Kentucky Derby 2024 date and time: when is the race, how to watch, odds, horses and weather

The Athletic has live coverage of the 2024 Kentucky Oaks.

The 2024 Kentucky Derby (Saturday, May 4 on NBC/Peacock) will be the 150th running of the annual horse race in Louisville, Kentucky. Celebrities, famous athletes and horse racing enthusiasts (along with three of The Athletics‘s staff) will descend on Churchill Downs for the annual Run for the Roses.

Who will wear the most ridiculous hats? What should I know about Mystik Dan? Why is Tom Brady on my screen? All your answers are below, and get ready for Derby Day and make sure you have plenty of ice for your mint juleps – there will be more than six hours of television coverage on NBC.

Here’s everything you need to know about the 2024 Kentucky Derby.

What is the Kentucky Derby?

The Kentucky Derby is the premier horse race in the United States, held every year on the first Saturday in May. It is often called the Run for the Roses because a blanket of red roses is placed over the winning horse in the winner’s circle. The field is limited to 20 horses per year and they qualify for the race through a series of points races. Only horses that are three years old are eligible to race in the Kentucky Derby, and it is open to both male and female horses. A filly (a female horse) has not won the Kentucky Derby since Winning Colors triumphed in 1988.

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What makes Churchill Downs so special? The quirks and traditions of the homeland of the Kentucky Derby

When is the 2024 Kentucky Derby?

The 2024 Kentucky Derby will be held on Saturday, May 4, 2024 at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky.

How long is the Kentucky Derby?

The race is 1 1/4 miles long. Secretariat set the Kentucky Derby record in 1973 with a race time of 1:59 2/5. That record was set 50 years ago and still stands. The race is commonly referred to as ‘the fastest two minutes in sport’ (with variations also calling the race ‘the best two minutes’ and ‘the most exciting two minutes’)

Where can I read all of your excellent and insightful coverage of the Kentucky Derby?

Thank you for asking! There’s a section here at the bottom with links to all the stories we’ve created. We’ll update it as we publish more, leading up to the race on Saturday.

Who won the 2023 Kentucky Derby?

In 2023, Mage won the Kentucky Derby by one length at odds of 15-1. Two Phil’s finished second and Angel of Empire finished third. Mage finished third in the Preakness, ending his Triple Crown bid.

What is the weather forecast for the 2024 Kentucky Derby?

The weather forecast for Saturday calls for a high of 80 degrees and a low of 62 degrees. There is a 25 percent chance of rain showers on Saturday.

When is the draw for the 2024 Kentucky Derby post positions?

The draw for the 2024 Kentucky Derby post positions took place last Saturday. Each of the 20 horses in the Kentucky Derby was assigned a starting spot in the starting gate. This can largely influence which horse wins the Derby, as some starting positions have a better chance of winning than others.

What time does the 2024 Kentucky Derby start?

Post time for the 150th Kentucky Derby is set for 6:57 PM ET. The Kentucky Derby isn’t the only race on Derby Day at Churchill Downs; more than 10 races will be held from 10am

How can I watch and stream the 2024 Kentucky Derby?

Television coverage for the 2024 Kentucky Derby begins at 2:30 PM ET on NBC. All coverage can also be streamed on Peacock.

GO DEEPER

Five age-old traditions of the Kentucky Derby

Who is the favorite for the 2024 Kentucky Derby?

Fierceness is the 5-2 “morning line” favorite after the draw. Fierce is assigned to starting gate No. 17. No horse from starting number 17 has ever won the Kentucky Derby.

What does morning line mean?

It is the first set of odds, released after the post positions were announced. Horse racing is a parimutuel betting, meaning you can buy a ticket for the horse you want to win (or place or show, etc.), but the odds will fluctuate up to the start of the race and ultimately at the final odds end up as the horses go off, based on everyone’s guesses. With regular sports betting you can buy a ticket at odds of 5 to 1 and even if it is still 2 to 1 at the start of the game, your bet will be paid out 5 to 1. In horse racing, moving the 5-to-1 odds to 2-to-1 means you’re stuck with those 2-to-1 odds like everyone else, regardless of when the ticket was purchased (but on the plus side: The odds can always go the other way).

What are the Kentucky Oaks?

The Kentucky Oaks is the most important race on Friday’s horse racing calendar. It pits the best 3-year-old fillies against each other. It is scheduled to air at 5:51 PM ET and will air on USA and stream on Peacock. The TV broadcast begins Friday at 1:00 PM ET.

The entire Kentucky Derby week at Churchill Downs is also packed with great undercard races and up and coming horses.

The Oaks has also been held for 150 years.

What is a mint julep?

A mint julep is a bourbon cocktail that is the signature drink of the Kentucky Derby. The ingredients for a mint julep are bourbon, sugar, water, crushed ice, and fresh mint (which Eddie Hansel, manager of the American Campari Academy, says you should hit before adding to the cup to release the flavor). Some mint juleps replace sugar with simple syrup. Hansel uses cubes in some of his variations. You can see (and make) his creations here.

How does betting on the Kentucky Derby work?

There are many different ways to bet on the Kentucky Derby, and it can be confusing to understand what an exacta, trifecta and superfecta are. It’s also confusing as to how you can actually bet on it.

The easiest way is to bet on the winner of the race. We have explained all the different types of horse racing bets here.

A guide to our coverage of the 2024 Kentucky Derby: hats, glasses, distance betting and more

We have a lot of coverage of the 150th Kentucky Derby. A lot of. Everything from expert picks to our experience of getting an official hat made from the Derby’s most famous hat maker. To keep everything organized, we’ve created this ‘menu’ to keep everything in one easy place. Below, you’ll find everything you need to fully enjoy your 2024 Kentucky Derby experience – even recipes for mint juleps and a deeper look at the drink’s history and significance.

To enjoy! Have fun! And good luck!

Odds, expert picks and long shots

Kentucky Derby Explainers

The people, stories and culture that make the Kentucky Derby

The mint julep

Kentucky Derby Party Props Sheet (Downloadable!)

News

(Top photo: Rob Carr/Getty Images)