Horse Racing

Your Complete Guide to Watching the 2025 Kentucky Derby: Date, Time, and Broadcast Details

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By
Colin Lynch
Author photo
Colin Lynch Sports Editor

Colin Lynch covers the NFL, MLB and WNBA for Heavy.com, with a focus on the New England Patriots. His sports coverage has been featured on The Sports Daily and Basketball Insiders, as well as FanSided's Chowder & Champions. A New Hampshire native and former D1 baseball player at St. John's University, Colin was drafted by the San Diego Padres in 2008 and enjoyed a four-year professional baseball career.

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Published02 May 2025

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Your Complete Guide to Watching the 2025 Kentucky Derby: Date, Time, and Broadcast Details

The 2025 Kentucky Derby is almost ready to run. Here is your viewing guide to ensure you catch all of the action at Churchill Downs.

Each spring, Churchill Downs transforms into a tableau of seersucker suits, frilly hats, and mint juleps. On Saturday, May 3, 2025, more than 100,000 spectators will pack the grandstands for the 151st running of the Kentucky Derby. Even if you can’t make the pilgrimage to Louisville, you can still feel the electricity of “the most exciting two minutes in sports” from your living room.

The “Most Exciting Two Minutes in Sports”

  • What is it? The Kentucky Derby is a 1¼‑mile dash featuring 20 three‑year‑olds vying for roses and glory at Churchill Downs.

  • When does it run? Tradition dictates the first Saturday in May—in 2025, that’s May 3.

  • Race time: The field breaks from the gate at 6:57 p.m. ET, and in about 120 seconds, a new champion will emerge.

How to Watch the 2025 Kentucky Derby

Derby Day isn’t just one race—it’s an afternoon and evening festival. Here’s where to catch every broadcast moment:

  • Noon ET: USA Network & Peacock kick off live pre‑race coverage.

  • 2:30 p.m. ET: NBC & Peacock take over with expert analysis, fashion showcases, and feature stories.

  • 6:30 p.m. ET: Telemundo Deportes on Universo brings Spanish‑language coverage, with streaming via the Telemundo app.

  • 6:57 p.m. ET: NBC and Telemundo Deportes air the live Derby. Concurrent streaming on NBCSports.com and the NBC Sports app ensures you won’t miss a stride.

What’s in Store on TV and Streaming

NBCUniversal’s seven‑plus hours of coverage blend sport and spectacle:

  • 10 Races: From undercard preps to the Derby itself, each contest adds to the narrative.

  • Expert Commentary:

    • Steve Kornacki: NBC News’s chief data analyst returns for his fifth Derby, unpacking pace scenarios and betting trends.

    • On‑track Reporters: Insights on track conditions, jockey strategies, and horses warming up in the paddock.

  • Feature Segments:

    • Fashion Spotlight: The latest in Derby Day millinery and high‑style flair.

    • Human Interest: Stories of breeders, trainers, and connections behind the contenders.

Derby Day Essentials

  • Mint Juleps: The official drink—bourbon, mint, sugar, and plenty of ice.

  • Seersucker & Hats: Pastels dominate the fashion tableau; big brims aren’t optional, they’re a statement.

  • Betting Basics:

    • Straight Bets: Win, place, show.

    • Exotics: Exacta, trifecta, superfecta—more horses, bigger payouts.

As the sun dips behind the iconic Twin Spires and the bugler’s call fades, those 120 seconds will define a season, a legacy, and perhaps a day you’ll never forget. Whether you’re wagering on your favorite silks or simply savoring the pageantry, the 2025 Kentucky Derby promises the timeless thrill of horses thundering toward the wire—where legends are born, and dreams are realized. Don’t miss a heartbeat.