The 151st running of the Kentucky Derby will take place on Saturday, May 3, from Louisville, Ky.'s Churchill Downs race track.
The 10 furlong (1 ¼-mile) race—dubbed "The Most Exciting Two Minutes in Sports"—is run by three-year-old Thoroughbreds and is the first leg of horse racing's Triple Crown.
Here's a look at when 2025's running of the Kentucky Derby will begin:
What Time Does the Kentucky Derby Start?
The Kentucky Derby is actually the 12th race of the day at Churchill Downs on Saturday, with a post time of 6:57 p.m. EST.
Olympic Gold Medal gymnast Simone Biles will give the ceremonial "Riders Up" command in the lead up to the race.
What Channel is the Kentucky Derby On?
- Date: Saturday, May 3
- Time: 6:57 p.m. EST
- TV Channel: NBC
Like it has been since 2001, NBC is the home of the Kentucky Derby and is where you can watch Race 12 beginning at 6:57 p.m.
If you're interested in more extensive content, however, the NBC family will begin its weekend coverage with the Kentucky Oaks—the annual Derby precursor which has been running since 1875—on Friday, May 2, at 1 p.m. EST on USA Network.
Additionally, coverage of the 151st Kentucky Derby will begin on Saturday, May 3, at 12 p.m. EST on USA Network, before moving over to NBC at 2:30 p.m. ET.
How to Stream the Kentucky Derby
In addition to NBC's television coverage, the entire day of Kentucky Derby content—both the races and the fabulous pageantry—can be streamed on Peacock, NBCSports.com, and the NBC Sports app.
Peacock subscription plans start at $7.99/month. There is no free trial available at this time.
More Kentucky Derby on Sports Illustrated
This article was originally published on www.si.com as 2025 Kentucky Derby Start Time, TV Channel & More.
