2025 Kentucky Derby Set to Thrill on May 3

LOUISVILLE, Kentucky – The 2025 Kentucky Derby is poised to capture the hearts of fans on Saturday, May 3, at Churchill Downs. The race, widely regarded as the most exciting two minutes in sports, will feature 20 horses sprinting for glory at 6:57 p.m. ET.

Churchill Downs, which has hosted this prestigious race since 1875, expects over 100,000 spectators to fill the stands. NBC will provide coverage starting at 2:30 p.m. ET, with streaming available on Peacock beginning at noon ET.

A total of 20 horses will compete, having qualified through a series of designated races since September. The favorites this year include Journalism, trained by Michael McCarthy, who opened as the 3-1 favorite.

The post positions for the race were recently announced, with key entries including Citizen Bull at 20-1 (Post 1) and Owen Almighty at 30-1 (Post 20). Post 5 has the strongest historical performance, supplying the most Derby winners with ten victories.

The Kentucky Derby offers a lucrative purse of $5 million, equal to last year’s record. The winner will receive $3.1 million, while the second and third place finishers will take home $1 million and $500,000, respectively.

The 151st running of the Kentucky Derby aligns with horse racing’s Triple Crown, which also includes the Preakness Stakes and Belmont Stakes. Last year, the winner was Mystik Dan, trained by Kenny McPeek, who won at 18-1 odds.

This year, anticipation is high, and racing enthusiasts are eager to see who will emerge victorious in the historic Derby.