The Ultimate Guide to the 2026 Kentucky Derby

The 152nd running of the Derby is scheduled for Saturday, May 2, 2026, at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky.

The Kentucky Derby, known as “The Run for the Roses,” is a 1¼-mile race for the top 3-year-old Thoroughbreds, held every year on the first Saturday in May at Churchill Downs. It’s the first leg of the Triple Crown and the most prestigious race in American horse racing. Beyond the competition, it’s a cultural tradition celebrated worldwide, earning its nickname as “the most exciting two minutes in sports.”

Now that the Road to the Kentucky Derby is complete, the top contenders for the 2026 Kentucky Derby have been established, with the highest point earners securing their spots in the starting gate at Churchill Downs.

Explore the full field in the Racing Dudes’ 2026 Kentucky Derby Contenders Hub, featuring in-depth horse profiles, updated odds, expert picks, video analysis, running styles, and past performances.

You can place bets on the Kentucky Derby through licensed racetracks, betting windows at Churchill Downs, online wagering platforms such as TwinSpires, and approved mobile apps. Options range from simple win, place, and show bets to exotics like exactas, trifectas, and multi-race wagers. Be sure to use trusted, legal betting providers and always wager responsibly.

Morning line odds for the Kentucky Derby are released after the post-position draw, which takes place during Derby Week, usually on the Tuesday before the race. Final odds are then determined by the betting pools and continue to shift right up until post time on Derby Day. 

The 152nd Kentucky Derby is scheduled for Saturday, May 2, 2026, with the main race (post time) expected to occur between 6:00 and 7:00 p.m. Eastern Time. While a precise minute isn’t officially confirmed yet, this time window reflects the typical evening slot for the Derby.

The Kentucky Derby is broadcast live on NBC and streamed on Peacock in the United States. Coverage includes all the lead-up festivities, the Kentucky Oaks, and the Derby itself. International viewers can watch through various global broadcast partners, and fans can also follow along through official Kentucky Derby apps and social media channels.

The total purse for 2025 is $5 million, matching the 2024 amount and rising from $3 million in 2023.

Twenty horses compete, but only the top five finishers earn prize money. The winner receives $3.1 million (with the jockey earning $310,000), second place gets $1 million, third place $500,000, fourth $250,000, and fifth $150,000.

The Kentucky Derby typically draws around 150,000 spectators to Churchill Downs, making it one of the largest single-day sporting events in the United States. The crowd creates an electric atmosphere, adding to the excitement of the race.

It’s a series of prep races where horses earn points based on their finishing positions. The top point-earners secure a spot in the Kentucky Derby starting gate. You can see the current leaderboard and upcoming races here.

Horses earn a spot in the Kentucky Derby by accumulating points in designated prep races known as the Road to the Kentucky Derby. Points are awarded based on finishing positions in key races leading up to the Derby. The top 20 point-earners get into the starting gate. You can see the prep race schedule here.

Sovereignty, a bay colt trained by Bill Mott and ridden by Junior Alvarado, won the 2025 Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs on May 3, 2025. He finished ahead of 3–1 favorite Journalism, with Baeza, Final Gambit, and Owen Almightyrounding out the top five. Owned by Godolphin and sired by Into Mischief, Sovereignty later went on to win the Belmont Stakes, capturing two legs of the Triple Crown.