It has been 37 years since the legendary Secretariat passed away in 1989, yet his name still doesn’t feel like it belongs to the past. Every time the Kentucky Derby comes up, his story comes to life.

Secretariat is immortalized for his 1973 dominance, when he won the Triple Crown and ran the Kentucky Derby in 1:59.40, a record that still stands as the fastest ever. Now, 53 years later, in the 2026 Kentucky Derby, his legacy continues.

The 152nd running of the Kentucky Derby is set for Saturday, May 2, at Churchill Downs in Louisville. There are 20 horses expected in the field. But what makes this year more interesting is that many of them are still connected to Secretariat. As reports say that 19 of the 20 horses carry Secretariat in their pedigree in the recent edition.

According to The Sporting News, Secretariat sired around 663 registered foals in his lifetime. As the 2026 field includes horses such as Renegade, Albus, Intrepido, Litmus Test, Right to Party, Commandment, Danon Bourbon, So Happy, The Puma, Wonder Dean, Incredibolt, Chief Wallabee, Potente, Pavlovian, Six Speed, Further Ado, Golden Tempo, Full Effort, and Emerging Market.

Among them, the Emerging Market is the only horse not linked to Secretariat’s bloodline. But that does not take away from his strength. The chestnut colt by Candy Ride out of the mare Wild Empress has already shown his form. After all, he has won both of his starts and earned $618,880 early in his career. He has battled pneumonia earlier in the year, but bounced back to win the Grade 2 Louisiana Derby in March.

But the real question as we head into Churchill Downs is not just about an outlier, but which horse from the Secretariat line can actually win the Derby?

Top betting contenders emerging from the Secretariat lineage

There’s not one standout favorite for the 2026 Kentucky Derby, but several strong contenders, all with a connection back to the legacy of Secretariat.

At the top of the early betting board is Renegade, sitting as the 4-1 morning-line favorite. Handed the rail in post position 1, Renegade comes into the Derby with strong wins in the Arkansas Derby and Sam F. Davis Stakes, along with a runner-up finish in the Remsen Stakes. Right behind him are Commandment and Further Ado, both at 6-1.

Commandment arrives with incredible momentum after winning the Florida Derby in March and the Fountain of Youth Stakes in February. He has also beaten key rivals like The Puma and Chief Wallabee. Further Ado is another serious contender after winning the Blue Grass Stakes and the Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes.

At 8-1, Chief Wallabee comes in as a good performer. He finished second in the Florida Derby behind Commandment and also placed well in earlier prep races. At 10-1, The Puma has proven he can compete at the top level. He finished third in the Arkansas Derby behind Renegade. Also, he has run strongly in earlier prep races, including a runner-up finish in the Fountain of Youth Stakes behind Commandment.

In the mid-odds group, So Happy (15-1) stands out with a big win in the Santa Anita Derby. Deeper in the field, horses like Danon Bourbon, Incredibolt (20-1), Potente (20-1) bring mixed form.

But what makes this Derby interesting is that there is no single dominant force. Instead, there are several horses with different strengths, and all have a common link to the great Secretariat.