The Kentucky Derby Is This Weekend

The 2026 Kentucky Derby and Oaks takes place this weekend. With the post time for the Kentucky Oaks set for Friday, May 01st, 2026 at 7:40 Central Time. The Kentucky Oaks is the premier and most lucrative race for the fillies, female horses, who are three years of age. Some of the horses entering the Kentucky Oaks this year include "Bella Ballerina", "Pashmina", and "Prom Queen". With the possibility of the track at Churchill Downs being somewhat muddy this weekend due to rain, some of the top names being mentioned for The Kentucky Oaks include, "Percy's Bar", "Meaning", and "Brooklyn Blonde".

The post time for the Kentucky Derby, the premier race for three-year-old Thoroughbreds, is set for Saturday, May 02nd, 2026 at 5:57 Central Time at the Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky. With Chad Brown, a trainer who has won the Preakness twice, but is 0 for 9 in the Kentucky Derby, hoping that his horse, "Emerging Market" will pull through in what is often dubbed, the "Run for the Roses". At present, the top five picks to win the Kentucky Derby are, "Commandment", who just won the Florida Derby, "Further Ado", "Chief Wallabee", "The Puma", who just won the Tamp Bay Derby, and "Renegade", who just won the Arkansas Derby. "Renegade" is currently the number one pick for the Kentucky Derby.

The winner of the 152nd Kentucky Derby is set to win $3.1 million dollars. With the second-place horse receiving $1 million dollars and third place receiving $500,000 dollars. The horse who comes in fourth place will receive $250,000 dollars and $150,000 dollars is being awarded to the horse who comes in fifth. The winner of this year's Kentucky Oaks, known as the "Lilies for the Fillies", is set to win approximately $846,300 dollars.

The traditional attire for a Kentucky Derby viewing party includes bright spring dresses with large elaborate hats for the ladies. With the men traditionally donning seersucker suits with bow ties. While last year, Robbie Norman, the owner of a grocery store in Thomasville, Alabama had a horse, "Coal Battle", run in The Kentucky Derby, this year the lineup consisting of twenty horses is dominated by trainers and owners from Kentucky, California, and New York.

The 2026 Kentucky Derby will air live on NBC with their coverage set to begin at 1:30 Central Time. For those who prefer to stream The Kentucky Derby, it will be streamed on Peacock. The USA Network will cover The Kentucky Derby for those who have cable. NBC will also feature The Kentucky Oaks.

Luisa Reyes is a Tuscaloosa attorney, piano instructor, vocalist, poet, reporter and columnist who writes on current affairs, politics, and the arts.