Kentucky Derby 2013 Race Time: When to Tune in for Start of 139th Race

The Kentucky Derby is horse racing's chance to shine. While the sport usually takes a backseat on the American sports landscape, the derby is one of the rare days when even casual fans are interested in annual spectacle.

Although the sport must continue to work on growth for the future, the first Saturday is May is always reserved as an opportunity to showcase the progress that's been made. The timeless Churchill Downs is a perfect location for it.

Here's a glance at all the important information regarding post time for the 139th Kentucky Derby. It's followed by a preview of the race with a focus on whether or not any of the horses gearing up for the biggest race of their career can secure the Triple Crown.

Where: Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky.

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

Watch: NBC

Race Preview

The key question heading into the Kentucky Derby, as has been the case for quite some time now, is whether or not a horse in the field can break the Triple Crown drought. The last horse to accomplish the feat was Affirmed in 1978.

Amazingly, when Affirmed won the Belmont Stakes to finish the trifecta it was the second straight year with a Triple Crown winner. Seattle Slew won it in 1977 and Secretariat did the same in 1973, making for three in six years.

Horse racing has changed since that stretch of dominant horses. More specifically, horses aren't pushed nearly as hard before their Triple Crown debuts as they were in the past. For example, Affirmed had raced 13 times before arriving at the derby.

Verrazano, one of this year's top contenders, has only raced four times. That lack of experience, which stretches from simple things like handling the crowd to vital Triple Crown elements like pacing for distance, is a missing piece of the puzzle.

Quite simply, horses are brought along very slowly. So when they are asked to run three times in six weeks in order to win the Triple Crown, it becomes overwhelming. It also helps explain why it's been more than three decades without a horse sweeping the trio of marquee races.

Along with Verrazano, there's a pretty strong group of horses that should at least be in the conversation. Orb, Revolutionary, Normandy Invasion and Goldencents all illustrated promise during the road to the derby.

At the same time, whichever horse emerges from that talented group––or if a long shot finds the winner's circle––they will be forced to beat a strong field two more times. Add in the fact some of the horses often skip the Preakness Stakes to rest if they don't win the derby and it becomes even tougher.

So, while the talent is there for another horse to make a serious run at the Triple Crown like I'll Have Another last year or Big Brown in 2008, it's still an extreme long shot. There are just too many hurdles to jump now a days.

A perfect horse needs to emerge to end the drought. If one exists in this year's field, they haven't proven it yet as horse racing fans eagerly await the sport's next superstar.