 Baeza $8.38

$2.00 Exacta 18-8 $48.32
$0.50 Trifecta 18-8-21 $115.56
$1.00 Superfecta 18-8-21-3 $1,682.27
$1.00 Superhighfive 18-8-21-3-20 $38,405.96
$1.00 Daily Double 10-18 $26.96
$0.50 Pick 3 2-10-18 $64.16
$0.50 Pick 4 4 of 4 7,8,16,17,18-2-5,10,11-18 $236.39
$0.50 Pick 5 5 of 5 7-7,8,16,17,18-2-5,10,11-18 $1,504.44
$0.20 Pick 6 6 of 6 3,4,7-7-7,8,16,17,18-2-5,10,11-18 $2,062.47

If you’re looking to bet on the coming Preakness or other races, FanDuel Racing is offering a strong rebate of a deal on horse racing betting through June 30th, as new customers can place their first bet up to $500 on any race at any track. If your first bet doesn’t win, you’ll get it back in Racing Bonus dollars for future wagers on horse races. The bonus dollars expire after seven days.

The purse for the 2025 Kentucky Derby is the same as 2024. The top-five horses will finish in the money. Here’s the payout breakdown:

The winner jockey usually takes home 10 percent of the prize, while the jockeys who come in No. 2 and No. 3 usually take home five percent.