Kentucky Derby Start Time 2016: Race Post Info, NBC TV Coverage and More

Following a week full of speculation, predictions and excitement, it's finally race day at Churchill Downs. 

And with compelling contenders like Nyquist, Exaggerator, Mohaymen and Gun Runner headlining a 20-horse field, the 2016 Kentucky Derby shouldn't disappoint. 

But before the action gets going, here's everything you need to know about when and where to catch this year's Run for the Roses. 

Date: Saturday, May 7

Post Time: 6:34 p.m. ET 

TV Coverage: 12-4 p.m. ET on NBCSN; 4-7:30 p.m. ET on NBC

Race Info and Favorites to Watch

Post	Horse	Jockey	Trainer	Odds
1	Trojan Nation	Aaron Gryder	Patrick Gallagher	+6600
2	Suddenbreakingnews	Luis Quinonez	Donnie Von Hemel	+2000
3	Creator	Ricardo Santana Jr.	Steven Asmussen	+1200
4	Mo Tom	Corey Lanerie	Thomas Amoss	+2200
5	Gun Runner	Florent Geroux	Steven Asmussen	+900
6	My Man Sam	Irad Ortiz Jr.	Chad Brown	+2000
7	Oscar Nominated	Julien Leparoux	Michael Maker	+6600
8	Lani	Yukata Take	Mikio Matsunaga	+2800
9	Destin	Javier Castellano	Todd Pletcher	+1400
10	Whitmore	Victor Espinoza	Ron Moquett	+1800
11	Exaggerator	Kent Desormeaux	J. Keith Desormeaux	+750
12	Tom's Ready	Brian Hernandez Jr.	Dallas Stewart	+4000
13	Nyquist	Mario Gutierrez	Doug O'Neill	+300
14	Mohaymen	Junior Alvarado	Kiaran McLaughlin	+800
15	Outwork	John Velazquez	Todd Pletcher	+1600
16	Shagaf	Joel Rosario	Chad Brown	+2800
17	Mor Spirit	Gary Stevens	Bob Baffert	+1400
18	Majesto	Emisael Jaramillo	Gustavo Delgado	+3300
19	Brody's Cause	Luis Saez	Dale Romans	+1400
20	Danzing Candy	Mike Smith	Clifford Sise Jr.	+2000

Nyquist has generated the most hype of any horse in this year's field, and the 3-1 morning-line favorite will look to continue his undefeated run in the year's most anticipated race. 

After winning all five races he competed in during the 2015 season—including the Breeders' Cup Juvenile last October—Nyquist blitzed the competition at the San Vicente Stakes before taking home a title at April's Florida Derby. 

So despite falling into a 13th post position that has seen just four winners since 1900, per OddsShark.com's Mike Dempsey, there's still plenty of optimism surrounding the favorite's chances in advance of Saturday's big show.  

"We’ve got a horse who is doing great and a jockey (Mario Gutierrez) with ice in his veins, so we’re doing good,” trainer Doug O'Neill said, per the Lexington Herald-Leader's Alicia Wincze Hughes. "I would not mind at all (being on the lead). I think Nyquist has shown the versatility to win on the lead, from off the pace. We’ve got options.

However, there is one factor working against Nyquist.

"His best work comes during one-turn sprints, not two-turn routes," the Washington Post's Neil Greenberg wrote. "Since 1998, all Derby winners have earned their best Beyer speed figure at 8.5 furlongs or longer. Nyquist had his best Beyer in the San Vincente Stakes (101), a seven-furlong race at Santa Anita. He posted a 94 in the Florida Derby (8.5 furlongs)."

Should Nyquist fail to keep his perfect record in tact, keep an eye on Exaggerator. 

Although the brown colt fell flat in the San Vicente Derby and San Felipe Stakes, he broke through for a win at the Santa Anita Derby by 6 1/4 lengths, according to the Los Angeles Times' John Cherwa. 

After blowing past the competition on the back stretch and capturing glory at Santa Anita, Exaggerator clearly has the class necessary to unseat the prohibitive favorite.