Kentucky Derby 2025: Baffert’s return, and Journalism is the horse to watch
Previewing the 151st Kentucky Derby, focusing on Journalism’s chances and Bob Baffert’s return.
The highly anticipated 2025 Kentucky Derby is finally here, set to take place at the iconic Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky. The field of 19 horses (following two scratches) are all vying for the prestigious garland of roses.
In the talented lineup for the 151st Run for the Roses, Journalism stands out as the favorite with odds of 7-2. Trained by Michael McCarthy, Journalism is currently on a four-race winning streak, a feat that has caught the attention of horse racing enthusiasts as he heads into the Kentucky Derby.
Sovereignty, runner-up in the Florida Derby, now sits at 9-1, while Sandman has emerged as the strongest contender to Journalism with odds of 9-2.
The 2025 Derby lineup also includes Luxor Café, the offspring of the 2015 Triple Crown winner American Pharoah. Luxor Café is currently on a four-race winning streak in Japan. Although no Japanese horse has ever won this American classic, his prominent heritage will surely draw attention.
Don’t miss a moment of the 151st Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs. Follow the action live with time, odds and results for the races.
Kentucky Derby start time
Post time for the 151st running of the Kentucky Derby is 7:02 p.m. ET on Saturday, May 3.
Kentucky Derby TV coverage
The Kentucky Derby will be broadcast live on NBC, with coverage starting at 2:30 p.m. ET.
Kentucky Derby live stream
For cord-cutters, the Kentucky Derby can be streamed on Peacock, with coverage starting at noon ET. You can also watch via Fubo, which offers a free trial for new users.
Here are odds for each horse in the 2025 Kentucky Derby, listed in order of post position.
Odds as of 2:30 p.m. ET on Saturday, May 3, according to KentuckyDerby.com
Watch the Kentucky Derby with Fubo
“Former Philadelphia Phillies outfielder Jayson Werth is having a blast at the 2025 Kentucky Derby.
Werth’s horse, Flying Mohawk, will race in the 151st Run for the Roses at Churchill Downs on Saturday. Ahead of the race, Werth offered fans around the area a mohawk for a chance to earn tickets for the Derby.” — Ehsan Kassim
Read more here.
Results from the seventh race at Churchill Downs on Saturday:
- 1st place: Think Big
- 2nd place: Boss Sully
- 3rd place: Unconquerable Keen
Results from the sixth race at Churchill Downs on Saturday:
- 1st place: Macho Music (Trainer: Rohan Crichton)
- 2nd place: Madaket Road
- 3rd place: Gaming
Results from the fifth race at Churchill Downs on Saturday:
- 1st place: Simply In Front (Trainer: Eddie Kenneally)
- 2nd place: Pin Up Betty
- 3rd place: Movin’ On Up
Results from the fourth race at Churchill Downs on Saturday:
- 1st place: Liberal Arts (Trainer: Brad H. Cox)
- 2nd place: Patriot Spirit
- 3rd place: Kupuna
Results from the third race at Churchill Downs on Saturday:
- 1st place: Goal Oriented (trainer: Bob Baffert)
- 2nd place: Hypnus
- 3rd place: Tiz Secure
Results from the second race at Churchill Downs on Saturday:
- 1st place: Lemon Muffin (trainer: D Wayne Lukas)
- 2nd place: Generous Lover
- 3rd place: Tapit Quick
Results of the first race at Churchill Downs on Saturday:
- 1st place: Fountain Lake (trainer: John Ortiz)
- 2nd place: Chillax
- 3rd place: Sansone
- Date: Saturday, May 3, 2025
- Time: 7:02 p.m. ET (race starts) | 2:30 p.m. ET (TV coverage)
- TV: NBC
- Stream: Peacock, Fubo
There’ll be rain. Early arrivers are already sporting their ponchos. Churchill Downs doesn’t allow umbrellas.
But the good news (so far, at least) is that meteorologists expect it to be early. As of Saturday morning, National Weather Service in Louisville predicts a 100% chance of precipitation Saturday for the Kentucky Derby, with showers most likely to be prevalent before 5 p.m.
There’s still a chance of showers and a thunderstorm after 5 p.m. Expect conditions to remain mostly cloudy, with a high near 63 and a North wind 3 to 6 mph. — Chris Sims, Louisville Courier Journal
If you’re sent scrambling for a poncho at Churchill Downs and need help adjusting your Derby bets, here are the contenders who have experience in the rain and its aftermath — presented in order of their numbers in the program, accompanied by their morning-line odds – Brooks Holton
The second leg of the Triple Crown, the Preakness Stakes, will take place on Saturday, May 17, 2025. Coverage will start at 2 p.m. ET and will be covered across NBC and Peacock.
