In horse racing, the 2026 Kentucky Derby performances are awaiting their fans. The Kentucky Derby is one of the most elite horse racing events in American sports. This derby plays a vital role in the significance of horses across the countries by competing on the track. The 152nd running of the Kentucky Derby is sponsored by Woodford Reserve. The Kentucky Derby will take place on May 2, 2026, at Churchill Downs, Louisville, Kentucky, United States.
It will be a prestigious horse-racing event celebrating tradition, resilience, and culture. This year, the Kentucky Derby will have a top tier of horses with amazing jockeys handling them under pressure. In particular, it will be an eye-catching moment that creates a fan base on the track. You are either a seasoned racing follower or a newcomer seeing what happened at Churchill Downs.
Kentucky Derby: A Historical Backstory
The Kentucky Derby, which originated in 1875, was the first race held at Churchill Downs in Louisville. It began with the inspiration drawn from European racing culture, which has flowed through the ages. Over the decades, the Kentucky Derby has grown into a mix of Southern and world-class competition. Later, it made some alterations to American racing culture, but that is unmatched.
In American sports, including the Kentucky Derby, there is a major focus on individual enthusiasts. This derby is not about basic winning; it is about impressing with their status. In particular, the Kentucky Derby is a worldwide horse-racing event, with horses from across Europe. Now, this derby features top horses and jockeys ready to face their challengers on the track.
Event Details for Kentucky Derby 2026
Main Event: Kentucky Derby
Date: May 2, 2026 (Saturday)
Surface: Dirt
Distance: 1+1⁄4 mi (10 furlongs; 2,012 m)
Venue: Churchill Downs, Louisville, Kentucky, United States.
Where can I watch the Kentucky Derby 2026?
The Kentucky Derby 2026 will air on Racing TV with full coverage of the race in the UK.
This race will be broadcast on NBC and USA Network in the United States. Some other options include DIRECTV, FuboTV, and Hulu with Live TV.
The Kentucky Derby will stream on Sky Racing for Australian viewers. Additionally, platforms such as racing.com and major bookmakers, including TAB, often stream international races.
In Spain, fans can watch NBC content that is available on Peacock. A Spanish-language broadcast will be streamed on Universo and the Telemundo app.
Format
The Kentucky Derby is a Grade I stakes race run on the dirt track at Churchill Downs. It takes place on the first Saturday in May. That day features an undercard, races, ceremonies, parades, and the main event. “The Run for the Roses” is the main event of this derby, with crucial outcomes. It will qualify only three-year-old Thoroughbreds to battle. Horses qualify through the Road to the Kentucky Derby, a series of races across the U.S. and internationally.
Kentucky Derby: Full Field and Entries
| Rank | Horse | Points | Earnings | Trainer | Owner |
| 1 | Commandment | 150 | $943,020 | Brad H. Cox | Wathnan Racing |
| 2 | Further Ado | 135 | $1,068,095 | Brad H.Cox | Spendthrift Farm |
| 3 | Renegade | 125 | $1,002,500 | Todd A. Pletcher | Robert & Lawana Low & Repole Stable |
| 4 | So Happy | 115 | $444,000 | Mark Glatt | Norman Stables & Saints or Sinners |
| 5 | Fulleffort | 110 | $507,900 | Brad H. Cox | St. Elias Stable & Starlight Racing |
| 6 | The Puma | 106 | $428,000 | Gustavo Delgado | OGMA Investments, JR Ranch & High Step Racing |
| 7 | Silent Tactic | 100 | $1,020,130 | Mark E. Casse | John C. Oxley |
| 8 | Emerging Market | 100 | $600,000 | Chad C. Brown | Klaravich Stables |
| 9 | Albus | 100 | $400,000 | Riley Mott | Pin Oak Stud |
| 10 | Potente | 100 | $220,000 | Bob Baffert | Speedway Stables |
| 11 | Pavlovian | 70 | $527,000 | Doug F. O’Neill | Reddam Racing |
