The 151st Kentucky Derby, often called “the most exciting two minutes in sports,” takes place on Saturday with a total purse of $5 million. The winning owner will receive $1.3 million and a gold trophy, while second place earns $1 million. The race is exclusively for male and female 3-year-olds, making it a unique event as each horse is eligible only once in their career. Notably, only three fillies have won, the last being in 1988.
The race is set for 6:57 p.m. Eastern, with a forecast of 65 degrees and a 90% chance of rain, reminiscent of the last sloppy track in 2019. Coverage begins at noon on USA Network, with NBC and Peacock broadcasting from 2:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. The favored horse, Journalism, is trained by Michael McCarthy and has a strong winning streak, while other contenders include Sovereignty and Sandman.
Prominent trainer Bob Baffert returns after a suspension, fielding a long shot, Citizen Bull, who has drawn the challenging No. 1 post. Hall of Famer D. Wayne Lukas, at 89, aims for a record fifth Derby win with American Promise, who has drawn the advantageous No. 5 post. With 19 horses set to race, the excitement is palpable as the Derby approaches.