Churchill Downs announced on April 21 that the purse for the 2025 Kentucky Derby will be the same as it was for the 150th edition of the Run for the Roses at $5 million.
The winner of Derby 151 will take home a cash prize of $3.1 million, which was a record-breaking winner’s share this time last year when Mystik Dan won. The jockey of the winning horse will earn 10% of the first-place prize, which came out to be $310,000 last year.
Here’s a breakdown of what the purse for this year’s Kentucky Derby is:
- 1st place: $3.1 million
- 2nd place: $1 million
- 3rd place: $500,000
- 4th place: $250,000
- 5th place: $150,000
— John Leuzzi
When it’s race day, Churchill Downs is one of the most packed venues in sports. The venue hosts around 165,000 people for the Kentucky Derby, a majority of which are in the grandstands of the race track.
For standing room only tickets and general admission, the prices start at $366, up more than $100 from the listed price at the end of April. Expect to shell out at least $135,000 for a private suite, with reserved seating going for at least $721, up from last year’s prices.
The Kentucky Derby offers what are called “Derby Experiences” tickets, which include admission to the event and various accommodations through four different admission packages. — Scooby Axson
The 2025 Kentucky Derby field was narrowed to 19 horses after Grande was scratched on Friday because of a foot bruise. Veterinarians made the final decision to pull the horse. Grande is trained by Todd Pletcher and was to be ridden by John Velazquez. On Thursday, Rodriguez, one of two horses trained by Bob Baffert that was scheduled to race in the Derby, was also scratched with a foot bruise. Baffert still has one Kentucky Derby horse in 2-year-old champion Citizen Bull. Baeza, trained by John Shirreffs, joined the field in place of Rodriguez; there is no replacement for Grande. — Scooby Axson
The Kentucky Derby 2024 winner was Mystik Dan, who had to edge out Sierra Leone and Forever Young in the final stretch at Churchill Downs for a historic photo finish ending. By winning last year’s derby, Mystik Dan earned a winning share of $3.1 million from the Kentucky Derby purse, a record-breaking figure. — John Leuzzi
Churchill Downs is located in Louisville, Kentucky. It opened in 1875 and has hosted the Kentucky Derby ever since.
As the rain slowed into a steady drizzle over Churchill Downs, dozens gathered outside the main gates to watch the parade of roses. The Garland of Roses which will be donned on the winner of the Kentucky Derby were unloaded from a Kroger ice box truck and paraded through the Woodford Reserve Paddock Plaza. Race fans oh’d and ah’d as members of the military carried the bright red roses into the track. Along with the garland, dozens of bouquets of Kroger roses were carried into the track as well. — Louisville Courier Journal
Kentucky Derby winner’s Garland of Roses brought into Churchill Downs
Dozens gather at the main gate of Churchill Downs to watch the parade of roses. The Garland of Roses will be donned by the winner of the Kentucky Derby
Churchill Downs occupies 147 acres and it features a one-mile dirt, oval racetrack and a seven-furlong turf racecourse. It is also has barns behind the racetrack, which “house more than 1,400 horses each year,” according to the facility.
Here are the Kentucky Derby winners over the years, with the winning horse and the winning time in parentheses. Eventual Triple Crown winners are in bold.
- 2024 – Mystik Dan (2:03.34)
- 2023 – Mage (2:01.57)
- 2022 – Rich Strike (2:02.61)
- 2021 – Mandaloun (2:01.36)
- 2020 – Authentic (2:00.61)
- 2019 – Country House (2:03.93)
- 2018 – Justify (2:04:20)
- 2017 – Always Dreaming (2:03.59)
- 2016 – Nyquist (2:01.31)
- 2015 – American Pharoah (2:03.02)
- 2014 – California Chrome (2:03.66)
- 2013 – Orb (2:02.89)
- 2012 – I’ll Have Another (2:01.83)
- 2011 – Animal Kingdom (2:02.04)
- 2010 – Super Saver (2:04.45)
- 2009 – Mine That Bird (2:02.66)
- 2008 – Big Brown (2:01.82)
- 2007 – Street Sense (2:02.17)
- 2006 – Barbaro (2:01.36)
- 2005 – Giacomo (2:02.75)
- 2004 – Smarty Jones (2:04.06)
- 2003 – Funny Cide (2:01.19)
- 2002 – War Emblem (2:01.13)
- 2001 – Monarchos (1:59.97)
- 2000 – Fusaichi Pegasus (2:01.00)
