Kentucky Derby Horse: Litmus Test Odds, History, and Predictions

The Kentucky Derby is coming up at Churchill Downs on Saturday, May 2. Litmus Test needed until the morning of draw day to get there, but Steve Asmussen’s decision to route Chip Honcho to the Preakness Stakes instead of the Kentucky Derby means that Litmus Test will get a chance to prove himself in the Run for the Roses. Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert was confident about Litmus Test’s work on April 23, and hopes he can bounce back from a seventh-place finish in the Arkansas Derby (G1), his final prep.

Stay up-to-date on Kentucky Derby odds and contenders, and bet on which horse will win the Kentucky Derby with FanDuel Racing and FanDuel Sportsbook!

Learn more about how to bet the Kentucky Derby online at FanDuel!

Litmus Test Kentucky Derby Odds and Post Positions

Post positions for the Kentucky Derby were drawn Saturday, April 25, and morning-line odds were released the same day. Litmus Test is 30-1 on the morning line, the longer-priced of the pair from Bob Baffert’s barn. That tracks, as Litmus Test comes off of a disappointing final prep in the Arkansas Derby (G1). He will break from post 4, which has historically been one of the tougher post positions in the race.

Litmus Test Horse Trainer and Jockey

Litmus Test hails from the barn of Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert. With six Kentucky Derby wins, Baffert is tied with Ben Jones for the most wins ever in the Run for the Roses. His most recent success came in 2020, when Authentic won a September edition of the Kentucky Derby. He trained the disqualified Medina Spirit in 2021, served a three-year suspension from Churchill Downs tracks, and returned with 15th-place Citizen Bull in 2025.

Jockey Martin Garcia has been riding Litmus Test in the morning leading up to the Kentucky Derby and will take the call in the afternoon as well. Garcia has ridden in the Kentucky Derby five times. Though he has yet to win it, his one money finish came with another horse for trainer Bob Baffert: Dortmund finished third in 2015.

Litmus Test Race History

With seven starts so far, Litmus Test is one of the more experienced horses in the field. However, he has just two wins in those seven starts – a debut maiden win and a score in the Los Alamitos Futurity. He has yet to win in two starts as a three-year-old, and still needs to prove that he has trained on at age three to the level of his top foes in the Kentucky Derby.

Speed ratings are courtesy of Equibase.

Litmus Test Kentucky Derby Prediction and Pick

Trainer Bob Baffert has won more editions of the Kentucky Derby than anyone, meaning he knows how to get a horse to peak on the first Saturday in May. Baffert was confident about Litmus Test’s work two days before the draw, a work he did with blinkers, which he removed for the Arkansas Derby but will put back on for the Kentucky Derby.

However, Litmus Test disappointed in the Arkansas Derby and also failed as the favorite in the Rebel. He seems to do his best work on or near the pace, which could get challenging from a post so far toward the inside. And, though there aren’t a ton of speed horses in the field, Six Speed and Pavlovian both like to go hard – meaning Litmus Test will need to tap into his tactical gear even with the blinkers back on, or risk being burned up in a pace battle. The pedigree is also a mixed bag: he is by Kentucky Derby winner Nyquist, but the class close up in his female family tends toward sprinting.

New to FanDuel Racing? Place your first bet of $5 on any race at any track & get $25 back in Racing Bonus! Valid in participating states. See here for full terms and conditions. Learn about today’s other offers at FanDuel Racing Promos.

Looking for more horse racing betting opportunities? Head over to FanDuel Racing to see all of today’s horse racing odds.

Sign up for FanDuel Sportsbook and FanDuel Daily Fantasy today!