Here's Where to Stream the Kentucky Derby and How to Celebrate the Race at Home
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Each year on the first Saturday in May, spectators flock to the Churchill Downs racecourse in Louisville, Kentucky, to watch the Kentucky Derby. The 2024 Kentucky Derby will be held on Saturday, May 4, and you better believe the fedoras and fascinators will be out in full force to witness “the most exciting 2 minutes in sports”!
If you're eager to get in on the Derby Day action while staying closer to home, here's what you need to know about where to watch the Kentucky Derby online or on TV. Plus, if you're a total Derby beginner, this is what to know about the race, and very importantly, how to celebrate Derby Day from wherever you're watching this year.
Where to Watch the 2024 Kentucky Derby
Live coverage of the 2024 Kentucky Derby begins around 6:45 p.m. ET.
Cable network: NBC
Streaming: Peacock, NBCSports.com, or the NBC Sports app on the Apple App Store or Google Play
What to Know About the Race
This year marks the 150th anniversary of the Kentucky Derby. Considered one of the most important events in horse racing, the Kentucky Derby is the first race in the Triple Crown series, which also includes the Preakness Stakes in Baltimore, Maryland, and the Belmont Stakes in Elmont, New York. Any horse that wins all three races is considered a Triple-Crown winner.
The event typically consists of 20 horses racing a 1.25-mile circuit. The horses are 3-year-old thoroughbreds that have qualified after earning points in a series of races known as the Road to the Kentucky Derby. The list of horses competing in the 2024 Kentucky Derby will be finalized on April 27, but you can check out the leaderboard of the current contenders.
The Derby is considered “the most exciting 2 minutes in sports” because it takes just about that long for the horses to complete the 1.25-mile circuit! It's also known as “The Run for the Roses” because the winning horse is draped with a massive garland of roses after crossing the finish line.
How to Celebrate the Kentucky Derby at Home
Once you know where to watch the Kentucky Derby at home, you can throw your own party and celebrate in high style! While the race starts in the evening around 6:45 p.m. ET, pre-race coverage will begin at noon ET, so you'll have something to watch in the interim.
Here's how you can celebrate the Kentucky Derby:
Have a Derby Day Dress Code: For those casual observers outside of the horse-racing world, the Kentucky Derby is a fashion event as much as it is a sporting showcase. Traditionally, pastel-colored seersucker suits and sundresses, along with dramatic hats are the de rigueur attire. Churchill Downs actually made headlines this year for introducing the first Kentucky Derby Style Guide in its 150-year history. The guide cites rose motifs, preppy styles, and “glacial blue” as the standout trends for this year.
Serve Southern Comfort Foods: Whether you're planning a full dinner party menu or encouraging guests to make it a potluck, no party is complete without serving Derby-worthy recipes like brisket, fried chicken, biscuits, pimento cheese, and apple-bourbon pie (or their vegetarian/vegan alternatives!).
Perfect Your Mint Julep: Of course, the signature drink of the Kentucky Derby is the mint julep, which comprises muddled mint, 2 ounces bourbon,.5 ounces simple syrup, and crushed ice, per Delish's recipe. Bonus points if you have a set of julep cups on hand! If you want a second Derby-appropriate option for those who dislike mint and/or bourbon, you can make a smash instead — it is essentially the same recipe, substituting any type of muddled herb or fruit with any type of spirit.
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