The 152nd Kentucky Derby runs on Saturday, May 2, 2026 at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky. Post time is set for approximately 6:57 PM ET, and the field of 20 three-year-old thoroughbreds is locked in for the most exciting two minutes in sports.
This guide gives you the full race day schedule, every horse with post positions and odds, TV and streaming details, plus a free printable PDF you can download and take to your Derby party.
Quick Race-Day Facts:
- Race: 152nd Kentucky Derby
- Date: Saturday, May 2, 2026
- Post Time: Approximately 6:57 PM ET
- Track: Churchill Downs, Louisville, KY
- Distance: 1¼ miles (Dirt)
- Field Size: 20 horses
- Total Purse: $5 million
- Winner’s Share: Approximately $3.1 million
- TV Channel: NBC
- Live Stream: Peacock
- Race Number: Race 12 of 14
Download the Free 2026 Kentucky Derby Printable Guide
The full race day guide is available as a free printable PDF. The download includes the complete Derby Day schedule, all 20 horses with post positions and morning-line odds, TV and streaming times, and a Quick Facts reference card. The PDF is formatted for both A4 and US Letter paper, portrait orientation, with no email signup or registration required.
Related Printables:
- Printable Kentucky Derby Squares 2026
- Kentucky Derby 2026 Program PDF
- Printable List of Kentucky Derby 2026 Horses
2026 Kentucky Derby Start Time and Race Day Schedule
What Time Does the 2026 Kentucky Derby Start?
The official post time for the 2026 Kentucky Derby is approximately 6:57 PM ET on Saturday, May 2. Gates at Churchill Downs open at 9:00 AM ET, with the first race scheduled for 11:00 AM ET. The Derby itself is Race 12 on the 14-race card.
Kentucky Derby Start Time by Time Zone
| Time Zone | Start Time |
|---|---|
| Eastern Time (ET) | 6:57 PM |
| Central Time (CT) | 5:57 PM |
| Mountain Time (MT) | 4:57 PM |
| Pacific Time (PT) | 3:57 PM |
| Alaska Time (AKT) | 2:57 PM |
| Hawaii Time (HT) | 12:57 PM |
2026 Kentucky Derby Race Day Full Schedule
Saturday, May 2, 2026 features a complete 14-race card at Churchill Downs, with the Kentucky Derby running as Race 12 at approximately 6:57 PM ET. Gates open at 9:00 AM ET, and the first race goes to post at 11:00 AM ET. Below is the full race day schedule with approximate post times, race names, and key undercard stakes.
| Race | Post Time (ET) | Race Name | Purse |
|---|---|---|---|
| Race 1 | 11:00 AM | Opening Race | Maiden |
| Race 2 | 11:35 AM | Allowance | Allowance |
| Race 3 | 12:08 PM | Knicks Go Overnight Stakes | $200,000 |
| Race 4 | 12:38 PM | Derby City Distaff (G1) | $1,000,000 |
| Race 5 | 1:12 PM | Twin Spires Turf Sprint (G2T) | $600,000 |
| Race 6 | 1:53 PM | Allowance | $200,000 |
| Race 7 | 2:38 PM | Distaff Turf Mile (G2T) | $1,000,000 |
| Race 8 | 3:23 PM | Pat Day Mile (G2) | $750,000 |
| Race 9 | 4:06 PM | American Turf Stakes (G1T) | $1,000,000 |
| Race 10 | 4:50 PM | Churchill Downs Stakes (G1) | $1,000,000 |
| Race 11 | 5:38 PM | Old Forester Bourbon Turf Classic (G1T) | $1,500,000 |
| Race 12 | 6:57 PM | 🌹 152nd Kentucky Derby (G1) | $5,000,000 |
| Race 13 | 8:00 PM | Allowance | Allowance |
| Race 14 | 8:33 PM | Donerail by TwinSpires | $120,000 |
Key Stakes Races on Derby Day
Beyond the main event, Derby Day features several Grade 1 and Grade 2 stakes races worth watching:
- Derby City Distaff (G1), Race 4 at 12:38 PM ET: A 7-furlong dirt sprint for fillies and mares aged 4 and up, with a $1 million purse. One of the premier sprint races for older fillies in the country.
- American Turf Stakes (G1T), Race 9 at 4:06 PM ET: A 1 1/16-mile turf race for 3-year-olds, worth $1 million. Often features Derby contenders who switched to the turf path.
- Churchill Downs Stakes (G1), Race 10 at 4:50 PM ET: A 7-furlong dirt sprint for older horses with a $1 million purse, featuring some of the top dirt sprinters in North America.