| 12 | Right to Party | 65 | $176,000 | Kenneth G. McPeek | Chester Broman Sr. |
| 13 | Incredibolt | 60 | $424,570 | Riley Mott | Pin Oak Stud |
| 14 | Golden Tempo | 60 | $300,000 | Cherie DeVaux | Phipps Stable & St. Elias Stable |
| 15 | Chief Wallabee | 50 | $175,800 | William I. Mott | Michael & Katherine Bell |
| 16 | Intrepido | 38 | $290,000 | Jeff Mullins | Dutch Girl Holdings & Irving Ventures |
| 17 | Litmus Test | 34 | $429,688 | Bob Baffert | SF Racing, Starlight Racing, Madaket Stables, Stonestreet Stables, Dianne Bashor, Determined Stables, Golconda Stable, Waves Edge Capital & Catherine Donovan |
| 18 | Danon Bourbon | Japan | $221,246 | Manabu Ikezoe | Danox Co.Ltd. |
| 19 | Wonder Dean (JPN) | E/ME | $725,172 | Daisuke Takayanagi | Yoshinari Yamamoto |
| 20 | Six Speed | E/ME | $314,366 | Bhupat Seemar | Brunetti Dugan Stables, Black Type, Thoroughbreds, Steve Adkisson, Swinbank Stables |
| 21 | Great White | 30 | $117,440 | John Eniss | Three Chimneys Farm & John Ennis |
| 22 | Ocelli | 25 | $80,200 | Whitworth D. Beckman | Ashley Durr, Anthony Tate & Front-Page Equestrian |
| 23 | Robusta | 25 | $41,000 | Doug F. O’Neill | Calumet Farm |
| 24 | Corona de Oro | 6 | $38,000 | Dallas Stewart | On Our Own Stable, Commonwealth Stable, U Racing Stables, Saints or Sinners, Titletown Racing, Jim Nichols, Edwin S. Barker, Daiel Rivers, John Haines & Dallas Stewart |
Kentucky Derby 2026 – Scratch List (Non-Participants)
| Reason | Horse | Points | Earnings | Trainer | Owner |
| Scratched | Silent Tactic | 100 | $1,020,130 | Mark E. Casse | John C. Oxley |
| Injured | Paladin | 60 | $437,500 | Chad C. Brown | Derrick Smith, Mrs. John Magnier, Michael Tabor, Peter Brant, Brook T. Smith & Summer Wind Equine |
| Bypassing | Ottinho | 56 | $267,750 | Chad C. Brown | Three Chimneys Farm |
| Injured | Class President | 50 | $569,700 | Todd A. Pletcher | WinStar Farm, First Go Racing & China Horse Club |
| Bypassing | Stark Contrast | 50 | $439,900 | Michael McCarthy | Amerman Racing |
| Bypassing | Iron Honor | 50 | $182,500 | Chad C. Brown | St. Elias Stable, William H. Lawrence & Glassman Racing |
| Bypassing | Chip Honcho | 49 | $190,000 | Steven M. Asmussen | Leland Ackerley Racing |
| Injured | Ted Noffey | 40 | $1,602,963 | Todd A. Pletcher | Spendthrift Farm |
| Bypassing | Universe | 38 | $244,650 | Kenneth G. McPeek | Four G Racing, Gregg Day & Steven Crain |
| Bypassing | Grittiness | 36 | $150,000 | Todd A. Pletcher | Repole Stable |
| Bypassing | Talkin | 35 | $233,625 | Danny Gargan | Reeves Thoroughbred Racing, Pine Racing Stables, Legendary Thoroughbreds, Belmar Racing & Breeding & R. A. Hill Stable |
| Bypassing | Nearly | 35 | $220,450 | Todd A. Pletcher | Centennial Farms |
| Bypassing | Bravaro | 35 | $118,700 | Saffie Joseph Jr. | Albert Ciuffetelli, Stephanie S. Brennan, Shining Stables, BAG Racing Stables & Paul Braverman |
| Not nominated | I Did I Did | 6 | $30,175 | Michael J. Maker | Paradise Farms, David Staudacher, Turman Racing Stable & Skychai Racing |
| Bypassing | Project Ace | 6 | $24,750 | Dale L. Romans | Albaugh Family Stables |
| Bypassing | Comport | 5 | $264,050 | Eddie Kenneally | Joseph W. Sutton |
| Bypassing | Rancho Santa Fe | 5 | $83,750 | Brad H. Cox | Gary & Mary West |
| Bypassing | Arctic Beast | 5 | $83,750 | Michael J. Maker | Paradise Farms, JP Racing Stable, David Staudacher, Zilla Racing Stables & Jennifer Rice |
| Bypassing | Blacksmith | 5 | $50,000 | Bob Baffert | Wathnan Racing |
| Euthanized | Liberty National | 5 | $45,000 | Kenneth G. McPeek | Brookdale Racing & Fern Circle Stables |
| Bypassing | Lockstockpharoah | 5 | $15,000 | Thomas Drury Jr. | Ashley Durr, Anthony Tate & Front-Page Equestrian |
| Not Nominated | Daneyko | 4 | $90,450 | Edward Kereluk | Roys Mansur |
| Bypassing | Quality Mischief | 4 | $16,000 | Brad H. Cox | West Paces Racing & Donegal Racing |
