Notable: McPeek last year became the first trainer to win the Kentucky Oaks (with Thorpedo Anna) and the Kentucky Derby (with Mystik Dan) since Ben Jones in 1952. His horse in this year’s Oaks is the No. 10, Take Charge Milady, who opened at 12-1.

Post position matters quite a bit at the Kentucky Derby. Horses in the earlier post positions have traditionally performed better than horses in the later post positions at the event. The fifth post position has resulted in the most wins at the Kentucky Derby, with 10 horses winning from that slot during the race's history.

Former MLB player Jayson Werth is returning as a horse owner at the Kentucky Derby. Werth co-owned Dornoch in the 2024 Derby, which finished 10th but won the Belmont Stakes. This year, Werth and former baseball agent Jeff Berry are backing Flying Mohawk.