Kentucky Derby 2026: When is the race? Plus start time, post positions, field and everything else you need to know

TL;DR

The 2026 Kentucky Derby is set for Saturday, featuring 20 horses, with Renegade as the favorite starting from the first post position.

Key points

The 2026 Kentucky Derby features 20 horses.
Renegade is the favorite and starts from the first post position.
The first post position has eight historical wins at the Derby.
The race is scheduled for Saturday.

Kentucky Derby

The horses and the post positions are set, so the 152nd Kentucky Derby can officially get underway. On Saturday, 20 horses will take the track looking to etch their names into the record books.

Renegade enters the event as the favorite, and coincidentally was selected in the first post position for the race. That’s a strong starting spot, as horses in the first post have eight wins at the Derby.

But the favorite hasn’t picked up a win in the event in recent years, just ask Journalism, which entered the 2025 Kentucky Derby as the favorite and finished second to Sovereignty. Can Renegade overcome the other competitors?

Here's everything you need to know about the 2026 Kentucky Derby ahead of the race.

When is the 2026 Kentucky Derby?

The 2026 Kentucky Derby will take place Saturday, May 2. The race has traditionally taken place the first Saturday in May, though it didn't start that way. From 1875-1931, the race usually occurred in the middle of the month. That changed in 1932, when the event started being held the first Saturday in May.

That schedule has remained consistent since 1932, though did change as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. The Derby was scheduled for the first Saturday in May originally, but had to be moved to Sept. 5 due to the pandemic.

Kentucky Derby 2026 start time

Coverage of the Kentucky Derby is essentially an all-day event. But if you only want to tune in for the actual race, that is slated to occur at 6:57 p.m. ET. That time is not exact, and will depend on a number of factors, including how quickly the horses get into their post positions.

Where is the Kentucky Derby in 2026?

The Kentucky Derby is always held at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky. The race has been held at the track since its inception. Churchill Downs is named after John and Henry Churchill, who leased the land for the racetrack.

The track is currently operated by Churchill Downs Incorporated.

Kentucky Derby 2026 field, post positions and odds

Below is the field, post positions and odds for each horse in the 2026 Kentucky Derby. The favorite, Renegade, holds the No. 1 post position. Fulleffort sits in the No. 20 post.