The Kentucky Derby 2025 occurred on Saturday, May 3, 2025, at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky. It’s one of the biggest horse races in the U.S. Each year, people from all over the country watch it live or on TV.
They dress up, place bets, and cheer for their favorite horses.
In this post, you’ll get all the key facts. We’ll cover the start time, race results, betting tips, how to watch, and a full horse list. Let’s dive in.
When Is the Kentucky Derby 2025?
The 2025 Kentucky Derby was held on Saturday, May 3. It takes place on the first Saturday of May every year. The event started in the afternoon, but the main race began at 6:57 PM Eastern Time.
Many people call it “The Most Exciting Two Minutes in Sports.” And it really is. The race is quick but intense.
Kentucky Derby 2025 Start Time and Post Time
The post time is the exact time when the race starts. For 2025, it was 6:57 PM ET.
This is how it breaks down by time zone:
- Eastern Time – 6:57 PM
- Central Time – 5:57 PM
- Mountain Time – 4:57 PM
- Pacific Time – 3:57 PM
- India Time (IST) – 4:27 AM (May 4)
If you tuned in early, you would have seen hours of pre-race coverage. That included interviews, horse stats, and betting tips.
Kentucky Derby 2025 Horses and Post Positions
Here are some of the main horses that ran in the 2025 Kentucky Derby. Each had a post number and odds.
PostHorse NameOdds
1 Citizen Bull 20-1
3 Final Gambit 30-1
7 Luxor Café 15-1
8 Journalism 3-1
9 Burnham Square 12-1
14 Tiztastic 20-1
17 Sandman 6-1
18 Sovereignty 5-1
21 Baeza 12-1
Two horses scratched before the race—Rodriguez and Grande. That allowed Baeza to enter as a late addition.
Who Won the Kentucky Derby 2025?
At the time of writing, the official winner has not been confirmed. We will update this section once the results are in.
You can check the latest results and payouts at the official site:
There, you’ll find full race details, replays, and betting results.
How to Watch the Kentucky Derby 2025
You could watch the race live on NBC. It also streamed online on Peacock, NBCSports.com, and the NBC Sports app. Fans in the U.S. also used:
- USA Network
- FanDuel TV
- YouTube TV
- Hulu + Live TV
- Sling TV
These platforms aired pre-race shows, behind-the-scenes action, and the full race.
If you were outside the U.S., many countries showed it live through local sports channels.
Where to Stream Online
To watch online, here were the best platforms:
- Peacock (NBC’s app) – Free and premium versions
- NBCSports.com – Good for desktop users
- FanDuel TV – Also gave betting info
- YouTube TV – Offered a free trial
- Hulu + Live TV – Included NBC
- Sling Blue – Lower cost option with NBC
If you missed the live race, highlights and replays were also uploaded on YouTube and NBC Sports after the event.
Kentucky Derby 2025 Odds and Top Picks
Before the race, odds gave a good picture of which horses were favorites.
Top 5 favorites:
- Journalism – 3-1
- Sovereignty – 5-1
- Sandman – 6-1
- Burnham Square – 12-1
- Baeza – 12-1
Tiztastic was a wild card. Some experts liked his chances based on past races.
Betting Guide for the Kentucky Derby
Betting is a huge part of Derby Day. There are many ways to bet:
Basic bets:
- Win – Horse must finish 1st
- Place – Horse must finish 1st or 2nd
- Show – Horse must finish 1st, 2nd, or 3rd
Exotic bets:
- Exacta – Pick 1st and 2nd in order
- Trifecta – Pick 1st, 2nd, and 3rd in order
- Superfecta – Pick 1st through 4th in exact order
You could bet online using:
- TwinSpires (official site)
- FanDuel Racing
- DraftKings Sportsbook
- BetMGM
- TVG.com
Always check if betting is legal in your state or country before placing bets.
Expert Picks and Predictions
Many experts chose Journalism as the top pick. He had strong training stats and a good draw. Others backed Sovereignty and Sandman for their speed.
Some bettors liked long shots like Luxor Café and Final Gambit. They had higher odds but showed strong finishes in earlier races.
If you placed a trifecta or superfecta on the right horses, the payout could be huge.
Kentucky Derby Tickets and Experience
Churchill Downs seats over 150,000 fans. You can buy:
- General admission (no seat)
- Reserved seats
- VIP boxes
- Infield tickets (party zone)
Ticket prices range from $75 to thousands of dollars. Most fans dress up, wear hats, and sip mint juleps.
Triple Crown: What’s Next?
The Kentucky Derby is just the start. The winner now heads to the next two races:
- Preakness Stakes – May 17, 2025
- Belmont Stakes – June 7, 2025
If the same horse wins all three, they earn the Triple Crown title. It’s rare but special when it happens.
Final Thoughts
The Kentucky Derby 2025 brought top talent, big crowds, and energy. Whether you watched for fun or placed bets, it was worth it.
Keep your eye on the winner. They might chase the Triple Crown next.
