Kentucky Derby 2026: From date and time to hats and horses, everything you need to know

Up to 20 horses will break from the starting gate at the 2026 Kentucky Derby, almost twice as big as the average horse race measured by the size of the field.

The crowd watching will be infinitely bigger.

Churchill Downs racetrack, site of the Kentucky Derby in Louisville, Kentucky, has a capacity for 170,000 people. That exceeds the estimated population of Kansas City (156,752); Gainesville, Fla. (148,720); and College Station, Texas (128,023).

On race day in 2015, everyone presumably sucked in their stomachs when 170,513 squeezed into the facility and set the existing record for attendance. The infield can accommodate about 80,000.

By comparison, the highest attendance for the Super Bowl was 103,985 at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, Calif. in 1979, when the Pittsburgh Steelers beat the Los Angeles Rams 31-19.

Despite the massive crowds it draws, the Kentucky Derby is also tied for the lowest attendance in sports history. In 2020, the race was held without spectators during the pandemic.

Kentucky Derby: Date, time and how to watch

• Date: May 2
• Time: 6:57 p.m. ET
• TV: NBC, Peacock
• Extended TV coverage: 10:30 a.m. – Noon ET, FanDuel TV; Noon – 2:30 p.m. ET, USA, Peacock; 2:30-7:30 p.m. ET, NBC, Peacock; 7:30 p.m. ET through the final race, FanDuel TV.

Kentucky Derby race basics

• Where: Churchill Downs, Louisville, Kentucky
• Race distance: 1 1/4 miles on dirt.
• Horses: Up to 20 in the field
• Winning time: It'll take the winning horse about two minutes to complete the race.

Running for more than roses

The prize money for the Kentucky Derby is $5 million. The owner of the winning horse gets $3.1 million and the owner of the runner-up gets $1 million, while $500,000 goes to the owner of the third-place finisher, $250,000 to the owner of the fourth place finisher and $150,000 to the owner fifth-place finisher.

The trainer and jockey each get about 10 percent of the owner's take.

When is the post-position draw

Date: April 26

Location: Churchill Downs, Louisville, Kentucky

How it works: By random draw, the horses are assigned post positions, which correspond to the starting gate number. Post 1 is closest to the inner rail, Post 2 is the second slot from the rail, Post 3 is the third closest to the rail, and the random draw continues until each horse in the field is assigned a post position. After the post position draw is complete, the morning-line odds and jockey assignments are set.

What to know: The use of starting gates for post positions began in 1930. Post 5 is the most coveted, with more than 10 percent of the horses breaking from that position winning the race. "Post 5 offers an ideal inside-mid draw—close to the rail but not trapped. Horses here often get a clean break and good tactical positioning early,'' according to kentuckyderby.com. By contrast, Post Position 17 has never produced a winner.

Did you know?

The average weight of a racehorse is 1,000 pounds to 1,100 pounds.

The average weight of a jockey is 110 pounds to 115 pounds.

How old is the Kentucky Derby

This will mark the 152nd-running of the race. It began 1875, when Churchill Downs was known as Louisville Jockey Club Grounds. Aristide outran 14 other horses to win the inaugural race held in front of a crowd of about 10,000.

What’s a Mint Julep

Don’t embarrass yourself at the Kentucky Derby by trying to order a margarita or martini. The drink of choice is the Mint Julep, a cocktail made with bourbon, simple syrup, and fresh mint, served over crushed ice.

Mint Juleps became the signature drink at Churchill Downs in 1939, according to Moonshine University. And who's going to challenge Moonshine University on a fact like that?

Biggest-winning longshot in Derby history

In 1913, Donerail went off at 91-1 odds. The horse won the race by half a length and paid $184.90 for a $2 wager.

No other winning horse has paid off more. But Rich Strike lived up to his name in 2022 when he went off at 80-1 and won the race.

Fastest Derby winner

In 1973, Secretariat won the Kentucky Derby in a record-setting time of 1:59:40. It was no fluke. The horse went on to win the Triple Crown. By contrast, the slowest winning time in Derby history was 2:52.25 by Kingman in 1891, five years before the race was shortened to its current distance of 1 ¼ miles from 1 ½ miles.

Kentucky Derby tragedy

Eight Belles, a filly racing among the colts in 2008, put up a stirring fight while finishing second to Big Brown. Then came tragedy. Eight Belles, who'd broken both of her front ankles, collapsed and had to be euthanized on the track.  

Almost two decades later, her death is still discussed, debated and mourned online.

How many horses race at Derby

The Kentucky Derby has been limited to 20 horses since 1975. The largest field was 23 horses in 1974, the 100^th anniversary of the race. The smallest field was 3 on two occasions: 1892 and 1905.

There have been a total of 2,034 starters, defined by World Horse Racing as “any horse that officially loads into the starting gates for a race and the gate opens for a fair start is considered a starter.’’

How old are the horses

Only 3-year-olds are eligible to compete in the Kentucky Derby. Horses are eligible to start racing at 2.

Do males race females

The vast majority of Derby horses are colts, male horses between 2 and 5 years old. Among the approximately 2,000 horses that have raced in the Derby, only 40 were fillies, female horses between the ages of 1 and 4.

Three fillies have won the race: Winning Colors in 1988, Genuine Risk in 1980 and Regret in 1915. But only two fillies have competed in the race since 2008.

Physiological differences between male and female horses and historical fears are among the factors that have limited the number of fillies competing in the Derby.

How do horses qualify for Kentucky Derby

Horses qualify for the race by earning points during a series of races known as the Road to the Kentucky Derby. The points-based system was adopted in 2013. Previously, horses qualified based on earnings from graded stakes races.

Top contenders for 2026 Kentucky Derby

With the major, points-scoring races all complete, Jason Frakes of the Louisville Courier-Journal revealed his top five contenders for the Derby:

Renegade: Winner of Grade 1 Arkansas Derby March 28. No. 3 in Road to Kentucky Derby standings with 125 points .

Commandment: Winner of Grade 1 Florida Derby March 28. No. 1 in Road to Kentucky Derby standings with 150 points.

The Puma: Runner-up at Grade 1 Florida Derby March 28. No. 6 in Road to Kentucky Derby standings with 106 points.

Further Ado: Winner of Won Grade 1 Blue Grass April 4. No. 2 in Road to Kentucky Derby standings with 135 points.

Danon Bourbon: Winner of Fukuryu Stakes March 28 at Nakayama Racecourse. Qualified via Japan Road to the Kentucky Derby.

What’s with the hats

Propped atop the heads of formally-dressed women and men, thousands of ornate and extravagant hats will parade across Churchill Downs.  Porkpie, fedora and boater among those sported by men. The far more elaborate and colorful are worn by the women. It doesn’t take much work online to find a nice piece of headwear for more (or less) than $1,000. The tradition dates back to the early formality and elegance of the race.

Will it rain

Rain has fallen on almost half of the Kentucky Derby races, and the track was wet again during last year's race. The race has never been canceled due to weather or any other issue.

FYI: Umbrellas are not allowed inside Churchill Downs, but plastic ponchos are a popular item.

How to pick a winner

Maybe you pick the winning horse based on its name. Or the color of its racing silks. Or its number.

If you're looking for something more scientific, we'd suggest learning how to read a racing program.

Test your Derby knowledge

So you think you know the Derby. Maybe the names of two trainers that have won the race six times, more than any other trainer. Or the last horse to win the race by a nose. Or the post position that has never produced a winner?

Put your knowledge to the test with this quiz.