when is the kentucky derby 2025 horses

The 2025 Kentucky Derby, featuring 20 horses, is scheduled for Saturday, May 3, 2025, at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky. The race will start at approximately 6:57 p.m. Eastern Time. Coverage will begin earlier in the day, with live streaming available from noon and TV coverage on NBC starting at 2:30 p.m. ET. This event is the 151st running of the Kentucky Derby and traditionally hosts 20 horses that qualify through a points system from designated races held from September to mid-April leading up to the Derby. The 20 horses with the highest points earn their spots in the starting gate. The 2025 Derby field includes horses such as Journalism (morning-line favorite), Citizen Bull, Sandman, Sovereignty, and others, all competing in this prestigious horse race known as "The Run for the Roses".