Kentucky Derby Start Time 2015: Race Post Info, NBC TV Coverage and More
Forget the NFL draft, boxing, basketball and any other sporting event on what seems set to be a historic Saturday—it's all about the Kentucky Derby.
Maybe in past years it would be enough to overshadow the first leg of the Triple Crown at Churchill Downs, but not this year—not with a deep field where almost every horse in the field is a serious threat.
It's a historic time for horse racing. More eyeballs than usual are on the sport thanks to California Chrome's attention-getting ways last year. Thanks to a deep field, old and new viewers alike are sure to see one of the most memorable races in recent history and want to stick around.
.jpg?w=256 "Colts Jaguars Football")
Here's how to catch Saturday's action.
2015 Kentucky Derby Viewing Info
Where: Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky
When: Saturday, May 2, at 6:24 p.m. ET
Watch: NBC, coverage from 4:30 to 7:30 p.m. ET
Live Stream: NBC Sports Live Extra
2015 Kentucky Derby Post Positions and Odds
| 1 | 2 | Ocho Ocho Ocho | Elvis Trujillo | 25-1 |
| 2 | 3 | Carpe Diem | John Velazquez | 8-1 |
| 3 | 4 | Materiality | Javier Castellano | 16-1 |
| 4 | 5 | Tencendur | Manny Franco | 50-1 |
| 5 | 6 | Danzig Moon | Julien Leparoux | 33-1 |
| 6 | 7 | Mubtaahij | Christophe Soumillon | 12-1 |
| 7 | El Kabeir | Calvin Borel | SCR | |
| 8 | 8 | Dortmund | Martin Garcia | 18-5 |
| 9 | 9 | Bolo | Rafael Bejarano | 40-1 |
| 10 | 10 | Firing Line | Gary Stevens | 12-1 |
| 11 | Stanford | Florent Geroux | SCR | |
| 12 | International Star | Miguel Mena | SCR | |
| 13 | 11 | Itsaknockout | Luis Saez | 33-1 |
| 14 | 12 | Keen Ice | Kent Desormeaux | 40-1 |
| 15 | 13 | Frosted | Joel Rosario | 16-1 |
| 16 | 14 | War Story | Joe Talamo | 50-1 |
| 17 | 15 | Mr. Z | Ramon Vazquez | 50-1 |
| 18 | 16 | American Pharoah | Victor Espinoza | 13-5 |
| 19 | 17 | Upstart | Jose Ortiz | 25-1 |
| 20 | 18 | Far Right | Mike Smith | 40-1 |
| 21 | 19 | Frammento | Corey Nakatani | 66-1 |
All Kentucky Derby odds courtesy of Odds Shark. Note: Per Fox Sports, Stanford (No. 11 post) was scratched, with Frammento taking his spot. Horses will move up one gate with Frammento starting from Gate 20. Per Jonathan Lintner of USA Today, El Kabeir (No. 7 post) was scratched, leaving No. 1 vacant. International Star was scratched early Saturday morning, per Churchill Downs PR's Twitter account.
Preview
It's worth catching every bit of broadcast action Saturday before the big race because there are so many contenders in the field who tout the ability to break away and win the whole thing.
Look at a horse like Frosted, which wouldn't be lost in the pack when it comes to hype in recent years, but is Saturday. Kiaran McLaughlin's an elite trainer and it's not wise to sleep on a jockey such as Joel Rosario, nor is it wise to sleep on a horse with loads of momentum after a win at the Wood Memorial Stakes.
Or take a gander at Firing Line, led by legendary jockey Gary Stevens. He's won one of his last three outings, but the two losses are near-misses against other Kentucky Derby contenders.
Such a deep field is why American Pharoah trainer Bob Baffert is trying to keep his cool when it comes to expectations.
"We're trying to keep our excitement to a normal level because I know the disappointment in this game," Baffert said, per The Associated Press (via MLive.com). "I know that uppercut is waiting for you around the corner."
Baffert has right for pause despite bringing such a dominant horse to the field, both because of its depth and because American Pharoah will run out of the dreaded 16th slot.
At this point, Dortmund might give Baffert a better chance at a victory. There's nothing to dislike about a horse with six wins, a good gate position and Big Brown as sire, not to mention Martin Garcia up top. It's a checklist of winning factors perhaps enough to win the race with ease in most years.
Again, this isn't most years, though. There's a wild card like Todd Pletcher's Materiality in the running. While he didn't race as a two-year-old, Materiality brings explosiveness and one of the year's most underrated wins to the field thanks to a triumph at the Florida Derby.
Like Baffert, Pletcher touts more than one serious contender. Carpe Diem is the other, although getting stuck inside near the rail thanks to the post positions draw doesn't seem to do him any favors.
Then again, Pletcher sounds confident regardless.
"But he's a good gate horse, and he'll have to get away from there quickly," said Pletcher, per Gary Mihoces of USA Today. "That's pretty much true whatever your (gate) draw is in this race."
The post hurts, but like many, Carpe Diem has the afterburners down the stretch to make things entertaining if jockey John Velazquez can negotiate the early traffic well and find good positioning for the final rush.
Even with a small dip of the toes into the water, it's easy to see why this year's field provides some must-see action.
The overwhelming favorite might make history in a rough spot, and if he does, a Triple Crown bid is the next step. Should American Pharoah falter, though, Baffert has another trick up his sleeve with Dortmund. The majority of the field can spoil what may be the best one-two punch he's ever fielded, though.
No matter how it plays out, Saturday is one for the ages.
Stats and information via KentuckyDerby.com unless otherwise specified.
.jpg?w=480 "Colts Jaguars Football")
