Where to watch Kentucky Derby post position draw 2026: Date, time, TV channel, horses for Churchill Downs race

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25 April 2026 at 15:40

Where to watch Kentucky Derby post position draw 2026: Date, time, TV channel, horses for Churchill Downs race originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

One week out from the 152nd running of the Kentucky Derby, it's time to determine post positions for the 20-horse field.

Starting position can be a key factor in a horse's chances of winning the race, with some gates historically more likely to produce winners than others and one in particular — No. 17 — still awaiting its first champion. Last year's winner, Sovereignty, initially drew post 18 but started from 16 due to a pair of scratches.

Early betting favorites in the 2026 field are the Todd Pletcher-trained Renegade along with a pair of horses trained by Brad Cox, Further Ado and Commandment, who all carry odds of 6-1 or better entering draw day.

Which gates will the favorites draw? Here's everything you need to know to watch as post positions are determined for the 2026 Derby.

When is the Kentucky Derby post position draw?

Date: Saturday, April 25
Time: 2:15 p.m. ET

The 2026 Kentucky Derby draw is set to begin Saturday at about 2:15 p.m. ET, earlier than in recent years when the post positions were determined in the evening.

The draw will occur between the third and fourth races of Saturday's program at Churchill Downs and immediately after the Kentucky Oaks draw, which will begin shortly after 2 p.m. ET.

Where to watch Kentucky Derby post position draw 2026

TV channels: FanDuel TV (national), WAVE (local)
Live stream:DIRECTV

The Kentucky Derby draw will air on WAVE in the Louisville area and be broadcast nationally by FanDuel TV (formerly TVG). Fans in the region or around the country can stream the event live on DIRECTV, which offers a free trial to new users.

Catch every game – try DIRECTV FREE today! Stream live MLB, March Madness, soccer and more with must-have sports channels like TNT, TBS, truTV, ESPN, FS1, and NFL Network—all included with DIRECTV.

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Kentucky Derby horses 2026

The entry list has not yet been finalized, but the top 20 horses in the Road to the Kentucky Derby leaderboard will be in line to run. As many as four additional horses can enter as "also-eligibles" and potentially move into the field with a scratch next week.

The current leaderboard is below:

Rank	Horse	Trainer
1	Commandment	Brad Cox
2	Further Ado	Brad Cox
3	Renegade	Todd Pletcher
4	So Happy	Mark Giatt
5	Fulleffort	Brad Cox
6	The Puma	Gustavo Delgado
7	Silent Tactic	Mark Casse
8	Emerging Market	Chad Brown
9	Albus	Riley Mott
10	Potente	Bob Baffert
11	Pavlovian	Doug O'Neill
12	Right To Party	Kenny McPeek
13	Incredibolt	Riley Mott
14	Golden Tempo	Cherie DeVaux
15	Chief Wallabee	Bill Mott
16	Chip Honcho	Steve Asmussen
17	Intrepido	Jeff Mullins
18	Danon Bourbon	Manabu Ikezoe
19	Wonder Dean	Daisuke Takayanagi
20	Six Speed	Bhupat Seemar
21	Litmus Test	Bob Baffert
22	Great White	John Ennis
23	Ocelli	Whit Beckman
24	Robusta	Doug O'Neill

When is the Kentucky Derby in 2026?

Date: Saturday, May 2
Post time: 6:57 p.m. ET

The 152nd Kentucky Derby will be run in its traditional slot on the first Saturday in May. Post time for the race at Churchill Downs is set for 6:57 p.m. ET.

Kentucky Derby winners by post position

History shows horses on the inside, starting from positions one to 10, are much more likely to win the Kentucky Derby than those starting on the outside.

Here are the all-time Derby winners by post position:

Post position	Derby winners
1	8
2	7
3	6
4	5
5	10
6	2
7	8
8	9
9	4
10	9
11	2
12	3
13	5
14	2
15	6
16	5
17	0
18	2
19	1
20	2

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Churchill Downs Inc. buys Preakness intellectual property for $85 million 21 April 2026 at 20:38

Churchill Downs Inc. buys Preakness intellectual property for $85 million

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21 April 2026 at 20:38

Churchill Downs Incorporated said it has entered into an agreement to acquire the intellectual property for the Preakness Stakes and Black-Eyed Susan-Stakes from 1/ST Racing’s Maryland department for $85 million, subject to customary closing conditions.

Churchill Downs, the home of the Kentucky Derby, plans to license the rights annually to the state of Maryland to stage the races. The parties expect the transaction to close after the next running of the Preakness, which is set to happen at Laurel Park on May 16 while Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore is rebuilt as part of a major reconstruction project.

“This acquisition adds one of the most iconic brands in American sports to our portfolio and is consistent with our strategy of investing in premier thoroughbred racing assets with long-term growth potential,” Churchill Downs Incorporated CEO Bill Carstanjen said. “In keeping ownership of the Preakness intellectual property in the racing industry, CDI will support efforts to fully realize the potential of a redeveloped Pimlico and Preakness Stakes within the Triple Crown and the broader sports and entertainment landscape.”

The agreement comes a week after a report surfaced that the Preakness was planning to shift back a week in May, something officials have been discussing for years. A spokesperson for the Maryland Jockey Club told The Associated Press that the organization is in the negotiation stage of a new media rights agreement, which could play a large role in timing for the Triple Crown, and that it had not yet spoken with Churchill Downs or the New York Racing Association about the date.

Currently, the Preakness takes place two weeks after the Kentucky Derby, which is run on the first Saturday in May, with the Belmont Stakes three weeks later as the third and final leg of the Triple Crown. The spacing of the racing has been one of the biggest subjects of debate in the sport, especially with several owners and trainers of Derby winners opting in recent years to skip the Preakness.