Everything you need to know about the 2024 Kentucky Derby: Date, time and how to watch
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.
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 |
Horse racing: Cody's Wish wins Eclipse Awards as horse of the year and older dirt male
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)
We occasionally recommend interesting products and services. If you make a purchase by clicking one of the links, we may earn an affiliate fee. USA TODAY Network newsrooms operate independently, and this doesn’t influence our coverage.
Gannett may earn revenue from sports betting operators for audience referrals to betting services. Sports betting operators have no influence over nor are any such revenues in any way dependent on or linked to the newsrooms or news coverage. Terms apply, see operator site for Terms and Conditions. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, help is available. Call the National Council on Problem Gambling 24/7 at 1-800-GAMBLER (NJ, OH), 1-800-522-4700 (CO), 1-800-BETS-OFF (IA), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN). Must be 21 or older to gamble. Sports betting and gambling are not legal in all locations. Be sure to comply with laws applicable where you reside.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Kentucky Derby 2024: Date, time, how to watch annual horse race
