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Your Complete Guide to Watching the 2025 Kentucky Derby Live

Published on May 3, 2025
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Updated on: May 3, 2025 / 9:11 AM EDT / CBS News

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If it's the first Saturday in May then it's time to watch the Kentucky Derby. A field made up of 19 horses will hit the track at Churchill Downs to set off what has famously been declared the most exciting two minutes in sports. Do you want to know how, where and when to watch the 2025 annual Run for the Roses? Below, we'll break down all the details you need to know now.

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The Kentucky Derby race traditionally begins at 6:57 p.m. ET. But the mint juleps will be poured way before post-time, as coverage will begin at 12:00 p.m. ET on USA and Peacock before heading to NBC and Peacock at 2:30 p.m. ET, according to NBC Sports.

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This year's race will once again be shown on NBC, with coverage beginning on USA and Peacock before shifting to NBC and Peacock later in the day as the big race nears. 

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If you subscribe to Peacock, however, you won't have to worry about channel surfing or missing a single minute of race-day coverage. Peacock also broadcasts NFL games, NASCAR races, top golf games and a series of classic television shows. Plans start as low as $7.99, making it a cost-effective way to watch the big games, races and more right now.

Watch the Derby on Peacock today.

Peacock is your one-stop destination for watching all things Kentucky Derby this Saturday, with coverage starting at noon right through the opening gate later that evening.

Journalism is the favored horse for this year's race, though odds can change throughout the day on Saturday. Here's the full lineup of horses, alongside their morning-line odds:

This year's purse totals $5 million, to be split among the top five horses in the field with the number one horse getting $3.1 million. That top victor will also have a chance to go into the history books if they elect to proceed to run in (and win) the Preakness Stakes on May 17 and the Belmont Stakes on June 7. The last Triple Crown winner was Bob Baffert's Justify, who won all three big races in 2018.

Matt Richardson is the senior managing editor for the Managing Your Money section for CBSNews.com. He writes and edits content about personal finance ranging from savings to investing to insurance.

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