2026 Kentucky Derby: Date, time, horses, odds, format, purse - ESPN
It's time for the 2026 Kentucky Derby! Check out the schedule, field, rules and more event facts now.
www.espn.com.auHere’s the latest on Kentucky Derby 2026 start time.
- The race is scheduled for Saturday, May 2, 2026, at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky. Post time for the Kentucky Derby is listed around 6:57 p.m. ET, with NBC providing the main telecast and NBCSN/Peacock offering additional coverage of the day’s undercard events.[1][3][4]
Notes:
- Some outlets also note NBC’s afternoon coverage beginning at 2:30 p.m. ET, with early/post-race programming and streaming options available on Peacock. If you’re planning to watch, consider tuning in early for pre-race analysis and undercard races.[3][7][1]
If you’d like, I can pull the latest official schedule or provide a quick watch-guide for the day (channels, start times for surrounding races, and how to stream).