Kentucky Derby 2013 Start Time: Updated Listings for 139th Derby

The 2013 Kentucky Derby is slated to begin at 6:23 p.m ET. Once those gates fly open at Churchill Downs, the "Most Exciting Two Minutes in Sports" will begin with a full field of talented horses charging toward racing history.

Coverage of horse racing's spotlight day actually begins more than two hours before the schedule post time on NBC at 4 p.m. That should give horse racing fans and casual viewers alike more than enough time to soak in the derby atmosphere, which is certainly unique.

Of course, picking the winner out of the jam-packed field is the toughest task of the afternoon. Here's a look at all the important information for the 139th Kentucky Derby, followed by some tips on how to predict the latest derby champ. Once the start time arrives, sit back and enjoy the spectacle.

Where: Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky.

When: Saturday, May 4 at 6:24 p.m. ET

Watch: NBC

Live Stream: NBC Sports Live Extra

Keys to Picking Derby Winner

Current Form

Form is the simple way of describing how a horse has been performing lately. Just like in other sports, winning on the biggest stage often has more to do with how an athlete or team is performing at that given moment than overall ability.

Horse racing is certainly no different. Finding a horse that's coming off two or three strong performances in a row, such as Orb or Verrazano (four straight victories each), is crucial. At that point, it just comes down to hoping they didn't peak too early.

On the flip side, avoid horses that haven't been contending lately, regardless of earlier results. Last year's winner, I'll Have Another, had two straight wins before the derby. Two years ago, Animal Kingdom had two wins and two second-place finishes during his prep races.

Past Level of Competition

Winning is important, but doing it against tough competition is just as vital to derby success. That's why looking at the type of opponents the horses have faced during their careers is a key, and is something that often gets overlooked.

There's a significant difference between winning a maiden or allowance race and winning a graded stakes race against a top-tier field. Using the aforementioned Verrazano, his victory in the Grade 1 Wood Memorial is a better predictor than breaking his maiden at Gulfstream Park.

So look into the type of races the different contenders have succeeded in to earn their spot in the derby. If they excelled in high-Grade races, there's a good chance they will be in the mix. If they struggled against that level of competition, it doesn't bode well for their hopes.

Post Position

Last year, I’ll Have Another emerged from post No. 19 to win the Kentucky Derby. He became the first horse to accomplish that feat in the race's history, which illustrates exactly how difficult it is to come from the extreme outside to win.

The other danger area is the extreme inside, normally the first two posts. It's because once the gates open there's a mad dash to the rail, and if the inside horses don't get an ideal jump, they get squeezed out and have to fight from behind.

If a horses is in either of those difficult post positions, it's going to take a perfect ride to win. That's why the safe picks are in the middle of the pack. In that scenario, the jockey is able to set a more reasonable pace and leave them some energy for a final kick.