- Old Forester Bourbon Turf Classic (G1T), Race 11 at 5:38 PM ET: The premier turf event of Derby Day, run at 1⅛ miles for 4-year-olds and up, with a $1.5 million purse. The race directly precedes the Kentucky Derby.
- Pat Day Mile (G2), Race 8 at 3:23 PM ET: Named after Hall of Fame jockey Pat Day, this 1-mile dirt race for 3-year-olds carries a $750,000 purse and is a popular mid-card stakes.
Live Coverage Timeline
| Time (ET) | Coverage | Channel/Platform |
|---|---|---|
| 9:00 AM | Gates Open at Churchill Downs | (no broadcast) |
| 11:00 AM | First Race Post | TwinSpires App, FanDuel TV |
| 12:00 PM | Undercard Coverage Begins | Peacock and NBCSN |
| 12:30 PM | Early Coverage | FS1 |
| 2:30 PM | Main Broadcast Begins | NBC and Peacock |
| 6:57 PM | 🌹 Kentucky Derby Post Time | NBC and Peacock |
| 7:30 PM | Post-Derby Coverage | NBC and Peacock |
| 8:33 PM | Final Race | FanDuel TV |
2026 Kentucky Derby Horses, Post Positions and Odds
The post position draw is complete and the field is set at 20 horses. Renegade drew the rail (post position 1) and entered as the morning-line favorite at 4-1 odds. After the scratches of Silent Tactic and Fulleffort, alternates Great White and Ocelli drew into the field. Below is the full field with trainers, jockeys, and morning-line odds.
Full Field of 20 Horses
| PP | Horse | Trainer | Jockey | Morning-Line Odds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Renegade | Todd Pletcher | Irad Ortiz Jr. | 4-1 |
| 2 | Albus | Riley Mott | Manny Franco | 30-1 |
| 3 | Intrepido | Jeff Mullins | Hector Berrios | 50-1 |
| 4 | Litmus Test | Bob Baffert | TBD | 30-1 |
| 5 | Right to Party | Kenny McPeek | Chris Elliott | 30-1 |
| 6 | Commandment | Brad Cox | Luis Saez | 6-1 |
| 7 | Danon Bourbon | Manabu Ikezoe | Atsuya Nishimura | 20-1 |
| 8 | So Happy | Mark Glatt | Mike Smith | 15-1 |
| 9 | The Puma | Gustavo Delgado | Javier Castellano | 10-1 |
| 10 | Wonder Dean | Daisuke Takayanagi | Ryusei Sakai | 30-1 |
| 11 | Incredibolt | Riley Mott | Jaime Torres | 20-1 |
| 12 | Chief Wallabee | Bill Mott | Junior Alvarado | 8-1 |
| 13 | Potente | Bob Baffert | Juan Hernandez | 20-1 |
| 14 | Emerging Market | Chad Brown | Flavien Prat | 15-1 |
| 15 | Pavlovian | Doug O’Neill | Edwin Maldonado | 30-1 |
| 16 | Six Speed | Bhupat Seemar | TBD | 50-1 |
| 17 | Further Ado | Brad Cox | John Velazquez | 6-1 |
| 18 | Golden Tempo | Cherie DeVaux | Jose Ortiz | 30-1 |
| 19 | Great White | John Ennis | Alex Achard | 50-1 |
| 20 | Ocelli | D. Whitworth Beckman | Joe Ramos | 50-1 |
Scratches and Field Updates
Two horses scratched after the original draw with foot injuries: Silent Tactic (originally post 13) on April 29 and Fulleffort (originally post 20) on April 30. Their replacements are Great White and Ocelli, who drew into the field as also-eligibles. Posts shifted inward after the scratches, so the final 20 horses run from gates 1 through 20 in the order shown above. Final field confirmation comes the morning of the race, so check before post time for any late changes.
Top Contenders to Watch
Renegade (4-1, post 1): Trained by Hall of Famer Todd Pletcher with Irad Ortiz Jr. aboard, Renegade enters as the morning-line favorite after a come-from-behind win in the Arkansas Derby. The rail post is historically tough, with the last horse to win from post 1 being Ferdinand in 1986. Pletcher has two previous Derby wins (Super Saver in 2010, Always Dreaming in 2017) and is making his 65th Derby start as a trainer, the most in race history.
Commandment (6-1, post 6): This year’s Florida Derby winner brings a four-race win streak into Louisville. Trained by Brad Cox with Luis Saez aboard, Commandment drew a clean mid-pack post.
