About Kentucky Derby
The Kentucky Derby runs on the first Saturday of May — May 1 in 2027 — at Churchill Downs in Louisville. The countdown above ticks toward "the most exciting two minutes in sports," the longest continuously held sporting event in America, run every year since 1875.
The Derby is equal parts horse race and pageant: twenty three-year-old thoroughbreds chasing the garland of roses, 150,000 spectators in extravagant hats, mint juleps by the hundred-thousand, and the crowd singing "My Old Kentucky Home" as the horses step onto the track. It opens the Triple Crown, followed by the Preakness and Belmont Stakes.
Upcoming dates
| 2027 | Saturday, May 1, 2027next |
| 2028 | Saturday, May 6, 2028 |
| 2029 | Saturday, May 5, 2029 |
| 2030 | Saturday, May 4, 2030 |
| 2031 | Saturday, May 3, 2031 |
FAQ
When is the Kentucky Derby 2027?
Saturday, May 1, 2027 — the Derby is always the first Saturday in May at Churchill Downs.
Why is it called the Run for the Roses?
The winning horse is draped with a garland of more than 400 red roses — a tradition since 1896.
What is the Triple Crown?
The Derby, Preakness Stakes and Belmont Stakes — winning all three in one season is among the rarest feats in sports.