Watch the 2025 Kentucky Derby: Time, TV & Stream

Today is the first Saturday in May, which means it’s time for the iconic Kentucky Derby. This historic race at Churchill Downs marks the beginning of horse racing’s prestigious Triple Crown series. Known famously as “the most exciting two minutes in sports,” the Kentucky Derby features a field of elite three-year-old Thoroughbreds competing for glory. If you’re looking to catch all the action live, here’s your comprehensive guide on how, where, and when to tune in for the 2025 “Run for the Roses.”

Derby Day Traditions and Atmosphere

More than just a horse race, the Kentucky Derby is a major cultural event steeped in tradition. Attendees at Churchill Downs often sport elaborate hats, enjoy mint julep cocktails, and participate in the vibrant pre-race festivities. The atmosphere is electric, building throughout the day towards the main event. Understanding the schedule helps fans experience the full breadth of Derby Day, not just the race itself.

 

Race Schedule and Broadcast Coverage

The main event, the Kentucky Derby race, is traditionally scheduled for a late afternoon post time. For 2025, the approximate start time for the race itself is set for 6:57 p.m. Eastern Time (ET). However, coverage of Derby Day begins much earlier, allowing viewers to immerse themselves in the build-up, analysis, and trackside events.

 

According to NBC Sports, broadcast coverage starts at 12:00 p.m. ET, airing on both the USA Network and the Peacock streaming service. The coverage then shifts later in the afternoon, moving to the primary NBC television network alongside continued streaming on Peacock, beginning at 2:30 p.m. ET. This extensive coverage window ensures fans can follow all the pre-race developments leading right up to post time.

 

How to Watch the Kentucky Derby on TV

If you have access to traditional cable or satellite television, you can watch the Kentucky Derby coverage on both the USA Network during the early hours and then switch to the NBC television network for the main coverage leading into the race. Check your local listings for specific channel numbers. Alternatively, if you subscribe to a live TV streaming service that includes NBC and USA Network in its package, you can access the broadcast through those platforms.

 

Streaming the Race Online

Peacock is highlighted as the premier destination for streaming the entire Kentucky Derby day. Coverage on Peacock begins at noon ET and continues uninterrupted through the moment the starting gate opens for the race.

 

For those without traditional cable, a Peacock subscription offers a cost-effective way to watch the Derby. Plans start as low as $7.99 per month. Beyond the Kentucky Derby, a Peacock subscription provides access to a wide range of other sports content, including NFL games, NASCAR races, and top golf events, as well as a library of classic television shows and movies. Streaming provides flexibility, allowing viewers to watch on various devices like smart TVs, computers, tablets, and smartphones.

 

The Competing Horses and Morning-Line Odds

A field of 19 horses is set to “hit the track” for the 2025 Kentucky Derby. The morning-line odds, set by Churchill Downs oddsmaker Mike Battaglia, provide an initial projection of how the betting public might wager. These odds will fluctuate significantly throughout Derby Day as more bets are placed. Journalism has been designated the morning-line favorite.

 

Here is the list of the horses scheduled to run, along with their initial morning-line odds:

• Citizen Bull, 20-1
• Neoequos, 30-1
• Final Gambit, 30-1
• American Promise, 30-1
• Admire Daytona, 30-1
• Luxor Café, 15-1
• Journalism, 3-1
• Burnham Square, 12-1
• Grande, 20-1
• Flying Mohawk, 30-1
• East Avenue, 20-1
• Publisher, 20-1
• Tiztastic, 20-1
• Render Judgment, 30-1
• Coal Battle, 30-1
• Sandman, 6-1
• Sovereignty, 5-1
• Chunk of Gold, 30-1
• Owen Almighty, 30-1
• Baeza, 12-1 (Entered due to scratch)

(Note: Horse originally scheduled for Post 4 was scratched, resulting in a starting field of 19)

 

The Race Distance

The Kentucky Derby race is run over a distance of one and a quarter miles (1 1/4 miles) on the dirt track at Churchill Downs. This distance is a key challenge for three-year-old Thoroughbreds, many of whom are running this far for the first time in their careers.

 

Prize Purse Details

The total prize purse for the 2025 Kentucky Derby is a substantial $5 million. This amount is split among the top five finishers in the race. The winning horse earns the largest share, taking home $3.1 million. Typically, the remaining purse is distributed as follows: 2nd place receives 20%, 3rd place receives 10%, 4th place receives 5%, and 5th place receives 3%.

 

The Triple Crown Journey

Winning the Kentucky Derby is the critical first step towards achieving the coveted Triple Crown in horse racing. The victor of the Derby earns the chance to continue the journey by competing in the second leg, the Preakness Stakes, held typically two weeks later (scheduled for May 17, 2025). If a horse wins the Preakness, they then have the opportunity to attempt to complete the Triple Crown by winning the Belmont Stakes, held usually three weeks after the Preakness (scheduled for June 7, 2025). Achieving wins in all three races is rare, with the last Triple Crown winner being Bob Baffert-trained Justify in 2018.

 

Betting on the Derby

Wagering is a significant part of the Kentucky Derby experience for many fans. Understanding the morning-line odds provides insight into which horses the oddsmaker believes are most likely to perform well, but these odds change based on the volume of money bet on each horse by the public leading up to post time. Various types of wagers, from simple win/place/show bets to more complex exotic wagers, are available.

 

The Road to the Derby

Horses earn their spot in the limited 20-horse Kentucky Derby field through a points system accumulated in designated preparatory races held over the months leading up to May. This “Road to the Derby” series ensures that only the top-performing three-year-olds have the chance to compete in the first jewel of the Triple Crown.

 

With the broadcast underway and post time approaching, all eyes in the horse racing world are on Churchill Downs for the 151st running of the Kentucky Derby.