Churchill Downs picks: $8,702 Super High 5 and $1,000 tournament

If you’re planning to bet the Saturday card at Churchill Downs, a non-jackpot carryover and a high-profile TwinSpires tournament are two of the options you can pursue.

Churchill Downs: Race 1: $8,702 Super High 5 carryover

The opening race on the Saturday card features an $8,702 carryover in the $1 Super High 5. The approximate post time is 12:45 p.m. ET.

Race 1 is an ultra-competitive $12,500 starter allowance taking place over 1 1/8 miles on dirt. Here are two non-favored runners we recommend including on your tickets:

#3 Military Road (6-1): Military Road has won three of his last four starts, including a seven-furlong $25,000 claimer at Ellis Park and a 1 1/8-mile $25,000 claimer at Aqueduct. His best Brisnet Speed ratings are competitive here, and he’s making his first start since being claimed by Chris Hartman, a 20% winner with new claiming acquisitions. Victory isn’t out of the question.

#6 Dr. Storm (8-1): If you forgive Dr. Storm’s two recent misfires on turf, there’s a lot to like about his form. During the winter and spring, he cracked the trifecta in four straight races on dirt at Oaklawn Park, including a 1 1/16-mile allowance in which he finished second by a neck while earning a 93 Brisnet Speed rating higher than the par winning number (92) for Saturday’s conditions. A return to that level of form could land Dr. Storm another top-three finish at enticing odds.

$1,000 Churchill Downs KDBC/BCBC Qualifier tournament

Entries into the 2027 Kentucky Derby Betting Challenge (KDBC) of 2026 Breeders’ Cup Betting Challenge (BCBC) will be awarded to the top finishers in Saturday’s $1,000 Churchill Downs KCBC/BCBC Qualifier tournament on TwinSpires.

Bettors must wager their entire $500 bankroll across at least five races at Churchill Downs, with a minimum of $50 in a given race required for it to count toward the five-race minimum.

We suggest getting involved in Race 5, a maiden special weight for juveniles racing one mile on dirt. #3 Coach Pope (1-1), a stoutly bred son of Tapit, ran strongly in a 6 1/2-furlong maiden special weight at Saratoga last month, finishing second by half a length with a flashy 89 Brisnet Speed rating. There’s a good chance Coach Pope improve while stretching out for his second start, stamping him as a formidable favorite.

We recommend betting Coach Pope to win and keying him over #7 Justification (15-1) in an exacta.

Justification debuted with a third-place finish in a seven-furlong maiden special weight at Ellis Park. He’s bred to run long, and trainer Rusty Arnold wins at a solid 18% rate with second-time starters, so there are reasons to believe Justification will step forward significantly on Saturday.

Race 5 wagers

• $35 to win on #3 Coach Pope
• $15 Exacta: 3 with 7
  Total: $50

Good luck!