Churchill Downs
Home of the Kentucky Derby — the most famous thoroughbred race in North America and the first leg of the Triple Crown. Churchill Downs hosts spring and fall meets each year, with the iconic Twin Spires presiding over the Louisville oval since 1875.
COUNTER-CLOCKWISE (LEFT-HANDED)
EST. 1875
About Churchill Downs
Home of the Kentucky Derby — the most famous thoroughbred race in North America and the first leg of the Triple Crown. Churchill Downs hosts spring and fall meets each year, with the iconic Twin Spires presiding over the Louisville oval since 1875. Churchill Downs is located at 700 Central Avenue, Louisville, KY 40208.
Kentucky Derby, first Saturday in May
The most famous race in American thoroughbred racing. Run over 1 1/4 miles on dirt with a $5 million purse, the Kentucky Derby is the first leg of the Triple Crown and draws 165,000+ to Louisville each May. The race has been run continuously since 1875, making it the longest-running sporting event in the United States.
Meets & featured races
Churchill Downs runs two main thoroughbred meets each year — the Spring Meet from late April through early July (anchored by the Kentucky Derby on the first Saturday in May) and the Fall Meet from late September through November. The track also hosts the Stephen Foster Stakes weekend in late June.
Kentucky Derby (first Saturday in May)
The Run for the Roses. The 1 1/4-mile dirt classic for three-year-olds is the most-watched horse race in America and the marquee event of the Triple Crown series. The field is capped at 20 starters based on the Kentucky Derby Qualifying Points system, with horses earning their way in through prep races at Gulfstream, Santa Anita, Oaklawn, Keeneland and other major tracks across the winter and spring.
Kentucky Oaks (Friday before the Derby)
The Kentucky Oaks is the Friday equivalent of the Derby for three-year-old fillies, run over 1 1/8 miles on dirt with a $1.5 million purse. Oaks Day draws crowds of 100,000+ to Louisville and is considered one of the great fashion events in American sport, with attendees wearing pink in honor of the Susan G. Komen breast cancer foundation.
Kentucky Derby Key Trends
Favorites have won the Kentucky Derby with reasonable regularity, but the race is also famous for upsets — Rich Strike won at 80-1 in 2022. Horses drawn in the middle of the gate (posts 5-10) have the strongest historical record. Pace tactics matter: closers have dominated the modern era, with horses ridden patiently from off the pace winning a clear majority of recent renewals.
Fall Meet (late September through November)
The Fall Meet features the Breeders’ Cup-prep Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes for two-year-olds and a strong supporting card of stakes races for older horses. Churchill Downs has hosted the Breeders’ Cup nine times, more than any other track, with the most recent renewal in 2023.
Live races at Churchill Downs
Upcoming races at this track
Live racecards pulled from our North American racing data feed, refreshed throughout the day.
No scheduled meets at this track in the next 14 days.
Check the Racing Predictor for today's races at other US tracks, or visit Racing Data for past results and statistics.
Kentucky Derby — key trends
Bet on Churchill Downs with AmWager
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Track statistics & betting angles
1 1/4 mile dirt oval with a 7/8-mile turf course inside. The first turn after the Derby start is just 600 feet from the gate — one of the shortest run-ups in major American racing.
Middle posts (5-10) have the strongest Derby history. Posts 1, 2 and 17-20 have produced significantly fewer winners than the middle ground.
Churchill’s dirt surface plays as a fair, fast track in dry conditions. After heavy rain, the track can shift to sloppy or muddy, which historically favors front-running speed.
Bob Baffert and Todd Pletcher have dominated recent Derby fields. Steve Asmussen, Brad Cox and Chad Brown all have strong Derby and Oaks records.
How to watch Churchill Downs racing
NBC Sports has held the broadcast rights for the Kentucky Derby continuously since 2001. The Derby itself reaches around 15 million US television viewers each year. TVG and FanDuel TV provide year-round live coverage of every Churchill Downs card. For race-by-race picks and probability ratings, the horse.bet Racing Predictor publishes daily Churchill Downs analysis the morning of racing.
Visiting Churchill Downs
Churchill Downs sits in the south end of Louisville, about three miles from downtown. The track is accessible by car via I-65 (Exit 134) or by TARC bus. Derby Day parking sells out months in advance — plan to use a rideshare service or the official park-and-ride. The track requires no formal dress code for general admission, but seated Derby Day patrons traditionally wear formal attire and hats.
Official Churchill Downs website →
Frequently asked questions
When is the Kentucky Derby?
The Kentucky Derby is always run on the first Saturday in May each year. The Kentucky Oaks is run the day before on Friday.
How long is the Kentucky Derby?
The Kentucky Derby is run over 1 1/4 miles (10 furlongs) on dirt. Total purse is $5 million.
How can I bet on the Kentucky Derby?
AmWager offers Kentucky Derby wagering with new customer bonuses, plus betting on every Churchill Downs race year-round through one account.
How many horses run in the Derby?
The Derby field is capped at 20 starters. Entry is based on the Kentucky Derby Qualifying Points system, with horses earning points through specified prep races.
Where can I find Kentucky Derby picks?
The horse.bet Racing Predictor publishes Derby Day picks the morning of racing, with full-field probability ratings and value plays.
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