When Is the Kentucky Derby 2027? Date, Post Time and Derby Week Guide

The 153rd Kentucky Derby will be run on Saturday, May 1, 2027, at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky. The race is the main event of a two-day weekend that starts with the Kentucky Oaks on Friday, April 30.

The Derby is always held on the first Saturday in May. Post time for the race itself is in the early evening, usually just before 7 p.m. Eastern, after a full day of racing at Churchill Downs.

Derby weekend 2027 at a glance

Event	Date	Details
Kentucky Oaks	Friday, April 30, 2027	Race for 3-year-old fillies, 1 1/8 miles
Kentucky Derby	Saturday, May 1, 2027	153rd running, 3-year-old Thoroughbreds, 1 1/4 miles
Venue	Churchill Downs, Louisville	Home of the Derby since 1875
TV	NBC	Coverage runs through the afternoon before the race

How the Kentucky Derby works

The Derby is a race for 3-year-old Thoroughbreds over a mile and a quarter on dirt. Each horse can run it only once, at the age of three. The field is limited to 20 horses, which makes it one of the largest and most chaotic starts in racing.

Horses earn their place through the Road to the Kentucky Derby, a series of prep races in the United States and abroad that award qualifying points. The 20 horses with the most points get a spot in the starting gate, with a few places reserved for international qualifiers.

The race usually takes about two minutes, which is why it is called "the most exciting two minutes in sports." Secretariat still holds the race record of 1:59 2/5, set in 1973.

The Triple Crown

The Kentucky Derby is the first leg of the Triple Crown, followed by the Preakness Stakes and the Belmont Stakes later in the spring. Only 13 horses have won all three, most recently Justify in 2018 and American Pharoah in 2015.

Traditions

• The Run for the Roses. The winner is draped in a blanket of more than 400 red roses.
• "My Old Kentucky Home." The crowd sings the state song as the horses walk onto the track.
• Mint juleps and hats. The mint julep is the official drink of the Derby, and elaborate hats are part of the dress code for many racegoers.
• The Twin Spires. The two spires on the grandstand at Churchill Downs are the symbol of the race.

Recent winners

Sovereignty won the 151st Kentucky Derby in 2025. Other recent winners include Mystik Dan in 2024, who won by a nose in one of the closest finishes in Derby history, and Mage in 2023. The Derby has been run every year since 1875, making it the longest continuously held sporting event in the United States.

Tickets

Churchill Downs sells Derby tickets well in advance; for 2027, select two-day packages for the Oaks and the Derby went on sale in June 2026. General admission infield tickets are the cheapest way in, while reserved seats and hospitality packages cost much more. The Derby is one of the most famous sporting events in the world, so plan early.