Kentucky Derby 2018 Post Time: Start Time, Schedule and More for 144th Race

Churchill Downs will host the 144th edition of the Kentucky Derby on Saturday, kicking off one of the most exciting spells of the year for horse racing fanatics.

The winner of the Run for the Roses will not only etch their name into history, they will have the chance to join a select group that have won the Triple Crown, with the Preakness Stakes and the Belmont Stakes to follow.

As is so often the case in the Derby, the field appears to be wide-open again, with little separating the top contenders in the betting. Here is the schedule for what is always an unmissable occasion and a look at what to expect from this year's tussle under the twin spires.

Start Time: 12:30 p.m. (ET)/5:30 p.m. (BST)

Kentucky Derby Post Time: 6:30 p.m. (ET), 11:30 p.m. (BST)

TV Info: NBC Sports (U.S.), At The Races (UK)

Live Stream: NBC Sports App (U.S.)

Race Preview

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Even those who don't take an interest in horse racing for much of the year tend to tune in for the Derby. After all, the event is dubbed as "the most exciting two minutes in sports" for a reason.

The two favourites in the buildup to the race have been Mendelssohn and Justify, with the former showcasing some fine form of late.

In the Grade 2 UAE Derby at Meydan, he was sensational, romping to victory by an enormous 18-and-a-half-length margin. Here's a look at that epic display:

Needless to say, plenty of money has come in for the horse, trained by Aidan O'Brien, since that incredible performance, per OddsShark:

"He's a very good horse, obviously, and the lads (in the Coolmore Stud syndicate) paid a lot of money for him," O'Brien said after the win, per Jason Frakes of the Louisville Courier Journal. "He's very well bred. And that was his first taste of the dirt and going further than a mile, so we couldn't be happier really."

In what was his maiden outing on a dirt surface, it was a strong showing from a horse that appears to be peaking at the right time. Aside from his triumph in the UAE, Mendelssohn also has a Grade 1 win at the Breeders' Cup and victory in the Patton Stakes on his record. 

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However, horses preparing outside of the United States for the Derby haven't tended to perform well in the race itself. Plus, in Justify, it's clear Mendelssohn has a strong rival at Churchill Downs.

Trained by the legendary Bob Baffert—who has four Derby wins on his record—Justify has won on all three of his starts so far. However, as noted by Frakes, history appears to be against the horse, as no colt has won the Kentucky showpiece without racing as a two-year-old since Apollo in 1882.

Still, anyone who watched Mike Smith steer him to victory in the Santa Anita Derby couldn't have helped but be impressed. As relayed by Doug Salvatore, Justify was clocked at a serious speed in that win:

Another major challenger is likely to be Audible, having won the Grade 2 Holy Bull and the Grade 1 Florida Derby; the winner of the latter race for the previous two years has gone on to land the Run for the Roses, too.

Further down the betting is Magnum Moon, who also didn't race as a two-year-old. He turned in a strong performance to win the Grade 1 Arkansas Derby, though, with no rival within four lengths.