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Everything you need to know about the 2024 Kentucky Derby: Date, time and how to watch

Mage, with Javier Castellano up, wins the 149th Running of the Kentucky Derby on May 6, 2023, at Churchill Downs.
Mage, with Javier Castellano up, wins the 149th Running of the Kentucky Derby on May 6, 2023, at Churchill Downs.

The most exciting two minutes in sports is nearly here.

The 2024 Kentucky Derby is set to get underway in May, and when it does, it will be the 150th edition of the annual horse race. It's the first leg of horse racing's Triple Crown along with the Preakness Stakes and Belmont Stakes in the late spring/early summer months.

The event is the most-watched and highest-attended horse race in the United States. Each year, hundreds of thousands of people head to Louisville, Kentucky's Churchill Downs for the race as well as the two weeks of festivities at the Kentucky Derby Festival.

Here's everything you need to know about this year's Kentucky Derby.

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How to watch 2024 Kentucky Derby

Date: Saturday, May 4, 2024

Time: Around 6:45 p.m. ET

Cable TV: NBC

Streaming: Peacock; YouTube TV; fuboTV

How to watch: Catch the 150th Kentucky Derby with a Fubo subscription

When is the 2024 Kentucky Derby post-position draw?

Each year, Churchill Downs decides the starting post position of each horse with a draw. One official will pull a piece of paper with a horse's name out of a pile while another draws a paper with a gate number out of a separate pile.

In years past, this draw occurred on the Monday before the race, five days ahead of time. This year, the post-position draw will occur on Saturday, April 27, a full week before race day.

When is the Kentucky Oaks 2024?

The Kentucky Oaks, the Derby's sister race, is a stakes race for three-year-old Thoroughbred fillies, or female horses.

This year's Kentucky Oaks will take place one day before the Kentucky Derby – Friday, May 3, 2024. The drawing for post position for the Oaks will occur before the drawing for the Derby on April 27.

Who are the contenders for the 2024 Kentucky Derby?

The Kentucky Derby's official website has a leaderboard of the top contenders to participate in the race, listed by points scored in designated "Road to the Derby" races. Points are awarded to horses that finish in the top five of these races. Here are the top horse contenders from the United States.

Position

Horse

Owner

Trainer

Points

1

Fierceness

Repole Stable

Todd Pletcher

30

2

Track Phantom

L and N Racing LLC, Brewster, Clark O., Caroom, Jerry and Breeze Easy, LLC

Steve Asmussen

30

3

Locked

Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners & Walmac Farm

Todd Pletcher

19

4

Timberlake

Siena Farm LLC & WinStar Farm LLC

Brad Cox

16

5

Liberal Arts

Evan Ferraro & Stephen Ferraro

Robert Medina

13

6

Nash

Godolphin, LLC

Brad Cox

13

7

West Saratoga

Harry L. Veruchi

Larry Demeritte

11

8

Honor Marie

Ribble Farms LLC

Whit Beckman

10

9

Otto the Conqueror

Three Chimneys Farm

Steve Asmussen

10

10

Dornoch

West Paces Racing LLC, R. A. Hill Stable, Belmar Racing and Breeding LLC, Two Eight Racing LLC & Pine Racing Stables

Danny Gargan

10

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How many horses race in the Kentucky Derby?

Each year's Kentucky Derby features 20 horses. They qualify from the United States as well as the "Japan Road to the Kentucky Derby" and "European Road to the Kentucky Derby," according to the official race website.

How long is the Kentucky Derby?

The annual Kentucky Derby is 1 1/4 miles of racing, or 10 furlongs. It is about two kilometers.

What is the Kentucky Derby record?

Secretariat set the record at Churchill Downs in 1973 with a time of 1:59.4.

Odds for 2024 Kentucky Derby:

Odds via CBS Sports, as of Sunday, April 28.

  • Fierceness (5-2)

  • Sierra Leone (3-1)

  • Catching Freedom (8-1)

  • Forever Young (10-1)

  • Just a Touch (10-1)

  • Dornoch (20-1)

  • Mystik Dan (20-1)

  • Just Steel (20-1)

  • Honor Marie (20-1)

  • Encino (20-1)

  • Track Phanton (20-1)

  • Stronghold (20-1)

  • Resilience (20-1)

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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Kentucky Derby 2024: Date, time, how to watch annual horse race