We’re off to the races! The 152nd Kentucky Derby is nearly here, which means extravagant hats and mint juleps are on their way.
The Kentucky Derby, the oldest continuously-held sporting event in America and dubbed “the most exciting two minutes in sports,” takes place in Louisville, Kentucky, May 2. A whole week of events, which kicks off April 25, ends with the annual race at Churchill Downs.
What time does the 2026 Kentucky Derby start? Who are the contenders? Here’s how to watch and stream the 152nd Run for the Roses.
When and where is the 2026 Kentucky Derby?
Saturday, May 2, at Churchill Downs racetrack in Louisville, Kentucky.
What time does the Kentucky Derby start?
The 2026 Kentucky Derby, which will be the 12th race of the day, has a start time of 6:57 p.m. ET.
How much does it cost to attend the 2026 Kentucky Derby? How much are Derby tickets?
Ticket prices range widely, from single-day, general admission tickets around $100 to luxurious suites in the six-figure range.
Tickets can be purchased online at kentuckyderby.com/tickets. Most tickets for both the Kentucky Derby and the preceding race day, the Kentucky Oaks, are sold in a two-day package.
How to watch the 2026 Kentucky Derby
Fans will be able to watch “the Greatest Two Minutes in Sports” on various channels, such as FanDuel TV, NBC and Peacock. Here’s how to watch the 2026 Kentucky Derby.
Watch the 2026 Kentucky Derby on Peacock
Why is the Kentucky Derby called ‘the Run for the Roses’?
The Kentucky Derby is famously nicknamed “the Run for the Roses” due to its tradition of draping the winner in a large rose garland.
New York sports columnist Bill Corum coined the phrase “Run for the Roses” in 1925, but the Kentucky Derby’s connection with the flower traces decades before.
Roses became the traditional way of honoring the Derby winner in the early 1900s, and the first official Garland of Roses was designed in 1932 by Louisville florist Grace Walker and presented to the winning horse Burgoo King. According to the Kentucky Derby media guide, the first connection came in 1883 when roses were presented to women attending a Derby party given by New York socialite Evander Berry Wall.
“The roses created such a sensation with the ladies that track president Col. M. Lewis Clark decided to feature the rose as the official flower for the 1884 Kentucky Derby,” The Courier Journal previously reported.
The first published account of roses draped on the winning horse came in 1896, when Ben Brush was given a collar of white and pink roses.
2026 Kentucky Derby predictions
Eighteen horses are considered probable to compete in the Run for the Roses on May 2 at Churchill Downs. With the major, points-scoring races all complete, Jason Frakes of the Louisville Courier-Journal revealed his top five contenders for the Derby:
Who won the 2025 Kentucky Derby?
Sovereignty won the 151st Kentucky Derby on May 3, 2025, with a winning time of 2:02.31. The horse was ridden by jockey Junior Alvarado and trained by Bill Mott.
Contributing: Jason Frakes, Maggie Menderski and Haadiza Ogwude.
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: When is the Kentucky Derby? Date, time, channel for upcoming race
Reporting by Kaycee Sloan, Cincinnati Enquirer / Cincinnati Enquirer
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
