Check out everything you need to know about the 2026 Kentucky Derby including the date, start time and how to watch in the UK.
When Is The Kentucky Derby (UK Start Time & Date)?
📅 Date: Saturday, 2nd May 2026
⌚ Time: 11:57pm UK – 6:57pm ET
🏇 Racecourse: Churchill Downs
🔄 Trip: 1m2f
💷 Winner: £2,222,220
📺 TV: Sky Sports Racing
How To Watch In UK
You’ll be able to watch all of the action unfold at Churchill Downs on Sky Sports Racing (At The Races).
If watching on Sky, then it will be channel 415, and on Virgin Media then it’s 535.
Kentucky Derby Kicks Off The Triple Crown In America
The Kentucky Derby is one of the world’s most famous races and is the first leg of the Triple Crown and this will be the 152nd renewal.
Given it is the first leg of the Triple Crown, the Derby is the most attended race in America with potential future stars on show.
20 horses are set to go to post, barring any scratchings on the day. You can find the odds and stall positions further down the page.
It also takes place on the same day as the 2000 Guineas in England, so it’s an action-packed Saturday for racing fans around the globe.
Who Won The 2025 Kentucky Derby?
Last year’s race was won by SOVEREIGNTY who was ridden Junior Alvarado for trainer William Mott and owned by Godolphin – sporting the famous royal blue.
He came from way back in the field, storming to victory and passing Journalism a furlong out.
Sovereignty went on to win two Grade 1s at Saratoga after winning the Derby. He won the Belmont Stakes a few weeks later, beating Journalism again but did not contest the Preakness Stakes so wasn’t a Triple Crown winner.
And Sovereignty made history last year, becoming the first horse to win a Derby from stall 16. History shows that being drawn from stalls 1-10 gives a horse the best chance of winning.
WATCH: Sovereignty Wins 2025 Kentucky Derby
SOVEREIGNTY WINS THE 2025 KENTUCKY DERBY!🏆 pic.twitter.com/dTI9bkRzRB
— At The Races (@AtTheRaces) May 3, 2025
Kentucky Derby Betting Odds: Who Is The Favourite?
The Kentucky Derby favourite is RENEGADE. The second favourite is Commandment and he is owned by global powerhouse Wathnan Racing.
- Renegade 4/1 (Todd Pletcher)
- Commandment 5/1 (Brad Cox)
- Further Ado 6/1 (Brad Cox)
- Chief Wallabee 7/1 (William Mott)
- The Puma 10/1 (Gustavo Delgado)
- So Happy 14/1 (Mark Glatt)
- Emerging Market 14/1 (Chad Brown)
- Danon Bourbon 20/1 (Manabu Ikezoe)
- Silent Tactic 25/1 (Mark Casse)
- Potente 25/1 (Bob Baffert)
- Incredibolt 25/1 (Riley Mott)
- Fulleffort 33/1 (Brad Cox)
- 33/1 BAR
