Kentucky Derby

The 2021 Kentucky Derby Event

Where and When to watch the race:

• When:
  • Kentucky Derby: Saturday, May 1, 2021
  • Kentucky Oaks: Friday, April 30, 2021
• Where
  • NBC, TwinSpires.com, TwinSpires App or Roku
• Race Time
  • Race 12
• Television Coverage
  • NBCSN Friday - 12:00pm to 6:00pm ET
  • NBCSN Saturday - 12:00pm to 2:30pm ET
  • NBC Saturday - 2:30pm to 7:30pm ET

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Kentucky Derby History

The Run for the Roses. The Greatest Two Minutes in Sports. No matter what moniker you care to use, the Kentucky Derby has become an American institution. Its date – the first Saturday in May – is unforgettable, its location – Churchill Downs with its Twin Spires – iconic.

First run in 1875 and patterned after the English Derby at Epsom Downs, the inaugural Kentucky Derby was won by Aristides over 1 1/2 miles, which remained the Derby distance until 1896 when it was shortened to 1 1/4 miles.

"I do not care if she never wins another race, nor if she ever starts in another race, she has won the greatest race in America and I am satisfied," owner Harry Payne Whitney remarked when Regret became the first filly ever to win the Kentucky Derby in 1915. In so doing, he validated Churchill Downs president Col. Matt Winn’s efforts to make the Derby the most important and prestigious brand in American racing, a position it’s held for more than a century.

The starting point of the Triple Crown, the Kentucky Derby, has witnessed all 13 of the series’ winners, from Sir Barton in 1919 to Justify in 2018. The Derby counted as one of the mighty Citation’s 16 consecutive victories, while Secretariat, who many consider the greatest Thoroughbred ever seen on the American turf, maintains the Derby race record of 1:59.40.

For the non-Triple Crown winner, a victory in the Kentucky Derby nonetheless ensures a spot in the sport’s pantheon. It’s counted among the highlights in the careers of such Hall of Fame performers as Exterminator, Swaps, Northern Dancer, Spectacular Bid, Alysheba, and Sunday Silence, plus the fillies Genuine Risk and Winning Colors.

The human element is also woven deeply into the Derby fabric. The father-son trainer combo of Ben and H.A. “Jimmy” Jones graced the Derby winner’s circle a collective eight times from 1938 through 1958. Among jockeys, the legendary Eddie Arcaro and Bill Hartack each captured the classic five times. Among Arcaro’s quintet were the Triple Crown winners Whirlaway and Citation.

Befitting its position as the most sought-after prize in racing, the Derby is also well known for its attendance and viewership, as well as the amount of betting it generates. Crowds of more than 150,000 have become commonplace at the hallowed Louisville course, while television ratings exceed those of any other race in the country and nearly all other sporting events on the day.

Betting on the Kentucky Derby Day card hovers around $200 million, a large chunk of it on the Derby itself as the only race throughout the year with as many as 20 starters. Interest on betting the Derby is not only at an all-time high, but begins months beforehand with the Kentucky Derby Future Wager (KDFW) offered four times throughout the winter and spring at various tracks, off-track facilities, and online platforms like TwinSpires.com.

With Derby thoughts immediately swirling at the sight a good-looking two-year-old winner, the Kentucky Derby has truly become a year-round phenomenon.