Kentucky Derby Start Time 2017: Post Info, TV Schedule and Live-Stream Coverage

The first leg of horse racing's Triple Crown is mere days away as some of the best horses and jockeys in the world have converged on Louisville, Kentucky, for the 2017 Kentucky Derby.

The 2016 edition didn't feature any big surprises, as heavy favorite Nyquist came out on top.

This year, all eyes will be on Classic Empire and Always Dreaming. The latter owns the best odds of winning (4-1), while the former is right behind him (17-4), according to OddsShark.

Below is a preview for Saturday's Run for the Roses.

Viewing Info

Post Time: Saturday, May 6, at 6:46 p.m. ET

Where: Churchill Downs, Louisville, Kentucky

Watch: NBC

Live Stream: NBC Live Extra

Post Positions

Post	Horse	Jockey	Trainer	Odds
1	Lookin At Lee	Corey J. Lanerie	Steven M. Asmussen	28/1
2	Thunder Snow	Christophe Soumillon	Saeed bin Suroor	16/1
3	Fast and Accurate	Channing Hill	Michael J. Maker	66/1
4	Untrapped	Ricardo Santana Jr.	Steven M. Asmussen	50/1
5	Always Dreaming	John R. Velazquez	Todd A. Pletcher	4/1
6	State of Honor	Jose Lezcano	Mark E. Casse	40/1
7	Girvin	Mike E. Smith	Joe Sharp	16/1
8	Hence	Florent Geroux	Steven M. Asmussen	22/1
9	Irap	Mario Gutierrez	Doug F. O'Neill	25/1
10	Gunnevara	Javier Castellano	Antonio Sano	12/1
11	Battle of Midway	Flavien Prat	Jerry Hollendorfer	28/1
12	Sonneteer	Kent J. Desormeaux	J. Keith Desormeaux	33/1
13	J Boys Echo	Robby Albarado	Dale L. Romans	33/1
14	Classic Empire	Julien R. Leparoux	Mark E. Casse	17/4
15	McCraken	Brian Joseph Hernandez Jr.	Ian R. Wilkes	13/2
16	Tapwrit	Jose L. Ortiz	Todd A. Pletcher	25/1
17	Irish War Cry	Rajiv Maragh	H. Graham Motion	13/2
18	Gormley	Victor Espinoza	John A. Shirreffs	16/1
19	Practical Joke	Joel Rosario	Chad C. Brown	16/1
20	Patch	Tyler Gaffalione	Todd A. Pletcher	33/1

Preview

With a name like Classic Empire, a horse had better be able to deliver, and through six graded stakes races, the colt has largely done just that. Classic Empire has three victories in his last four events, including the 2016 Breeders' Cup juvenile race.

Granted, Classic Empire didn't prevail in decisive fashion, with Not This Time making a late push and narrowly missing out on the top spot as he crossed the finish line.

Distance will be one concern for trainer Mark E. Casse heading into the Derby. Never before has Classic Empire run a race measuring 1 ¼ miles.

Casse, however, doesn't see that as being a hindrance for the horse.

"I don't see that being an issue whatsoever," he said, per Daily Racing Form's Mary Rampellini. "I think it's a plus, not a minus."

Always Dreaming hasn't built a comparable resume. He has run in only one graded stakes race—which admittedly came in a winning effort in the Florida Derby. Always Dreaming surged ahead of State of Honor and Gunnevera over the final stretch:

The post draw offered a major boost to Always Dreaming. He'll start in the No. 5 post, which ties for the most wins (nine) in the last 87 events, according to Christina Moore of America's Best Racing.

"Ideally, I'd have liked to have been a little farther out," trainer Todd Pletcher said, per horse racing writer J.J. Hysell. "But he won the Florida Derby from the four."

At the very least, Always Dreaming received a better draw than Classic Empire, who will start from the 14th gate. Carry Back in 1961 is the last horse to win after drawing No. 14. Granted, American Pharoah was only one spot over when he began his Triple Crown voyage in 2015.

Based on the last few years at the Kentucky Derby, anything other than a Classic Empire or Always Dreaming victory would be a surprise. I'll Have Another in 2012 was arguably the last genuine underdog to come out on top.

The trend makes sense given both the distance of the Kentucky Derby and its placement in the Triple Crown. The strongest horses are better equipped to handle 1 ¼ miles, and they've yet to be subjected to the physical rigors of running three races in a little over a month, which is why so many Triple Crown bids die at Belmont Park in Elmont, New York.

Kentucky Derby odds are courtesy of OddsShark.