The 150th Kentucky Derby is quickly approaching, and you don’t need to be in the Bluegrass State to enjoy a mint julep while you sing “My Old Kentucky Home.”

The annual horse race is an exciting time for people to get together, place bets and revel in the southern charm of the event.

Even if you know nothing about horse racing or Derby Day traditions, there are plenty of ways to learn about them before you participate in the festivities.

Here’s everything you need to know about the Kentucky Derby and Arizona events celebrating the day.

What is the Kentucky Derby?

This annual springtime horse race is the longest continually held sporting event in America. The Kentucky Derby is the first jewel of the Triple Crown series, followed by the Preakness Stakes in Baltimore and the Belmont Stakes in New York.

While the fanfare lasts all day, the race itself is 1.25 miles and typically lasts around two minutes. The race is also known as the “Run for the Roses” after the bed of roses that gets placed upon the winning horse’s back.

More Kentucky Derby: Catch up on ‘Race for the Roses’ coverage in time for 150th race

When is the Kentucky Derby in 2024?

The Kentucky Derby is traditionally held on the first Saturday of May. This year, the race will take place on Saturday, May 4.

What time is the Kentucky Derby?

The live coverage of the event begins at 2:30 p.m. Eastern time or 11:30 a.m. in Arizona.

The race is slated to start at 6:57 p.m. Eastern time and 3:57 p.m. in Arizona. You can find the full schedule online at churchilldowns.com.

How can I watch the Kentucky Derby?

NBC and USA Network will have live Kentucky Derby coverage. You can also stream coverage on Peacock, NBCSports.com and the NBC Sports app.

Kentucky Derby events in Arizona

If you want to do more than just watch the big day on television, here are some of the biggest events in Arizona to gather and celebrate the event.

It is just about time for mint juleps, extravagant hats, and the fastest two minutes in sports.

The 150th Kentucky Derby, the first leg of horse racing’s Triple Crown, is Saturday. Coverage begins on NBC and Peacock at 2:30P ET. USA Network and Peacock will have live Derby Day coverage from 12-2:20 p.m. ET.

Viewers can stream Derby Day coverage on Peacock, NBCSports.com, and the NBC Sports app.

USA Network and Peacock will also have Kentucky Oaks coverage Friday from 1-6 p.m. ET.

Fierceness (5-2) is the Derby favorite, and he got a boost today when Encino scratched. That moved Fierceness and jockey John Velazquez to from Post 17 to 16. Post Position 16. No horse has ever won the Derby from Post 17 but Post 16 has housed ten winners.

The Florida Derby winner will look to claim the majority of the record 5-million-dollar purse but will have a full field with whom to contend.

Bet the Edge is your source for the day in sports betting. Get all of Jay Croucher and Drew Dinsick’s insight weekdays at 6AM ET right here or wherever you get your podcasts.

Fierceness is the fastest horse in the field, but Sierra Leone (3-1) is consistently strong and just a nose from being a perfect 4-0. Purchased for 2.3 million dollars two years ago, the Chad Brown-trained horse has yet to run a bad race. Other challengers include Catching Freedom (8-1), Forever Young (10-1), and Just a Touch (10-1) are the other primary contenders for the Derby crown.

Looking to place a wager on the Kentucky Derby? Read below for a quick synopsis of each horse along with highlights from his biggest race and an analysis of his chances in the Derby courtesy of NBC Sports’ horse racing experts.

The Tale of the Tape
Where: Churchill Downs in Louisville, KY
Who: 20, 3-year-old horses
Purse: $5,000,000
Distance: 1¼ miles
Post Time: 6:57P ET
Forecast: 79 degrees with a 35% chance of rain
Network: NBC and Peacock

The field is listed below post positions 1-20 along with pertinent betting info.

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Read More: The Draw for the 150th Kentucky Derby

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FOREVER YOUNG (10-1)

• Trainer: Y. Yahagi | Jockey: R. Sakai
• Won the UAE Derby
• 5-0 in 5 starts but UAE winners are 0-19 at the Derby

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Grand Mo the First (50-1)

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Enjoy the race and a couple of sweats.

The Kentucky Wildcats have been on a tear in the transfer portal, but they’re still searching for a true point guard.

Elijah Hawkins won’t be solving those issues.

On Tuesday, Hawkins committed to Texas Tech, according to Joe Tipton. Hawkins was planning to visit Kentucky sometime this week, but the Red Raiders nabbed his commitment before a trip to Lexington could happen.

The 5-foot-11, 165-pound guard was originally a class of 2021 signee of Howard, where he spent two seasons before landing at Minnesota in 2023. This past season, Hawkins averaged 9.5 points on 39.3% shooting (36.4% on 3-pointers), 7.5 assists, 3.6 rebounds, and 1.6 steals in 33.3 minutes per game.

Hawkins was easily one of the best passers in the portal, but he’s now off the board. It’s unclear if Utah point guard Deivon Smith is still a possibility after he was reportedly no longer likely to end up at Kentucky.

Kadary Richmond is still available, and Kentucky recently made contact. But for now, the Seton Hall transfer is expected to land at St. John’s.

Lamont Butler can run the point, but he primarily played off the ball at San Diego State.

Kentucky has some work to do to find a true point guard for next season.

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