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Derby Day! 20 Horses Vie for $5M Purse
2 May
Summary
- The 152nd Kentucky Derby features 20 horses competing for a $5 million purse.
- Renegade, initially the favorite, starts from the challenging rail post position.
- The race winner will receive approximately $3.1 million in prize money.
The 152nd Kentucky Derby is scheduled for Saturday, May 2, 2026, featuring a field of 20 horses competing at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky. Renegade, initially the favorite, was assigned the challenging rail post position (No. 1), a starting spot that has not produced a winner since 1986. The event boasts a total purse of $5 million, with the victorious horse earning approximately $3.1 million. This year's Derby is particularly noteworthy for trainer Bob Baffert, who has two horses, Potente and Litmus Test, aiming for his record-breaking seventh win.
The race coverage begins at 2:30 p.m. ET on NBC, with the main event slated for 6:57 p.m. ET. Churchill Downs, named after its original landowners, has been the historic venue for the Kentucky Derby since its inception. The weather forecast for Louisville on Saturday is partly cloudy with a high of 62, indicating clear race-day conditions. The Kentucky Derby has a long-standing tradition of being held on the first Saturday in May, a schedule that has been largely consistent since 1932, with a notable exception in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
