The 149th Run for the Roses is set to kick off the race for the Triple Crown with the 2023 Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs. Find the Kentucky Derby 2023 schedule, along with the date, time, location, and TV coverage for the most prestigious horse race of the year.
Dubbed the Greatest Two Minutes in Sports, the Kentucky Derby represents the first leg of the Triple Crown. In 2023, the 149th Run for the Roses will take place at Churchill Downs Racetrack on Saturday, May 6.
Rooted in tradition, the Kentucky Derby is held annually in Louisville, Kentucky. The Grade 1 Stakes race features the best three-year-old thoroughbreds in a one and quarter-mile derby.
Forte and Tapit Trice are the early favorites in the field while Practical Move, Angel of Empire and Derma Sotogake round out the contenders with the best odds to win the Kentucky Derby.
Kentucky Derby 2023 Schedule
- 🏇Horse Racing Event: Kentucky Derby
- 📅 Kentucky Derby Date: Saturday, May 6, 2023
- 🕙 When is Kentucky Derby: 6:57 pm ET
- 🏟 Where is Kentucky Derby: Churchill Downs | Louisville, Kentucky
- 📺 TV Channel: NBC
- 🎲 Kentucky Derby Odds: Forte +250 | Tapit Trice +650 | Practical Move +1000 | Angel of Empire +1000
Kentucky Derby 2023: Date, Time, and Location
The 2023 Kentucky Derby will begin with the official post position draw on May 1st, 2023.
Twenty of the best 3-year-old thoroughbreds will compete in a 1 ¼ mile race for a shot at horse racing history. With a $3 million purse on the line, the Kentucky Derby 2023 winner will take home an estimated $1.86 million.
Below we’ll go over the Kentucky Derby 2023 date, time, location, and TV coverage.
Kentucky Derby 2023 Date
As per tradition, the Kentucky Derby is always set for the first weekend of May.
In 2023, the derby is set for May 6.
Kentucky Derby 2023 Time
There are a total of 14 races scheduled for the Kentucky Derby.
The Kentucky Oaks, which features the top three-year-old fillies, will also take place at 5:51 p.m. ET on Friday, as part of another full day of races
On Derby Day, the action begins at approximately 10:30 a.m. ET
For horse racing fans looking to tune in specifically for the Run for the Roses, the post time is set for 6:57 p.m. ET.
Kentucky Derby 2023 Location
Hosted at the same race track every year, the Kentucky Derby will return to Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky for the first leg of the Triple Crown.
Kentucky Derby 2023 TV Coverage
Home to the Kentucky Derby for 149 years, NBC will provide comprehensive race coverage, analysis live on TV. Horse racing fans can also catch the race on NBCSports.com, the NBC Sports app and streaming platform Peacock.
Kentucky Derby 2023 Field
The Kentucky Derby is the biggest horse race of the year with 20 of the best thoroughbred horses at the iconic Churchill Downs track. While the Kentucky Derby field has not been officially announced yet, the top 25 contenders have been released.
Prior to the post position draw, Todd Pletcher’s Forte owns the best odds to win at +250.
Check out the chart below for the Kentucky Derby horses and their trainers.
Trainer |
Horse |
Todd A. Pletcher | Forte |
Tim Yakteen | Practice Move |
Brad H. Cox | Angel of Empire |
Todd A. Pletcher | Tapit Trice |
Larry Rivelli | Two Phil’s |
Saffie A. Joseph Jr | Lord Miles |
Hidetaka Otonashi | Derma Sotogake |
Todd A. Pletcher | Kingsbarns |
Ben Colebrook | Raise Cain |
William I Mott | Rocket Can |
Brad H. Cox | Hit Show |
J. Keith Desormeaux | Confidence Game |
Brad H. Cox | Verifying |
Kenneth G. McPeek | Sun Thunder |
Joel H. Marr | Wild on Ice |
Gustavo Delgado | Mage |
Steven M. Asmussen | Disarm |
Tim Yakteen | Reincarnate |
Brad H. Cox | Jace’s Road |
Yoshito Yahagi | Continuar |
John A. Shirreffs | Skinner |
Dale L. Romans | Cyclone Mischiefs |
Todd A. Pletcher | Major Dude |
Hiroaki Arai | Mandarin Hero |
Ron Moquett | King Russell |
Who Won Kentucky Derby 2022
Last year was one of the most exciting finishes in Kentucky Derby history, as Rich Strike pulled off an unbelievable upset as an 80-1 underdog. Despite entering the race as an alternate, the colt became the second-biggest longshot ever to win the Kentucky Derby.
Rich Strike wasn’t close to contention within the first half-mile, lagging 17 lengths behind the leaders for 18th place.
However, he broke well outside from the post and found a way to weave through traffic.
In the final stretch, somehow Rich Strike was just on the inside of his favorite Epicenter. The colt cleared his final strides to win by three-quarters of a length to shock both the top racebooks and the horse racing world.
Kentucky Derby Betting Guides 2024
- Horse Racing Betting Guide – Discover Best Horse Racing Betting Sites in USA Ranked & Reviewed.
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- Kentucky Derby Expert Guide – Learn How to Bet on the Kentucky Derby in 2024.
- The Latest Kentucky Derby Odds – Compare Topo Racebooks Offering Kentucky Derby Odds.
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