The Jury: Expert Picks, Bets, and Fades for April 26, 2025

The TwinSpires Jury of Ashley Anderson and guest Nick Tammaro are back to debate their best bets and fades at Churchill Downs for Opening Night of the 43-day spring meet, plus they look at a high-profile matchup at Aqueduct on Sunday.

Kentucky Derby (G1) week will officially kick off Saturday, April 26, beneath the Twin Spires of Churchill Downs, host of a 10-race card that includes the six-furlong Roxelana S.

Eight older fillies and mares are entered in the $200,000 stakes event, with #2 Sandy Bottom the 5-2 morning-line favorite for trainer Michael McCarthy. The Omaha Beach four-year-old will look to return to the winner's circle following back-to-back losses in the seven-furlong La Brea (G1) on Dec. 26 at Santa Anita and the six-furlong Carousel S., where she finished third to Justique at Oaklawn Park.

Sandy Bottom's rivals include Greg Foley-trained Harbor Springs, who rides a two-win streak and will move up in class here. The Lookin At Lucky filly will pick up the services of Irad Ortiz Jr. and put in a bullet 46 4/5-second four-furlong workout on April 19, the fastest time of 98 workers that day.

Over at Aqueduct, the seventh race on Sunday's nine-race card will feature a talented field of eight three-year-olds and older, headlined by Bob Baffert pupil Cornucopian, who will make his third career start. The Into Mischief colt was last seen weakening to finish fourth in the 1 1/8-mile Arkansas Derby (G1) after helping set a blazing hot pace. He'll drop in class in Sunday's one-mile allowance optional claimer and is set to clash with Wood Memorial (G2) sixth-place finisher Sand Devil, who came home 13 lengths behind Cornucopian's stablemate Rodriguez.

Chad Brown runner Keewaydin is another class-dropper coming out of the Remsen (G2), where he placed fifth. Stablemate Garamond will make his third career start and most recently placed third in the one-mile Gotham (G3).

Join us for our upcoming LIVE blogs!

April 26 | LIVE open discussion with our experts before, during, and after the post position draw at Churchill Downs on opening night.

May 1-3 | LIVE coverage of Thurby, Oaks, and Kentucky Derby Day with exclusive up-to-date all-access trackside coverage. LIVE race odds, including Kentucky Derby odds, picks, entries for all the races, and so much more!

Don't miss a minute of the fun with your backstage pass to everything Kentucky Derby!