The 151st Kentucky Derby is nearly here. On Saturday, 20 horses will take the track at Churchill Downs looking to win horse racing’s most prestigious event.
Journalism enters the event as the favorite, but that hasn’t been a major indicator of success at the event in recent years. Can Journalism live up to the hype, or will another horse in the field etch a name for itself at the event?
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With that in mind, here’s everything you need to know about the 2025 Kentucky Derby ahead of the race.
When is the 2025 Kentucky Derby?
The 2025 Kentucky Derby will be held Saturday, May 3. The race has traditionally taken place the first Saturday in May, though it didn’t start that way. From 1875-1931, the race usually occurred in the middle of the month. That changed in 1932, when the event started being held the first Saturday in May.
That schedule has remained consistent since 1932, though did change as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. The Derby was scheduled for the first Saturday in May originally, but had to be moved to Sept. 5 due to the pandemic.
Kentucky Derby 2025 start time
Coverage of the 2025 Kentucky Derby will begin much earlier in the day, but the post time for the race is 6:57 p.m. ET. That time is not exact and will move based on how quickly and easily the horses get set up in their posts.
Where is the Kentucky Derby in 2025?
The Kentucky Derby is always held at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky. The race has been held at the track since its inception. Churchill Downs is named after John and Henry Churchill, who leased the land for the racetrack.
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The track is currently operated by Churchill Downs Incorporated.
Kentucky Derby 2025 field, post positions and odds
Below is the field, post positions and odds for each horse in the 2025 Kentucky Derby. Citizen Bull holds post position No. 1. Baeza is in post No. 20.
Journalism enters the event as the favorite at 3-1. The morning-line favorite hasn’t won the event since 2018, however. The last morning-line favorite to win the Kentucky Derby was Justify.
Post position matters quite a bit at the Kentucky Derby. Horses in the earlier post positions have traditionally performed better than horses in the later post positions at the event. The fifth post position has resulted in the most wins at the Kentucky Derby, with 10 horses winning from that slot during the race’s history.
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No horse has ever won the race from the No. 17 post, though horses have won the Kentucky Derby from the 18th, 19th and 20th posts in the past.
Kentucky Derby 2025 weather updates
Louisville is expected to be hit with storms throughout the week. On the actual day of the Kentucky Derby, it’s supposed to be partly cloudy with a high of 67 degrees in Louisville. While rain isn’t likely on the day of the race, the track will be hit with a lot of precipitation early in the week, which could affect the outcome of the 2025 Kentucky Derby.
Kentucky Derby 2025 payout, purse
The winner of the 2025 Kentucky Derby will receive roughly $3.1 million. That’s what 2024 winner Mystik Dan won last year.
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In total, the event has a purse of $5 million. The horse that finishes in second place will win roughly $1 million.
The total purse at the event used to be about $3 million, but that changed in 2024, when it shot up to $5 million total.
Bob Baffert is back for the 2025 Kentucky Derby. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)
(Andy Lyons via Getty Images)
Does Bob Baffert have a horse in the 2025 Kentucky Derby?
Controversial trainer Bob Baffert is allowed to return for the 2025 Kentucky Derby after serving a three-year ban from the race. Baffert was banned from the event after 2021 winner Medina Spirit tested positive for a banned steroid.
Medina Spirit was stripped of its win following a second positive test, leading to Baffert’s suspension. Mandaloun was named the winner of the 2021 Kentucky Derby.
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Baffert — who has a lengthy history of his horses failing drug tests — originally had two horses in the 2025 Kentucky Derby: Citizen Bull and Rodriguez. However, Rodriguez was announced as a scratch on Thursday afternoon due to a foot bruise. Rodriguez will be replaced by Baeza, trained by John Shirreffs, now set to race out of the 20th pole position. Baeza is the half-brother to 2023 Kentucky Derby winner Mage.
Does Toby Keith have a horse in the 2025 Kentucky Derby?
Late country music star Toby Keith owned racehorses for two decades prior to his 2024 death from stomach cancer. He owned a “thoroughbred breeding and racing operation” called Dream Walkin Farms, according to WLKY News.
Render Judgment — which sits in the No. 15 post — is owned by Keith’s operation. In the leadup to the 2025 Kentucky Derby, Keith’s estate tweeted about Render Judgment’s inclusion in the field, saying it “was Toby’s dream” to have one of his horses run in the Kentucky Derby.
How to watch the 2025 Kentucky Derby
While the race won’t begin until 6:57 p.m. ET, coverage of the Kentucky Derby will begin at 2:30 p.m. ET on NBC. Peacock will also stream early coverage, which starts at noon ET.
At $8/month, a Peacock subscription is the easiest way to stream this year’s Kentucky Derby. An ad-supported Peacock subscription lets you stream live sports and events airing on NBC. Plus, you’ll get access to thousands of hours of shows and movies, including beloved sitcoms such as Parks and Recreation and The Office.
For $14/month, you can upgrade to an ad-free subscription that includes live access to your local NBC affiliate (not just during designated sports and events) and the ability to download select titles to watch offline.
This year will mark the 25th time the Kentucky Derby has aired on NBC.
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