What time does the Kentucky Derby start? When and where to watch
The 152nd running of the Kentucky Derby is scheduled to take place Saturday, May 2, at Churchill Downs in Louisville.
The race typically takes place in the early evening. This year, the scheduled post time is 6:57 p.m.
Live coverage of the Run for the Roses can be streamed on Peacock beginning at noon. The main broadcast on NBC, which will also be streamed on Peacock, will start at 2:30 p.m.
There are 20 horses in the Derby, headlined by the favorite and Arkansas Derby winner Renegade. Emerging Market and The Puma are among the other popular picks among handicapping experts.
Three horses in the original field have scratched from the race — Right To Party, Silent Tactic and Fulleffort. They were replaced by Robusta, Great White and Ocelli.
Sovereignty won the 151st Kentucky Derby, beating the favorite Journalism on a sloppy track soaked with rain at Churchill Downs.
The weather on Saturday is expected to be mostly sunny with a 5 to 7 mph wind from the north, according to the National Weather Service’s seven-day forecast for Louisville. The projected high temperature is 61 degrees.
The forecasted temperature is unusually low for early May. The average high temperature for Louisville on May 2 is 74 degrees, according to the NWS.
There are also no chances for rain in the forecast. If the forecast holds to form, it will be the first time since 2021 that at least a trace of rain does not fall in Louisville on race day, according to the NWS.
Of the 150 Runs for the Roses, it has rained 72 times at some point during race day, according to the NWS.
