Kentucky Derby 2019: Post Time, TV Schedule, Post Positions Info

The 2019 Kentucky Derby will take place on Saturday, May 4, at the iconic Churchill Downs racetrack in Louisville, marking the 145th running of the first leg of the Triple Crown.

Per Danielle Lerner of the Courier Journal, the runners are expected to head for the post at 6:50 p.m ET (11:50 p.m. BST). The post draw will take place in the week leading up to the race, with entries finalised on May 1.

This year's field is expected to be a tight one, with several standout horses and a number of dangerous outside contenders.

Oddsmaker Jody Demling (for CBS Sports) has highlighted Omaha Beach as the early 3-1 favourite, courtesy of wins in the Arkansas Derby and Rebel Stakes.

The Arkansas Derby is one of the top prep races for the Kentucky Derby, and this year's edition was an excellent one, with Bob Baffert's Improbable also running:

Improbable will be counted among the top contenders for the Run for the Roses as well, with back-to-back second-place finishes in the Arkansas Derby and Rebel Stakes.

The latter race was split into two divisions this year, and Improbable didn't meet Omaha Beach. Instead, he was upset by Long Range Toddy, who fell well short in the Arkansas Derby but will nonetheless be a popular outside pick.

Long Range Toddy has only taken a single win in 2019 but took several wins as a two-year-old. His closing speed is impressive:

Roadster is unbeaten in 2019, including a triumph at the Santa Anita Derby, where he held off Game Winner, Baffert's other top contender. Game Winner was the standout among two-year-olds, culminating in a Breeders' Cup Juvenile title, but he's fallen short in both his starts this year.

Here is how the Santa Anita Derby played out:

Maximum Security and Tacitus are other contenders to keep an eye on.