| Bypassing | Cannoneer | 4 | $12,375 | Brad H. Cox | St. Elias Stable & Stonestreet Stables |
| Bypassing | Schoolyardsuperman | 4 | $12,000 | Chad C. Brown | Hit The Bid Racing Stable & CMNWLTH |
| Bypassing | Game for It | 4 | $10,000 | Chad Summers | Gold Square, Wynnstay & Chad Summers |
| Not Nominated | Royalamerican | 3 | $33,000 | C. R. Trout | C. R. Trout |
| Not Nominated | Vost | 3 | $28,875 | William Walden | OXO Equine |
| Bypassing | Provenance | 3 | $24,000 | Bob Baffert | Spendthrift Farm |
| Bypassing | Enforced Agenda | 3 | $18,000 | George Weaver | St. Elias Stable |
| Bypassing | Cherokee Nation | 3 | $14,305 | Bob Baffert | SF Racing, Starlight Racing, Madaket Stables, Stonestreet Stables, Dianne Bashor, Determined Stables, Golconda Stable, Waves Edge Capital & Catherine Donovan |
| Not Nominated | Diciassette | 2 | $75,762 | Patrick L. Biancone | Green With MV Stable |
| Bypassing | Steel Imperium | 2 | $54,470 | Caio Caramori | LCI |
| Bypassing | Civil Liberty | 2 | $54,000 | Doug F. O’Neill | Great Friends Stables & Mark D. Davis |
| Bypassing | Courting | 2 | $42,500 | Todd A. Pletcher | Whisper Hill Farm, Stonestreet Stables, and Windancer Farm |
| Bypassing | Sleepingonfreedom | 2 | $38,875 | Kenneth G. McPeek | Dream Big Racing & Magdalena Racing |
| Bypassing | Acknowledgemeplz | 2 | $36,000 | Doug F. O’Neill | Purple Rein Racing & Mark D. Davis |
| Bypassing | Cricle Tap | 2 | $33,000 | Dallas Stewart | Willis Horton Racing |
| Bypassing | It’s Our Time | 2 | $30,000 | Thomas M. Amoss | Double Down Horse Racing |
| Not Nominated | Western Man | 2 | $18,000 | Joe Offotler | Bart D. & Sandra A. Howard |
| Bypassing | Forty Twenty | 2 | $14,850 | Robertino Diodoro | Randy Howg |
| Bypassing | Nothing Personal | 2 | $14,438 | Gregory Compton | Mag Racing |
| Not Nominated | Star Sweeper | 2 | $11,000 | Louis C. Linder Jr. | Bran Jam Stable & David W. Clark |
| Not Nominated | Freedom’s Echo | 2 | $9,000 | Guadalupe Preciado | Nicholas Cammarano Jr. |
| Bypassing | Global Aviator | 2 | $7,425 | Rohan G. Crichton | Special Aviators |
| Bypassing | Epic Desire | 2 | $7,200 | Todd A. Pletcher | Epic Horses |
| Not Nominated | Stradale | 1 | $42,500 | Steven M. Asmussen | Kaleem Shah |
| Not Nominated | Way Beyond | 1 | $14,000 | Steven M. Asmussen | Ed & Susie Orr |
| Not Nominated | Ganaas | 1 | $11,655 | Andrew Mckeever | Shadwell Stable |
| Bypassing | American King | 1 | $4,000 | Ruben Gomez | Gary J. Folgner |
Kentucky Derby Schedule
| Date | Event | Details |
| May 2, 2026 (Tentative)* | Opening Day Activities | Gates open, training sessions, early races, and fan experiences |
| May 3, 2026 (Tentative)* | Derby Week Races | Prep races, undercard events, and horse qualifications finalize |
| May 4, 2026 | Kentucky Derby Day | Main race event, parade, ceremonies, feature race “Run for the Roses.” |
| May 4, 2026 (Evening) | Post-Derby Celebration | Trophy presentation, winner’s circle ceremony, and entertainment events |
Prize Distribution
| Position | Prize Share (%) | Estimated Prize Money |
| 1st Place | 60% | $3,000,000 |
| 2nd Place | 20% | $1,000,000 |
| 3rd Place | 10% | $500,000 |
| 4th Place | 5% | $250,000 |
| 5th Place | 3% | $150,000 |
| 6th Place | 2% | $100,000 |
| 7th Place | 1% | $50,000 |
| 8th Place | 0.5% | $25,000 |
| 9th Place | 0.25% | $12,500 |
| 10th Place | 0.25% | $12,500 |
Closure
As the anticipation builds, looking forward to the Kentucky Derby 2026 will create a story and a historic mark. The Kentucky Derby features an elite young talent, a skilled horse that will dominate the track. With a key contender, including Renegade with Irad Ortiz Jr., fans will see how their performance impacts the race. These derby clashes will determine whether the challengers can make a lasting impression in the future.
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