Further Ado (6-1, post 17): Coming off an 11-length win in the Blue Grass Stakes, Further Ado runs for trainer Brad Cox with three-time Kentucky Derby winning jockey John Velazquez aboard. Velazquez previously won the Derby with Animal Kingdom (2011), Always Dreaming (2017), and Authentic (2020).
Chief Wallabee (8-1, post 12): Trained by Bill Mott, who won last year’s Derby with Sovereignty. Mott’s son Riley also enters the race with Albus and Incredibolt, making this a notable father-son storyline. Junior Alvarado, who rode Sovereignty to last year’s win, is back aboard Chief Wallabee.
The Puma (10-1, post 9): The 2026 Tampa Bay Derby winner is trained by Gustavo Delgado with veteran Hall of Fame jockey Javier Castellano in the irons.
How to Watch the 2026 Kentucky Derby
TV Channel
The 152nd Kentucky Derby airs on NBC, with main broadcast coverage starting at 2:30 PM ET on Saturday, May 2. NBCSN carries earlier undercard coverage beginning at 12:00 PM ET. FS1 and FS2 also provide additional coverage during the day. Spanish-language coverage is available on Telemundo and Universo.
Live Stream Options
Peacock streams the entire Derby Day card, with coverage starting at 12:00 PM ET. Peacock subscriptions start at $10.99 per month for the ad-supported tier and $16.99 per month for ad-free. Other live stream options include FanDuel TV (early and late races), the TwinSpires app, and DirecTV Stream (with a free trial for new users).
NBC Broadcast Team
NBC Sports’ Derby coverage features host Mike Tirico, two-time Kentucky Derby winning jockey Jerry Bailey as analyst, Randy Moss, handicappers Eddie Olczyk and Matt Bernier, race caller Larry Collmus, and insights analyst Steve Kornacki. Reporters include Britney Eurton, Donna Brothers, Kenny Rice, and Nick Luck.
Churchill Downs: The Home of the Derby
Churchill Downs has hosted the Kentucky Derby every year since 1875, making the 2026 running the 152nd renewal of the race. The track sits in Louisville, Kentucky, named after John and Henry Churchill, who originally leased the land for the racetrack in the 1870s. The Derby covers 1¼ miles on the dirt main track, the same distance the race has been run since 1896.
The total 2026 purse is $5 million, with the winning connections taking home approximately $3.1 million. Second place earns roughly $1 million, with the remaining purse split among finishers third through fifth.
How to Use the Printable Kentucky Derby Guide
Our free printable PDF works on standard A4 and US Letter paper. Print it portrait orientation for a single-page race day reference, or fold it twice for a pocket-sized guide you can carry to your Derby party or watch event.
The guide pairs perfectly with a Derby squares template for office pools, and the post position chart works as a quick reference if you’re filling out a bet slip or running a pick’em pool with friends and family.
2026 Kentucky Derby FAQ: All You Need to Know
Why is the Kentucky Derby called “the most exciting two minutes in sports”?
The full race wraps up in roughly two minutes from gate to wire. Secretariat holds the record at 1:59.40 from 1973, the only horse ever to break the two-minute mark.
What is the dress code for the Kentucky Derby?
Spring dresses and wide-brimmed hats for women, light suits with bow ties for men. Bright pastels, florals, and bold accessories are the Derby tradition, especially in premium seating areas.
Why do they call it the “Run for the Roses”?
The winning horse gets a blanket of 554 red roses draped over its withers in the winner’s circle. Roses became the official Derby flower in 1904, and the nickname stuck after sports writer Bill Corum used it in the 1920s.
What is a Mint Julep?
It’s the official Derby drink, made with Kentucky bourbon, fresh mint, sugar, and crushed ice, served in a frosted cup. Churchill Downs serves over 120,000 Mint Juleps every Derby weekend.
How does a horse qualify for the Kentucky Derby?
Three-year-old thoroughbreds earn points by finishing top 5 in designated prep races from September through mid-April. The top 20 point-earners make the field, with separate qualifying paths for horses from Japan, Europe, and the Middle East.
What is the Triple Crown?
The Triple Crown is the combination of three races: the Kentucky Derby (May 2), the Preakness Stakes (May 16), and the Belmont Stakes (June 6). A horse that wins all three becomes a Triple Crown champion, last achieved by Justify in 2018.
How do I print the Kentucky Derby Schedule PDF?
Hit the download button above and the PDF lands in your downloads folder. It works on A4 and US Letter paper, portrait layout, no signup needed.
The 152nd Run for the Roses is just hours away. Download the free printable race day guide, share it with friends and family, and enjoy the most exciting two minutes in sports.
Whether you’re hosting a Derby party, running an office pool, or watching from home, this guide has every detail you need for May 2.